Ancient fish lake to become tourist attraction

BATMAN

A fish lake located within the 3,000-year-old ancient city of Erzen in the southeastern province of Batman's Kozluk district is being developed as a tourist destination through an ongoing revitalization project.

A significant settlement during the Middle Ages, Erzen was ruled for centuries by the Dilmaçoğulları Principality and the Ayyubids. A comprehensive restoration project, which was launched in December 2024, was almost completed.

As part of the project, the lake has been cleaned, walking paths and landscaped areas were created around it and wooden pergolas were placed in a newly developed 10-decare recreational area. Special care was taken to preserve the natural spring water and protect the fish population during the process.

Situated along the Garzan River, the development of the fish lake is now 95 percent complete. The site is expected to open to visitors this month.

Kozluk District Governor Ekrem Güngör told state-run Anadolu Agency that Batman is home to a rich history, ancient civilizations and striking geography.

Highlighting Kozluk’s significance within this heritage, Güngör said, “Kozluk has a history going back nearly 10,000 years. This includes archaeological sites like Hallan Çemi Mound, the Malabadi Bridge, Mount Mereto and the ancient city of Erzen.”

Noting that Erzen has a history spanning around 3,000 years, Güngör said that under the guidance of Batman Governor Ekrem Canalp, they initiated a project with the support of the provincial directorate of culture and tourism and the special provincial administration to bring the ancient site back to life.

He added that they received the necessary approvals from the Diyarbakır Regional Board for the Protection of Cultural Assets and began work in December 2024.

“Our goal is to introduce this fish lake to the world,” he said. “We’ve built a picnic and recreation area on about 10 decares of land. We want to expand Batman’s tourism capacity, and the fish lake will be a key part of that effort. Our aim is to create a new tourism route in our district, complementing the appeal of Hasankeyf.”