modern café and the ruins of the 900-year-old bridge behind it.

In Turkey, a power play will leave ancient towns underwater

The nation’s plan to control its most precious resource includes a controversial dam that will drown some of its history.

The ancient town of Hasankeyf sits on the bank of the Tigris River. The Ilısu Dam will cause the river to rise some 200 feet, submerging this modern café, the ruins of the 900-year-old bridge behind it, and Neolithic caves (in the background).
PHOTOGRAPH BY MATHIAS DEPARDON, INSTITUTE
This story appears in the November 2018 issue of National Geographic magazine.
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