Turkey Seizes Control Istanbul Cultural Sites
Turkey's government enacted new legislation allowing the central state to seize control of historic cultural sites in Istanbul from opposition-run municipalities. The move threatens local authority over iconic sites like the Basilica Cistern and raises concerns about the future stewardship of World Heritage landmarks. The legislation represents a significant shift in how Turkey manages its cultural heritage amid political tensions.
- The new legislation amends a law concerning foundations (*vakıfs*), allowing the central government to take control of historic properties that were once endowed to or received resources from a foundation, even centuries ago. - This move is seen by critics as a way to financially weaken opposition-led municipalities, as these cultural sites generate significant income; the Basilica Cistern, for example, attracted nearly 2.8 million visitors in one year. - Since winning the 2019 election, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu's administration has restored nearly 1,000 historic properties and allocated over 1% of the city's roughly $10 billion annual budget to cultural and conservation activities. - Other prominent sites at risk include Casa Botter, Istanbul's first Art Nouveau building, which was recently reopened as a design center, and ArtIstanbul Feshane, a 19th-century factory converted into a major art gallery. - This action follows a pattern of the central government asserting control over cultural heritage, most notably the 2020 conversion of the UNESCO World Heritage site Hagia Sophia from a museum back into a mosque without prior discussion with UNESCO. - The law could impact any of the more than 100,000 registered immovable cultural properties in Turkey, many of which are located in Istanbul. - This is part of a broader political struggle, or "Kulturkampf," between President Erdoğan's government and opposition parties, which gained control of more cities than the ruling party in the 2024 elections. - Lawmaker Zeynep Oduncu Kutevi has warned that the seized properties could be used for profit-driven development projects rather than public cultural access, citing the state-owned portion of the historic Tersane shipyard which was opened as a luxury hotel and shopping complex.
