Restoration of 100 wooden buildings completed in Fatih

ISTANBUL

Restoration works on 100 historic wooden buildings have concluded in Fatih, a district that boasts one-third of Istanbul’s cultural assets, marking an important milestone in preserving the rich architectural heritage and historical charm of the area.

Fatih Municipality, which has registered more than 6,000 civil architectural structures in the area, is leading the significant effort.

“During the restoration of civil architectural structures, our aim is to have a more robust and durable heritage for the future generations,” Mayor Mehmet Ergün Turan emphasized, highlighting the importance of preserving the original forms and proportions of these structures.

“The restoration works of the 100th wooden building in the Zeyrek neighborhood are ongoing. We have taken our cultural assets in Zeyrek and Cibali, some of the oldest neighborhoods in Istanbul, under protection.”

Turan added that the renovations not only preserve Istanbul’s historic architecture but also improve the quality of life for residents.

“Our renovation works continue under the supervision of our experts. We observe that our neighborhood residents are very satisfied with these activities. Thanks to works like these, we will make all our historical neighborhoods more livable day by day.”

Beyond Fatih, Istanbul is witnessing several other significant restoration projects.

The “Tersane Istanbul” project, which aims to revitalize the historic Golden Horn Shipyard, is nearing completion. The 1.8-kilometer stretch of coastline, close to the public for nearly 150 years, is set to become a major tourism destination.

Meanwhile, the longstanding revonation of yet another historic structure, the Haydarpaşa Train Station, is also expected to conclude this year. This includes an archaeological site where findings from recent excavations will be exhibited.

Additionally, Yıldız Palace, the last palace of the Ottoman Empire has recently opened to the public, following six years of meticulous restoration.

Istanbul’s ongoing efforts to preserve its historical landmarks appear to be paying off, as reflected in the city’s tourism numbers.

The metropolis welcomed more than 10.4 million foreign visitors in the first seven months of 2024, marking the highest number of foreign visitors for both July and the year-to-date period.

The Culture and Tourism Ministry reported that over 1.9 million foreign visitors arrived in Istanbul in July alone.

Cruise tourism also saw a significant boost, with a 30 percent in passengers per ship arriving at Galataport — a project that opened a 1.2-kilometer coastline to public use for the first time in approximately two centuries in 2021 — compared to the same period last year.