The Fatih Municipality introduced restoration projects consisting of a total of 320 medium-sized works, including examples of civil architecture, mosques, and fountains, through collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Istanbul Governorship, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, General Directorate of Foundations, and philanthropic citizens. In a promotional event held on November 11th, Saturday, at the Yenikapı Event Area, attended by the President and open to the public, Fatih Municipality highlighted these restoration projects carried out in conjunction with various institutions.
“We Restored 320 Medium-Sized Works”
Fatih Municipality Mayor Mustafa Demir made the opening speech of the program. Demir stated, “Throughout its 8,500-year history, Fatih, which has been a host to three ancient civilizations and empires, has been a stage for the competition of civilizations for thousands of years. In this competition, our ancestors reflected the concept of civilization into architecture and created monumental works, leaving their mark on the city as if sealing it.”
Continuing his words, Demir said, “We have restored a total of 320 medium-sized works, including mosques and fountains. In addition, the projects of some of our 480 legacy works are completed, and others are still in the project process. Separately, we did not leave the Grand Bazaar, one of the symbolic works of our city consisting of 2,776 parcels and 3,125 shops, whose foundation was laid by Fatih Sultan Mehmet Han, to the merciless hands of time; we initiated the restoration process.”
“In 15 Years, We Struggled to Revitalize Our History with Government Opportunities”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who attended the program, emphasized the importance of aligning with history and preserving the values created by ancestors. He stated, “We should not contradict our history; if we integrate with it, we become a meaningful value. If we cannot do that, it means there is a problem. Today, we have not reached the level of our ancestors. Let’s look at the opening of the restoration works one day and compare them with the works done with today’s architecture. How long did our ancestors take, and how long did we take for the restoration? Which one better expresses the human spirit? Which one will we proudly leave to future generations? The works of our ancestors possess these qualities.”
Erdoğan continued, “We need to change our mentality and implementation. We must first realize revitalization, then establish an understanding that will surpass it, in other words, an understanding to realize construction.”
“In the last 15 years, we struggled to revitalize our history with government opportunities. If I start counting the works we have brought back to life one by one, it will take hours,” he said.
The event was attended by LASIAD President Giyasettin Eyyüpkoca, Vice Presidents of the Board Erdem Soylu Karabağlı, Barış Köseliören, Ahmet Turan, Board Members İsmail Dark, Turan Yavuz, İhsan Bıyıkbeyi, Arif Özkan, Yakup Samsama, Sebahattin Demir, Gökhan Karabulut, and Secretary General Şerafettin Yüzüak, along with a group of 150 businesspeople from Laleli on behalf of LASIAD.
