mediumaevum: A 15-century stone mausoleum, weighing 1,100 tons, safely traveled over a mile in almos

mediumaevum:A 15-century stone mausoleum, weighing 1,100 tons, safely traveled over a mile in almost 4 hours with the aid of a concrete platform and 191 wheels. Read onNational Geographic:…the historic Zeynel Bey Mausoleum trundled to its new home in Hasankeyf, Turkey on May 12.Built in 1475 by a Turkic ruler to commemorate his son’s death in battle, the domed tower was moved from its original site in the 12,000-year-old town of Hasankeyf to a new “cultural park” over a mile away—and over 200 feet higher in elevation. The costly undertaking removes the tomb from the area affected by a massive reservoir that will flood the Tigris River Valley when the controversial Ilısu Dam becomes operational.Though some opposed the structure’s relocation, citing concerns that the tomb would sustain damage, proponents argued that the move was made in the interest of cultural preservation.The mausoleum is a striking example of historic Anatolian architecture: double-domed for ventilation, 50 feet tall and 25 feet in diameter, the tower’s intricate tile work and commanding position over the Tigris River make it one of the region’s main tourist attractions.Engineers and preservationists considered several options, including allowing the tomb to be flooded, or constructing a concrete bunker around it, reachable by a two-mile underwater tunnel complete with a light rail system.Even after the Turkish government’s State Hydraulic Works (DSI) greenlit the relocation—and agreed to foot the $4.2 million bill—obstacles remained.“As usual, things don’t always go as smoothly as you plan,” says Ahmet Turer, a civil engineer who helped oversee the project. “The day of the relocation we had a lot of troubles.” […]Opponents point out that the relocation programs settle displaced residents—which may number as many as 25,000—in homes they can’t afford, on less arable land, and deprive them of thousands of years of cultural and material heritage.Some even argue that flooding the valley will force the mostly-Kurdish residents to move to urban centers, thereby increasing assimilation into Turkish culture.The environmental concerns are no less numerous. Stemming the famous Tigris will exacerbate drought downstream in Syria and Iran, weakening already fragile ecosystems and worsening political conflict. (Read about the people who live in Iran’s disappearing marshes.)The mausoleum of Zeynel Bay is safely installed in its new site. Yet the landscape below may soon become unrecognizable to those who live there. (Meet the people who live in the Tigris River Valley.) -- source link

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