2,800-year-old Urartu cistern restored in Türkiye

ELAZIĞ

The restoration of a nearly 2,800-year-old water cistern from the Urartu period, found within Harput Castle in Türkiye's eastern Anatolia region, has been successfully finalized.

Located in Elazığ province, Harput Castle has been at the center of archaeological excavation and restoration projects since 2004. Efforts continue to uncover and preserve artifacts and structures from its storied past.

Harput Castle, with its roots dating back to 3000 B.C., was later fortified by the Urartu Kingdom. It is located in the historic Harput neighborhood, which is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.

Recently, the restoration of the second water cistern, featuring 52 steps and located within the castle, was completed. This follows the earlier restoration in 2021 of the first Urartu-period cistern, which had 112 steps and is now open to tourists.

The second cistern has a diameter of approximately 4.5 meters (14.7 feet) and descends 30 meters (98.4 feet) into the earth, expertly carved from natural rock. Ismail Aytaç, who oversees the excavations at Harput Castle, shared with Anadolu Agency that the cistern will welcome visitors once the access road has been arranged.

Aytaç emphasized that these large, rock-carved cisterns, accessible by steps, are of significant historical and touristic value. The first cistern, associated with legend as the dungeon where a Crusader king was imprisoned during the Seljuk period, was restored and opened to visitors in previous years.

“The restoration of the second stepped water cistern has recently been completed,” Aytaç said. “It was carved into the natural rock, measures 4 meters in diameter, and extends 30 meters down with 52 steps.”

He noted that these cisterns, used over the centuries for water supply and later for food storage when water levels were low, are approximately 2,800 years old. The second cistern is notable as one of the most significant and largest of its kind in Türkiye.

Highlighting the goal to share this piece of history with the public, Aytaç stated, “We want visitors to gain insight into the region's history by opening the cistern to them.”