WHY HASANKEYF MATTERS
Hasankeyf is now a small hamlet in southeastern Turkey, but for centuries it was a regional hub, home to Romans, Byzantines, the Artukids, Ayyubids and Akkoyunlu, before its absorption into the Ottoman Empire in the early 16th century. Remains from all these conquerors can still be found in the city.
WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, HASANKEYF IS SET TO BE INUNDATED BY THE FLOODWATERS OF THE ILISU HYDROELECTRIC DAM, CONSTRUCTION OF WHICH IS CURRENTLY NEARING COMPLETION ON THE TIGRIS. AT PRESENT NO INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED PLAN FOR THE CONSERVATION, PRESERVATION OR RELOCATION OF THE ANCIENT SITE IS IN PLACE.
OUR GOAL
To raise the profile of Hasankeyf both nationally and internationally, through a broad exploration of the city’s unique archeological, cultural and natural resources, and to generate fresh and viable strategies balancing conservation and growth.
WHY HASANKEYF MATTERS
- A visually compelling open-air museum that engages the imagination in myriad ways, meeting 9 of 10 UNESCO criteria for inclusion on the World Heritage List.
- Rare example of a medieval Islamic city, broadly laid out in three sections: fortress, commercial/theological center and suburban gardens of spiritual piety.
- Home to three principal mosques representing the “Turkish synthesis” of Central Asian, Persian and Arab styles (distinctive phase in the evolution of Islamic architecture).
- The sole example of Timurid architecture in Anatolia (a significant survivor from the period of Akkoyunlu pre-eminence in Eastern Anatolia, Azerbaijan and Iran, predating defeat by the Safavid Empire).
- A microcosm of geological time and human history, in a compact area clearly delineated by starkly contrasting topography of mountains, river, hills and plains.
