Photo: AA
Click to read the article in Turkish
The last historical building that was left in Hasankeyf is being transferred before the 12-thousand-year-old ancient district submerges in the water because of a nearby dam.
The transfer of Er-Rızk Mosque began yesterday (December 15), the state-run AA reported. The building weighing 1,700 tons was loaded into a 256-wheel self-propelled modular transporter to be moved to the "New Hasankeyf Cultural Park Area," the agency said.
Six other historical buildings were previously moved to the new area: Zeynelbey Tomb, Artuklu Bath, Imam Abdullah Zawiya, Orta Kapı, Kızlar (Eyyubi) Mosque, Suleyman Khan Mosque Complex
Hasankeyf district in the southeastern province of Batman will be submerged in the water after the Ilısu Dam, which began to hold water in July, becomes fully operational.
About the Hasankeyf dam project
The Ilısu Dam (Photo: AA) The construction of the Ilısu Dam was included in the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP), a state-sponsored regional development project that has been continuing for decades, in 1982. When the Ilısu project came to the fore in 2005, the construction of the dam was tried to be prevented with a stronger campaign. As a result of this, the Initiative to Keep Hasankeyf Alive emerged. Hasankeyf and the Tigris Valley are still there as a result of the struggle of tens of civil society organizations who oppose the construction of the dam. But the process has become more difficult lately. In 2017, seven monuments were moved from Hasankeyf. Two monuments, one of them is the famous Tigris Bridge, were covered with rocks under the guise of 'restoration'. More than 200 caves that were dug in Neolithic Era pioneers and large parts of the valley next to the castle were filled with excavation waste. According to statements by authorities, dam gates will be closed and the dam will begin to fill with water. If the gates are closed, Hasankeyf will be totally submerged into water within four to eight months. Source: Hasankeyf Initiative |
(RT/VK)
