‘For Sale’ sign on poet’s birthplace ignites debate over cultural preservation

ISTANBUL

The childhood home of Orhan Veli Kanık, one of the founding figures of modern Turkish poetry, has been put up for sale in Istanbul, prompting a wave of public reaction and renewed debate over the preservation of the country’s literary heritage.

The wooden mansion in the Beykoz district, on Istanbul’s Asian shore, is listed at approximately 80 million Turkish Liras (around $1.8 million), according to journalist Adil Bali, who first drew widespread attention to the sale through a social media post.

The three-story house, located on İshak Ağa Street in the historic Yalıköy neighborhood, is widely recognized as the birthplace of the poet, born there on April 13, 1914.

Kanık is best known as a co-founder of the Garip movement, a revolutionary current in Turkish literature that rejected ornate Ottoman poetic conventions in favor of everyday language and urban realism.

His poems, including the iconic line “I am listening to Istanbul with my eyes closed,” remain among the most frequently cited in Turkish literary culture.

In his post, Bali described seeing a “For Sale” sign affixed to the wooden façade of the registered historic building, questioning whether what was being sold was merely a private or “a fragment of Istanbul’s memory.”

He later elaborated on his personal blog, arguing that the structure represents more than a piece of real estate. “A poet’s birthplace is not just an address,” he wrote, “but the starting point of a culture.”

The house, characterized by traditional Ottoman-era civil architecture, features three floors, a garden and a panoramic view overlooking the Bosphorus.

It was originally purchased by Kanık’s grandfather and belonged to his grandmother. The family lived there until the early 1930s. After the family moved away, the property changed hands.

The building’s historical significance was formally documented by the municipality between 2004 and 2009, when research clarified its connection to the poet.