The historic Kahramanmaraş Castle, which was damaged in the February 6 earthquakes, reopened to visitors at a ceremony held after the completion of restoration work.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said the earthquakes had deeply affected society. Ersoy expressed his satisfaction at the reopening of Kahramanmaraş Castle to visitors.
Ersoy said that rehabilitation, reconstruction and restoration work had been completed at the Şekerli, Saraçhane, Acemli, Hacı Veli Bey and Bektutiye mosques, which were damaged in the earthquakes, and that their official opening ceremonies had been held.
Ersoy said work was being carried out to protect cultural assets affected by the earthquake and repair the damage they had sustained. He said historic structures that had been completely destroyed or heavily damaged were being rebuilt while preserving their original architecture. He added that Kahramanmaraş Castle had also been made available to the public again as part of these efforts.
Ersoy said restoration did not merely mean rebuilding a destroyed structure. He noted that the aim was to ensure the historic monument continued to exist in the future while respecting its original identity. Ersoy said the castle’s historic and symbolic significance had also been carried into the future through the work undertaken.
AK Party Kahramanmaraş deputy Vahit Kirişçi thanked those who contributed and said the castle was one of the symbols of the national struggle. CHP Kahramanmaraş deputy Ali Öztunç said the castle was important not only for the city but also for Türkiye, adding that carrying out a similar project at the Germanicia Ancient City would be beneficial.
Kahramanmaraş Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Fırat Görgel expressed his satisfaction that the historic heritage had been restored with state support. Görgel said the city’s spirit of independence lived on in the castle walls and in the city’s collective memory.
After the speeches, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held with the participation of protocol members, and Kahramanmaraş Castle reopened to visitors. Governor Mükerrem Ünlüer, deputies Mehmet Şahin, İrfan Karatutlu and Ömer Oruç Bilal Debgici, district mayors and heads of institutions also attended the ceremony.
