IMM President Ekrem İmamoğluexamined the restoration works carried out at five different points of the Land Walls, which are on the UNESCO World Heritage list, on site. Visiting the work area in Yedikule with the members of the IMM Science Board, İmamoğlu said, “There has been a long period of neglect at these world heritage sites. Seeing this scene, and the fact that these processes took place in 2021, of course, saddens us. “For over 25 years, almost nothing has been touched here,” he said.
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) President Ekrem İmamoğlu, examined the restoration works of the Land Walls, which were built between 413 and 422 and left to their fate for many years, on site. İmamoğlu, members of the IMM Scientific Committee Prof. Dr. Zeynep Ahunbay, Prof. Dr. Feridun Cili, Prof. Dr. Engin Akyurek and Prof. Baha Tanman toured the leg of the works he contributed in the Yedikule Land Walls with the members of the board. To Immoglu on the inspection trip, IMM Sözcüand Mayor's Advisor Murat Ongun and IMM Deputy Secretary General Mahir Polat. Imamoglu, who visited the restoration area by getting information from the authorities, then made evaluations by the journalists.
It hurts us inside
Stating that the neglect of the walls can be seen when viewed with the naked eye, İmamoğlu said, “There has been neglect for a long time in these world heritage points. Unfortunately, it hurts us in terms of touristic and urban heritage, ”he said. Noting that the walls have witnessed many things throughout history, İmamoğlu said, “The conquest took place, there are traces of the Ottoman period after the conquest. There are traces of the new life that has taken shape right next to it. But unfortunately, some subsequent uses, natural disasters, earthquakes, and overlapping of the city were always experienced here; For more than 25 years, almost no touch has been made ”he said.
22 WE WILL COMPLETE THE HOROSCOPE IN TWO YEARS
Underlining that they have undertaken a hard job with the members of the IMM Scientific Committee, İmamoğlu continued his explanation as follows:
“We all started a restoration process under the guidance and leadership of people who are really experts in this business. Of course, we are talking about serious structures, serious destruction and destruction. Seeing this landscape and the fact that these processes took place in 2021, of course, upset us. But we will make up for it as soon as possible. We have a little way. Here, on the Yedikule side, our restorations started on five bastions. There is a section we enter on the Sulukule side. At the end of the day, we want to complete a total of 22 bastions in two years and make it available for both Istanbul and the world to be used as a travel area. It doesn't just stop there; It will also trigger some developments in its immediate surroundings. In my opinion, with its historical narratives that are shown very special in the world; Here are the historical traces of the Byzantine period, the conquest period and the Ottoman Empire afterwards. "
A HUMAN PROCESS THAT ALSO FEES THE SURROUNDINGS
“Hasn't any restoration work started here in the previous period? It is said that it is a work… ”Upon the question, İmamoğlu said,“ So frankly, attempts were made in the 1989-94 period. These attempts have been; but then it was stopped altogether. Here we have dealt with these again with our arrival. There are also different settlements in the vicinity. There are some orchards here. We analyze them all. While preserving this texture, we are dealing with a number of human processes there. We also consider settlements. In other words, we will find a humane solution not by a rude attempt, but by feeling this place completely, by feeling its surroundings, and by feeling some formations. At the same time, we will protect the historical heritage here, which is our main job ”.
MAHİR POLAT: "INTERVENTION TO RESCUE THE WORLD HERITAGE"
Providing information to İmamoğlu about the work, Deputy Secretary General of BB Mahir Polat said, “21 bastions on the walls are severely damaged. We are in a World Heritage area since 1985. At this point, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, there has been no restoration work for 25 years, and the business has worsened with all kinds of humanitarian activities. We have now intervened in the field on the verge of saving a World Heritage. "As you can see, 21 zodiac signs are at risk of immediate collapse," he said.
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