This has been the rescues in Turkey and Syria after the earthquake 1:48
(CNN) --
The earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on Monday severely damaged Gaziantep Castle, a historic site and tourist attraction in southeastern Turkey.
The castle collapsed during the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck in the early morning of February 6.
Latest news of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria: dead, injured and missing
"Some of the bastions on the eastern, southern and southeastern parts of the historic Gaziantep castle in the central Şahinbey district were destroyed by the earthquake, rubble was scattered along the road," Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
"The iron railings surrounding the castle were scattered on the surrounding sidewalks. The retaining wall next to the castle also collapsed. Large cracks were observed in some bastions," the report said.
The dome and eastern wall of the historic Şirvani Mosque, located next to the castle and whose construction is attributed to the 17th century, also partially collapsed.
According to archaeological excavations, the castle was built as a watchtower in Roman times, between the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, and was expanded over time.
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It took its current form during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian (527-565 AD), according to Turkish Museums, the country's official site for museums and archaeological sites.
More recently, it functioned as the Gaziantep Defense and Heroism Panoramic Museum.
Gaziantep Castle in 2022. (Credit: OMAR HAJ KADOUR/AFP/Getty Images)
So far, more than 18 aftershocks measuring magnitude 4 or higher on the Richter scale have been recorded since the initial quake, one of the strongest to hit Turkey in a century.
More than 1,500 people have died in the affected areas of Turkey and Syria.
According to Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay, some 1,700 buildings have been damaged in 10 Turkish cities.
CNN's Yusuf Gezer contributed to this report.
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