One of the most inspiring photographs taken in the aftermath of Turkey's 1999 Izmit earthquake shows the beautiful Golcuk mosque. Built in the 14th century, it appears completely undamaged by the earthquake, its 50-metre-high minaret still pointing towards the heavens, while the modern city around has almost completely turned to rubble. The ability of this mosque to withstand the devastating earthquake owes more to its architect, Mimar Sinan, than it does to divine intervention. Other, more modern mosques collapsed or were otherwise damaged in the earthquake. But not all the great monuments of the world are proving as resistant as the Golcuk mosque. For example, an earthquake in Egypt in 1992 damaged up to 150 cultural heritage sites. Around the world, many thousands of cultural sites are vulnerable to damage, both natural and man-made. Yet they form an important part of the planet's cultural wealth and there is increasing concern for their loss and deterioration. To safeguard cultural heritage sites against natural disasters, governments and communities can develop disaster plans that might include disaster mitigation, structural reinforcement and restoration works. Related sites
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Posted October 2006.
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