By C. Perera, JadeTimes News
Istanbul's Plan to Preserve Its Cultural Heritage
An ambitious restoration campaign in Istanbul is uncovering the city’s hidden historical treasures.
For years, the dometopped Bulgur Palas in Istanbul's Fatih district was barely visible, hidden behind high walls. Now, following extensive renovations, it offers panoramic views of the Marmara Sea, the historical peninsula, and the modern business district. Reopened in February 2024 as a cultural center with a library, exhibition space, café, and observation terrace, Bulgur Palas is one of many sites that have become accessible to the public over the past five years. These restored attractions, ranging from Byzantine fortifications to late Ottoman factories, unveil previously unknown facets of Istanbul's history.
"Istanbul cannot be captured in a single photograph; each part of the city holds unique treasures," says Mahir Polat, deputy secretary general of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality who has led this restoration effort since 2019.
The restoration projects aim to create new public spaces in the dense city and revitalize neglected historical sites at risk from earthquakes and urban development. This initiative may also help develop a more sustainable tourism strategy for a city that hosted 20.2 million international visitors in 2023, a 26% increase from 2022. Iconic sites like Topkapı Palace, Hagia Sophia, and the Basilica Cistern often see long lines, but newly opened landmarks can help distribute tourist traffic more evenly across the city.
Tour guide Sinan Sökmen, founder of Istanbul Tour Studio, believes these additional landmarks can spread tourism more evenly. He cites the Gülhane Park Cistern, a 1,500 year old reservoir restored and reopened in early 2023, as an example. Just a short walk from its more famous counterpart, the Basilica Cistern, Gülhane Park Cistern is part of a historical park that includes the Column of the Goths and the Alay Köşkü pavilion.
Istanbul's multi layered history, from its founding in the 7th Century BCE to its role as the capital of the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman empires, makes it unique. Today, it is the only city to have been the capital of consecutive Christian and Islamic empires and spans two continents, Europe and Asia.
Since the modern Turkish Republic was established in 1923, Istanbul's population has grown from fewer than 1 million to around 16 million, making it Europe's largest city. This rapid growth has often left ancient monuments surrounded by concrete. The city's rapid development has also put at risk cultural landmarks from the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Author Ayşe Övür recalls her university days in the 1990s when she frequented cafes on İstiklal Caddesi, drawn to the Art Nouveau decorations of a 1901 apartment once home to Dutch fashion designer Jean Botter. Botter, who introduced the white wedding dress to Turkish society, played a significant role in Europeanizing trends of that era. The Istanbul municipality restored the building in 2021, reopening it in April 2023 as Casa Botter, a public art and design center.
On the other side of the Golden Horn, a 19th Century weaving factory has been transformed into Artİstanbul Feshane, hosting exhibitions like the 20th Century optical and kinetic art from the Tate Collection. Preserving Istanbul's industrial heritage, crucial to its transition from the Ottoman to Republic era, is a key focus of the municipality's efforts. The Golden Horn, once an industrial hub, is now being revitalized to attract both locals and tourists.
However, some critics argue that these restorations prioritize structural preservation over conveying the historical significance of these sites. Architecture professor Gülsün Tanyeli, who consulted on the restoration of Hasanpaşa Gazhane, a former gasworks now a cultural complex, believes visitors need more information about the sites' historical context and the activism that saved them.
The ongoing restoration of Istanbul's 5th Century city walls has also faced criticism for not adequately preserving the garden plots along their base, which have been used for food cultivation for centuries.