Historic Erzurum congress building closed to visitors over quake safety concerns

ERZURUM

Local authorities have temporarily closed the historic congress building in the eastern province of Erzurum after technical assessments revealed it lacks sufficient earthquake resistance.

In a statement, the provincial tourism directorate said structural analyses carried out last year revealed serious damage to the building’s load-bearing system, caused by multiple earthquakes over the years.

Seismic and structural evaluations concluded that the building’s earthquake performance was inadequate, prompting officials to take immediate action to protect public safety.

As a result, the congress building, which has been operating as a museum of painting and sculpture since 2018 under the Culture and Tourism Ministry, was closed to visitors and evacuated as of Jan. 6.

According to the directorate, the Culture and Tourism Ministry officials will undertake restoration and strengthening works.

Once completed, the building is expected to reopen to the public, preserved in line with its original architectural character and updated to meet modern museum standards, including accessibility and visitor experience.

Registered as a protected cultural heritage site, the congress building hosted the Erzurum Congress in July–August 1919, a key gathering during the Turkish War of Independence led by the modern Türkiye founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Decisions taken at the congress laid the groundwork for the establishment of the Republic of Türkiye and the principle of national sovereignty.