Doliche’s 1,600-year-old mosaics to revolutionize Turkish tourism
Restoration work has been completed on the 1600-year-old mosaics in the church in the ancient city of Doliche in Gaziantep, one of the oldest settlements in human history and home to different religions, Türkiye, September 8, 2024 (AA Photo)
One of humanity’s oldest settlements and a crossroads of diverse religions, Gaziantep’s ancient city of Doliche is set to shine as a tourist destination. The approximately 1600-year-old mosaics found in the ancient city’s church have recently been restored, showcasing their historical grandeur.
Located near Dulluk Mahallesi in Gaziantep’s Sehitkamil district, the ancient city’s excavation work continues with the collaboration of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Germany’s University of Munster.
The excavation is led by professor Michael Blomer from Munster University, with support from Dilek Cobanoglu and a team of seven archaeologists and 15 workers.
1600-year-old mosaics in Doliche ready for tourism
The mosaics in the ancient city’s basilica have been meticulously restored and reinforced by the expert team.
Blomer highlighted the church’s fourth-century heritage, stating, “This is a wealthy church from the fourt century. Its most significant feature is its rich mosaic structure. Moreover, all the motifs in the mosaics are geometric. There are no animal or human motifs because early fourth and fifth-century churches avoided these designs.
However, animal motifs appear in the apse, which were added in the sixth century when such motifs became more common.”
Blömer emphasized the ongoing efforts to integrate the ancient city into tourism. The restoration and reinforcement of the mosaics aim to enhance ancient city of Doliche’s potential as a prominent tourist site in Türkiye.
In conclusion, the magnificent mosaics of Doliche not only shed light on history but also hold great promise for tourism. This rich historical site is ready to welcome visitors.
