Gaziantep Castle in Turkey turns ruins following massive earthquakes; see photos

An earthquake that struck central and southern Turkey as well as northwestern Syria on Monday morning has created havoc on a number of historic buildings and structures. A second earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 struck south-eastern Turkey less than 12 hours after the first 7.8-magnitude earthquake. According to official reports, numerous people have been injured and over 1,200 people have been reported dead across Turkey and Syria.Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkey, revealed that more than 2,300 buildings have suffered significant damage. Among others, the most notable structure that was destroyed as a consequence of the earthquakes was the Gaziantep Castle, located in southeastern Turkey. Nowadays, it has turned into a popular historical site which attracts many tourists throughout the year. Last year, it was transformed into the Gaziantep Defense and Heroism Panoramic Museum, and the building's walls were lined with artwork and artefacts from the Turkish War of Independence.Some photographs showing the tragic situation of the Gaziantep Castle were shared across social media. The earthquake shattered some of the bastions in the historical Gaziantep Castle's east, south, and southeast sections, as reported by CNN. The wreckage was then scattered across the road. There were many iron rails spread across the nearby sidewalks that surrounded the castle. Additionally, the retaining wall close to the castle was almost in ruins. Large cracks were seen in a few of the bastions. The eastern wall and dome of the 17th-century Irvani Mosque, situated next to the castle, are reported to have partially crumbled.The ancient stone castle which is estimated to be more than 2,200 years old, was built by the Hittite Empire as a watchtower around the second millennium BCE. The fortress was first expanded by the Romans in the second and third centuries, and then it was once more renovated in the fifth century by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian.The castle was surrounded by a moat and had twelve towers in total. It was gradually repaired by the Ottomans, but Egyptian Sultan Qaitbay gave it a second complete remodel in 1481. Suleiman the Magnificent erected the two towers next to the main gate during the Ottoman Empire around 1557.Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.