Istanbul mobilizes to safeguard iconic structures from quakes

ISTANBUL

The Culture and Tourism Ministry has effectively launched a nationwide mobilization to safeguard historic sites, prioritizing structural enforcement — an effort that, officials say, saved Istanbul’s iconic Maiden’s Tower from possible collapse in the latest earthquakes.

While 6.2 magnitude earthquake on April 23 resulted in no loss of life, they have reignited concerns over the fate of Türkiye’s invaluable cultural heritage. From Hagia Sophia to Sultanahmet, Selimiye Mosque to Fatih’s living museum-like streets, the country’s historic structures, many of which are centuries old, are increasingly vulnerable to seismic threats. Questions now loom over how these treasures will be preserved.

“We’ve almost declared a mobilization to strengthen the static structures of historical buildings,” Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy told the daily Hürriyet, emphasizing that these efforts have been underway for several years.

His deputy, Gökhan Yazgı, provided specific examples, pointing to the Maiden Tower as a case where early intervention proved decisive.

“If we had not done that static reinforcement, we might have lost the Maiden’s Tower in the last earthquake,” he said, reflecting on the controversial restoration project that once drew public ire.

After a major two-year restoration, Istanbul's iconic tower reopened its doors to eager visitors in May 2023.

“Some people thought the work we did was just decorative. There were harsh criticisms. But in reality, we took the tower’s ‘static X-ray’ and based on that, carried out very fine-tuned structural strengthening. These are the most expensive operations.”

The second major site currently undergoing such reinforcement is the Hagia Sophia. Experts found structural weaknesses in its minarets and dome — long stressed by centuries of earthquakes. “That’s why we’re intervening,” said Yazgı. “It’s a very important restoration.”

HH Evaculation plans for artifacts rolled out

In the aftermath of the Feb. 6, 2023, earthquakes, disaster preparedness for cultural sites was significantly expanded. AFAD delegated evacuation and shelter responsibilities to local gendarmerie commands across the country's 81 provinces.

New “Disaster-Emergency Museum Support Groups“ were formed to enable museums to act rapidly during crises, with updated coordination plans distributed to local authorities in April 2024.

A 2021 inter-agency plan laid out detailed procedures for the evacuation of movable artifacts and the on-site protection of immovable ones. These efforts are now conducted in close coordination with local “Evacuation Planning Groups” embedded within provincial gendarmerie units.

In addition to logistical planning, museums have been physically reinforced. To support these efforts with global best practices, museum directors from earthquake-prone regions participated in a risk management program in Japan between Jan. 24 and Feb. 3, which provided hands-on training.