A 2,000-year-old Hercules relief is disappearing due to neglect.

Carved into a rock found in a quarry in the 3rd century AD, Hercules, known as Heracles in Greek mythology, is believed to be the son of Zeus and Alcmene, the daughter of the Mycenaean king. The statues and reliefs were also believed to protect people from evil in those days.

The relief depicts Hercules holding a scepter representing his strength in his right hand and a seven-headed serpent he slew in his left. This character is known as Heracles in Greek mythology and Hercules in Roman mythology.

İpek Özge Gedik, who visited the Hercules statue, said, "I came to İznik from Istanbul and I follow our history closely. I also follow İznik's history closely. I came here after my friends suggested it and did some research. I saw that some parts of the Hercules statue had been stolen and vandalized. I request that the authorities protect this Hercules statue."