Many structures in the centuries-old city of Kahramanmaraş, the urban center of the province at the epicenter of the recent destructive earthquakes in southern Türkiye, sustained significant damage and collapsed due to the intense tremors.

Some major streets leading to the heart of the city, home to many historical sites, have been closed off by the rubble of buildings that collapsed in the quakes, which claimed thousands of lives in the country.

As debris is removed, residents have regained road access to the Grand Bazaar, dating back half a millennium, which was nearly unscathed by the earthquakes. In addition, some businesses have started reopening their doors to help people feel like "life will return to normal."

Ali Gül, who owns an underwear shop in the bazaar, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that no destruction had befallen its long-covered streets.

"Generally, our premises are in good condition, but some items fell off the shelves, and we came to pick them up from the floor. So now, we'll slowly try getting back to normal," Gül said as one of his neighbors lifted their shutters to see the state of their shop.

While the shops and roof of the bazaar escaped much of the harm, local people were severely shaken mentally by the earthquakes, according to Gül, who added that the reopening of businesses heartened many.

"Our businesses being open boosts the morale of the people. We're trying to normalize to get rid of these tough times. It's different to walk past a closed and open shop," Gül said.

The shop owner called on other businesses to open their doors and stay open even if they weren't making any sales.

"People need encouragement. An open shop always means a living city. We've got to bring this dead city back to life."

Right next to the Grand Bazaar, a museum dedicated to the province's famed ice cream and an Ottoman-era mansion exhibiting the 19th-century lifestyle also suffered minor damage other than some fallen roof tiles.

Not so fortunate, half of the minaret of the 15th-century Maraş Grand Mosque, which marks the center of the city, was lost in the disaster, with the falling debris causing some damage near the entrance of the historic mosque.

Daily prayer services have since been put on hold due to the damage, while weekly Friday prayers have been held outside.

Located nearby, the 15th-century mosque Taşmescit and the Çukur Turkish bath of the same era have also made it through undamaged.

Other cities

Yet the situation is not the same in all cities. For instance, Trapessac (Darb-ı Sak in Turkish), a medieval fortress that played a crucial role in the Crusader Princedom of Antakya, one of Türkiye's earthquake-stricken cities, was severely damaged in addition to many historical landmarks such as the Bayazid Bastami Shrine.

The historical Greek Orthodox Church in Antakya also tumbled to the ground.

On the other hand, the earthquake completely demolished the outer structure of Habib-i Neccar Mosque in Antakya, one of Anatolia's oldest mosques, along with the Diyarbakır Ulu Mosque dating to the seventh century.

Most of the 152-year-old Latin Catholic Church in the Iskenderun district of Hatay, hit by the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquake, was destroyed.

The historical Antep houses, which represent a valuable touristic asset and stand as landmarks unique for their structures isolated from the outdoors, were hit hard and mostly destroyed by the tremors.

The historical Yeni Cami (New Mosque), located in the city center of Türkiye's southeastern Malatya, was also torn apart.

UNESCO was also alarmed over the sites included in its World Heritage list, such as Diyarbakır Fortress and the adjacent Hevsel Gardens. They also raised concerns over the Neolithic site of Göbeklitepe in Şanlıurfa province, home to the world's oldest known megaliths. Likewise, researchers were also concerned about the state of the Nemrut Dağ site, one of Türkiye's most iconic attractions because of the giant statues that are part of an ancient royal tomb erected high on a mountain and the neo-Hittite archaeological site of Arslantepe outside Malatya, a city also severely hit by the earthquake.

Meanwhile, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced the completion of damage assessment work on cultural assets, stating that their teams covered a large area on Friday. In Hatay, a group of 77 people was assigned to detect any damage. The assessments, encompassing both the ministry and public property, have been completed, and the necessary precautions will be taken to avoid accidental injury. In the protected areas of the city, the ministry will lead and supervise debris removal and reconstruction to ensure proper preservation.