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Archaeological excavations at Bitlis Castle in eastern Türkiye are nearing completion after more than two decades of work, with researchers uncovering Ottoman-era buildings, a main road and a wide range of small artifacts across the historic site.
The excavations, which began in 2004, are now 95% complete, according to Bitlis Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Osman Uner. Most of the structures brought to light, including a school, a water-storage cistern, a mosque and a bathhouse, have also been prepared for restoration.
Uner said the work had been carried out with support from Eren Holding and the Eren family, adding that efforts were underway to bring the uncovered structures into regional tourism.
"We have completed 95% of our excavations with the support of the Eren family. We have prepared the architectural structures uncovered at the castle for restoration. We are working to bring these buildings into the city's tourism sector," Uner said.
This year's excavations mainly focused on areas to the west and south of the Sinan Bey Bath, located in the center of the castle, according to Yunus Emre Karasu, an associate professor at Bitlis Eren University's Department of Art History and the scientific adviser to the excavation.
Karasu said the team's main goal was to uncover the route extending north from the castle's original southern entrance. The work turned up a main road running from south to north and continuing toward the palace section.
Excavators also identified Ottoman-era architectural remains along the newly opened areas. Coins, smoking-pipe fragments, ceramics, glass objects and small artifacts made from metal and bone were among the finds recovered from the structures.
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Excavations in most other parts of the castle have largely been wrapped up, leaving one area in the center and the U-shaped entrance section still under examination.
Karasu said the main objective was to finish the remaining excavations within a short period and prepare the castle to become part of the region's tourism offerings.
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