Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy has welcomed a group of children from eastern Anatolia to Istanbul after their viral snow replica of the famous “Maiden’s Tower,” known as “Kız Kulesi” in Turkish, took social media by storm.
The story began in Kızılelma village in the Koyulhisar district of Sivas, where Adem Soylu and his younger relatives turned heavy snowfall into a creative project.
Responding to the children’s wish to drink tea while looking out over the Maiden’s Tower, Soylu constructed a detailed snow version of the historic landmark in about two hours, with children helping chape the structure.
Images of the children enjoying themselves beside their snowy tower quickly went viral, drawing praise for their imagination and craftsmanship.
Moved by the images, Ersoy invited Adem Soylu and the children, Rasim Soylu, Badesu Soylu, İlyas Şahin and İlker Şahin, to Istanbul to experience the real monument they had recreated.
Over a two-day visit, the group toured the city’s major cultural landmarks and fulfilled their wish of drinking tea across from Maiden’s Tower in Üsküdar, before visiting the tower itself.
The program was accompanied by Istanbul’s Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism, Hüseyin Keskin, while Maiden’s Tower Museum Director Ali İlker Tepeköy provided historical insight into the centuries-old structure.
Speaking to reporters, Ersoy said the ministry was committed to helping children with Türkiye’s cultural heritage, pouring in effort to encourage young generations to engage with history, art and shared cultural values.
The children also visited Galata Tower, the Atatürk Cultural Center and Atlas Cinema Museum.
Ersoy highlighted ongoing initiatives such as the “Heritage for the Future” project, which supports archaeological excavations at 260 sites nationwide, and the newly launched “Living Heritage School,” designed to pass endangered traditional arts on to children through master artisans.
