Historic island to be restored for tourism

ORDU

Ayanikola Island in Ordu’s Ünye district, which houses the remnants of a historic church, will be restored and opened to tourism following extensive conservation work.

According to a written statement from the Ordu Metropolitan Municipality, the restoration and landscaping project for Ayanikola Island, whose history dates back to the 1700s, has been approved by the Samsun Regional Board for the Protection of Cultural Heritage.

The statement noted that the island’s church ruins will be restored in accordance with their original structure under a project led by the Ordu Metropolitan Municipality’s Department of Urban Planning and supported by the Ordu Governorship Investment Monitoring and Coordination Directorate.

Under the Coastal Law, the site, which is under state jurisdiction, has been allocated to the municipality for two years. The statement added:

“Access to the island will be provided via a wooden bridge designed to blend with the natural and cultural texture, as approved by the Samsun Regional Board for the Protection of Cultural Heritage. Wooden steps will be installed around the island, and lighting works will make the area visible at night. The project aims to bring one of Ünye’s significant cultural heritage sites back to life and open it to tourism, while also contributing to the region’s social and cultural life.”