Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy made some visits to the Midyat district of Mardin. Minister Ersoy, who came to the city to make various contacts, went to Midyat district with Mardin Governor Mahmut Demirtaş and AK Party Mardin Deputy Şeyhmus Dinçel.
Ersoy, who visited the Midyat Municipality and received information from Mayor Veysi Şahin, later visited the Mor Gabriel Monastery and met with Metropolitan Samuel Aktaş.
Ersoy, here, Mor Sobo Church, Virgin Mary Church (Yoldath Aloho), Deyrulzafaran Monastery, Mor Gabriel Monastery, Mor Abai Monastery, Mor Loozor Monastery, which were added to the World Heritage Tentative List on April 30, 2021 and work is underway to be accepted into the permanent list. followed the presentation about Mor Yakup Monastery, Mor Quryaqos Church and Mor Azozo Church.
After visiting the shopkeepers in Midyat Jewelers' Bazaar, Ersoy met with the citizens.
Minister Ersoy then visited the historical building, which is planned to be built as the Filigree Museum, the State Guest House, Estel Han, the Culture House and Major Abdurrahman Efendi Mansion.
Ersoy, who also examined the historical buildings and street rehabilitation works restored in the Estel Region, later on, the "Matiate Underground City Altunkaynak Excavation", which was initiated in the Ulu Cami Neighborhood with the cooperation of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Mardin Museum and the Midyat Municipality. He moved to the field.
Minister Ersoy, after his examination, related to the underground city called "Matiate", which has places of worship, silos, water wells and passages with corridors, and where many artifacts from the 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D. were unearthed, Mayor Şahin, Director of the Mardin Museum. and received information from the Excavation Director Gani Tarkan and other officials.
Making a statement to the journalists here, Minister Ersoy said that Midyat, with its historical texture, is a very important and valuable settlement in the north of Mesopotamia, which dates back to ancient times.
Pointing out that the district is also very valuable in terms of tourism, Ersoy said, “You know, there are many historical cities in the world. These cities receive millions of visitors. Midyat is much older than all of them. Scientists can find traces of life dating back 50 years. There are findings going back to the 9th century BC where we are now, but as I said, although historical cities that are much younger than here receive millions of visitors, Midyat is not at the point it deserves at the moment.” he said.
“Tourism master plan” will be created with municipalities”
Expressing that they visited the region for this purpose, and discussed with local governments what should be done within the framework of an action plan in order for Midyat to get the value it deserves from the world tourism cake, Ersoy stated that they wanted to finalize this quickly.
In this context, Ersoy stated that they will create a "tourism master plan" with the municipalities, and that they have started the restoration and renovation works in the region by moving forward with the determinations they have made without waiting for this plan, "We will continue to accelerate them. There were also street rehabilitation works that we did with the support of our municipality. In other words, not only the top of this place, but also the bottom of it, as you can see, is very, very valuable. We have the second stage of street rehabilitation works here and many churches and monasteries that have been included in the World Heritage Tentative List. We will also continue our restoration and renovation support activities regarding them.” used the expressions.
“One of the exemplary spots in the world”
Pointing out that they showed great interest in Matiate, which is one of the few underground cities in the world, in order to make it one of the world's leading tourism centers, Ersoy stated that studies are continuing in this context.
Ersoy continued his words as follows:
“You know here, at the request of our Mayor, the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism started work in 2020. After the 2020-2021 works, we decided to continue in 2022 and to work more intensively by increasing the budget. Currently, work continues intensively in two sections at an underground city point of more than 13,5 thousand 3 square meters on a land of 500 acres. Hopefully it will continue to expand. To explain its size, according to the determinations of scientists, an underground city was built, where probably 50 thousand people could live indoors for years. It was built for protection and longevity. When you look at Mardin and Midyat, this is a very beautiful place where beliefs, languages and cultures come together. It has been exposed to many invasions in the past, because of the very valuable point it was found. The people living here were also able to protect themselves with the constructions on these lands. The Matiate Underground City is one of the exemplary spots in the world.”
“We think it will be one of the tourism faces of our country”
Minister Ersoy stated that they aim to bring this area to tourism by completing the first works before the summer season next year, making the welcome centers for the visitors and completing the preparations to receive heavy visitors.
Explaining that the works will continue in stages, Ersoy said:
“Just as our underground city in Cappadocia became very famous, we think that it will pass into the world and archeology literature as a much more famous underground city. We think that it will be one of the tourism faces of our country. At this point, in the tourism master plan that we will prepare together with our municipality, we aim to bring our churches and monasteries on the World Heritage Tentative List, as well as other registered buildings to the forefront with street rehabilitation, and to participate in tourism within this master plan. We are getting a lot of visitors right now. All the hotels are full for a long time. New hotel investments are also needed. Thankfully, tourism in Turkey started well this year and continues to develop. What we want is to spread tourism to 81 cities. They have so much potential. By cooperating with our municipalities, we ensure that this potential is brought to light and promoted to the whole world in an accurate and fast manner with the Turkish Tourism Promotion and Development Agency. I hope that Midyat will be one of our most important tourist destinations.”
Minister Ersoy then attended the opening program of Mehmet Ak-Edibe Ak Qur'an Course.
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