Architect Buse Ceren Gul is working to bring back a 166-year-old Greek Orthodox church in Antakya, hoping its restoration can help heal a city devastated by earthquakes and reconnect residents with their multicultural roots. The church was largely reduced to rubble during the powerful Feb. 6, 2023, earthquakes that flattened much of southern Turkey’s historic areas, according to AP.
The twin quakes, including a magnitude 7.8 tremor, were among the deadliest in the country’s history, killing more than 53,000 people in Turkey and thousands more in Syria. In Antakya, the destruction wiped out large parts of the old town.
After years of preparation and fundraising, Gul and her team recently cleared debris as high as five meters to uncover St. Paul’s Church. “The old city is central to the earliest memories of anyone who grew up here,” Gul said while walking around the site. “‘Have we vanished?’ I asked myself when I first saw the site in the aftermath of the quakes,” she added.
Before the disaster, around 10,000 Christians lived in Hatay province. Antakya’s Saray Avenue, once a shared space for Christians, Muslims and Jews, was among the hardest-hit areas. Gul said many neighborhoods are now “unrecognizable to its residents,” but believes rebuilding the church can help protect the city’s identity.
Because Gul had been working on renovation plans before the quake, St. Paul’s Church was among the few heritage sites with approved drawings. Support from the World Monuments Fund helped clear rubble and preserve original stones, though construction is paused until more funding is secured.
Church officials say restoring nearby homes and shops is crucial for encouraging displaced families to return and for safeguarding Antakya’s long tradition of living together.
Source: AP
