A written statement about the restoration of the church was made by the Board of the Foundation of the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Hatay, which was heavily damaged by the earthquakes on February 6, 2023. In the statement, it was stated that the bell towers of the church were especially dangerous. In addition, photographs showing the damage inside the church were published for the first time.
Here is the statement:
We have not shared with you the interior and exterior images of our St. Nicholas Church, which was heavily damaged in the earthquake. We are presenting some of these images for your information.
Two weeks after the earthquake, our church was entered in a controlled manner, and all icons and other valuables were removed, recorded and protected.
In addition, the Bell Towers pose a danger; which did not collapse in the earthquake but were severely damaged and got separated from the main body more and more in each aftershock. Permission has been obtained from the Cultural Heritage Preservation Board for the dismantling of the Bell Towers of our church, which is a registered Cultural Property.
The contractor company, which is experienced in the restoration of historical monuments and we have a contract with, has started the dismantling of the bell towers by securing the iron profile of the church side walls with cages under the control of the Regional Directorate of Foundations. We share the images related to this activity here to inform you.
Regards
FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
