Hasankeyf Castle to welcome visitors soon
BATMAN
Hasankeyf Castle, located in the southeastern province of Batman's historic Hasankeyf district, is expected to open to visitors soon after the completion of restoration and landscaping works.
As part of the restoration efforts, the castle was made accessible with newly renovated walking paths, informational signage and designated rest areas. Authorities also implemented security measures to ensure the safety of visitors.
A statement from the district governor’s office announced the reopening of the historic castle is planned in the near future.
Recognized as one of the earliest settlements in Mesopotamia, Hasankeyf is home to traces of many ancient civilizations.
At the beginning of the year, a ceramic vessel fragment was unearthed during excavations in the historic district, believed to feature the image of the Anatolian leopard, a species thought to be extinct in Türkiye until it was first spotted in 2019.
Last year in October, archaeologists also uncovered the remains of a 1,600-year-old Roman military structure during another excavation in Hasankeyf. The finding was particularly significant as it confirmed historical records mentioning such a late Roman military structure at the site, which had not been physically located until then.
Findings from the same excavation included a terracotta horse figurine from the Iron Age, a "healing bowl for dog bites and scorpion and snake stings" from the Artuqid period and a plaster human face relief reflecting the Central Asian Uyghur style from the same period, shedding light on the region’s rich history.
