Old tunnel found in infrastructure work

ÇORUM - Anatolia News Agency

Workers found the entrance of an historical tunnel during an infrastructure work. The tunnel goes between the Kandiber Castle and Kızılırmak River.

A historical tunnel has been unearthed in the central Anatolian province of Çorum’s Osmancık district during infrastructure work.

“Workers found the entrance of a tunnel during the work on Adnan Menderes Street between the historic Koyunbaba Bridge and Kandiber Castle. We think that the tunnel, which is 10 meters underground, goes between the Kandiber Castle and Kızılırmak River,” Osmancık Mayor Bekir Yazıcı said.

He said an archaeologist from the Çorum Museum Directorate examined the tunnel and that it had been damaged during infrastructure work in 1974. “We will do our best to recover such a historical treasure in tourism,” he added.

The Çorum museum director, archaeologist Önder İpek, said they had prepared a report and submitted it to the Higher Council for the Protection of Cultural Artifacts. “We estimate that the tunnel dates back to the Ottoman period. It might have been constructed to take water from the river. It will be taken under protection after the decision of the council.”

The mayor said the project, costing 21 million Turkish Liras, had started a few days ago in the district to renovate the infrastructure system.