Artists have turned the symbols of the province of Mersin as well as the characters associated with the holy month of Ramadan in to sand sculptures as a part of the Sand Festival in the city, which will continue until July 2.

The sculptures, including historical and mythological characters as well as landmarks of the city, have impressed locals as well as tourists with their height, which vary between 2 meters and 5 meters. Speaking to the press, Aslı İrhan, an Istanbul-based sculptor, said she worked on the sand sculpture of Shahmeran - the shah of serpents - for five days.

"People are curious about the sculpting process and how these sand sculptures manage to stand tall for months. Some cannot believe we only worked with sand and water," she said. Gamze Çetiş, who sculpted a Ramadan drummer, said: "We first press the sand and begin sculpting with the help of water. A sand sculpture takes about three to five days to sculpt." Sculptor Süleyman Can said the sculptures can remain intact for up to six months.