‘Love’ graffiti on historic castle walls creates outrage

BARTIN – Doğan News Agency

DHA Photo

Some drawings, words and shapes carved by people on the renowned Roman Amasra Castle, which is on UNESCO’s temporary world heritage list, have created quite big brouhaha in Turkey’s northern Bartın province.

The tower, which dates back to the Genoese era, is one of the most important artifacts of the Black Sea town and was included on UNESCO’s temporary list in 2013.

Markings on the ancient walls surrounding the town’s Boztepe and Zindan neighborhoods, as well as the “Dark Tunnel” inside the “Kemere Bridge” displeased tourists who were “shocked” to see the graffiti, Boztepe’s neighborhood village head, Hüseyin Göktepe, said.

The markings were mostly names of people and notes addressing lovers, with dates and hearts, creating “visual pollution” as officials added.

Officials said they were set to start work that would “clean” these marks from the historical castle, without harming the original texture of the structure.

Amasra Castle was built during the Roman period and its walls were built by the Byzantines. The front walls and gates were built by the Genoese in the 14th and 15th centuries. Though located on a narrow peninsula, a tunnel under the castle leads to a fresh water pool.

Home to a wide range of historical artifacts from the Hellenistic, Seljuk and Ottoman periods, the area of Amasra draws tourist interest for its history that dates back more than 1,000 years. Visited by almost 250,000 people each year, it is also known as an attractive place for food enthusiasts, particularly during official and religious holidays.