This photo taken on June 13, 2023 shows some Greek letters engraved over an entrance through the 1,600-year-old historical walls of Istanbul, Türkiye. The restoration of the 1,600-year-old historical walls of Istanbul, the largest Turkish city, has rejuvenated the surrounding once-notorious neighborhoods in a way that has beat the expectations.(Photo by Omer Kuscu/Xinhua)
by Zeynep Cermen
ISTANBUL, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The restoration of the 1,600-year-old historical walls of Istanbul, the largest Turkish city, has rejuvenated the surrounding once-notorious neighborhoods in a way that has beat the expectations.
The walls, originally built in the 5th century during the Eastern Roman Empire to protect the city from enemies on land and sea, went through a series of additions and modifications throughout history. However, a large part of them, either destroyed or heavily damaged, did not survive the ravages of time.
Known as the excellent fortification system in antiquity, the walls once posed a safety hazard to the city when their neighborhoods were seen as a shelter for drug addicts, alcoholics and the homeless, and witnessed repeated collapsing incidents.
Now, the entire area has seen a rapid transformation since the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality launched a major restoration project for the walls in 2021.
"This place was in a pathetic state," Onder Guler, a historian who was part of the project's brain trust, told Xinhua at Mevlanakapi, one of the main gates of the land walls, which gives its name to a neighborhood.
"You couldn't get in (the bastions) or climb the stairs, and there were no bars. There was a safety hazard and a danger of falling," Guler spoke of the previous state of the walls.
At Mevlanakapi alone, more than 300 trucks were used to remove about 7.5 tonnes of rubble piling high at the walls before the workers could reach the foot to start the restoration.
Following the restoration and maintenance works, a 7 km part, out of the total 22 km of the walls, have been opened to the public, with a beautiful walking route dotted with libraries, parks, cafes, and art and cultural centers.
Currently, the restoration teams focus on revealing the marks left by Ottoman soldiers on the walls during the siege of Istanbul in 1453, such as the cannonballs' dents.
"There are also other marks, called remiz, engraved on the gates and walls by the janissaries who stood guard at the gates after the conquest," Guler said.
"Each janissary engraved and painted the name and pennant of the squadron to which he belonged and his own name on the gate, the walls and the fountains," he added, noting the teams are applying protective procedures to make them more visible and prevent them from fading.
Hasan Marsoglu, 70, has lived in the Mevlanakapi neighborhood since birth. He told Xinhua that the area has been transformed into a safe zone where people are having fun, touching the historical texture and visiting the exhibitions.
"My wife is now a frequent visitor of this spot, and she's jogging with her friends, sitting at cafes, chatting and having tea or coffee," he said.
Restoration work is continuing on other bastions and parts of the land walls in Istanbul, which were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. ■
This photo taken on June 13, 2023 shows a restored part of the 1,600-year-old historical walls of Istanbul, Türkiye. The restoration of the 1,600-year-old historical walls of Istanbul, the largest Turkish city, has rejuvenated the surrounding once-notorious neighborhoods in a way that has beat the expectations.(Photo by Omer Kuscu/Xinhua)
Citizens walk pass an entrance in the 1,600-year-old historical walls of Istanbul, Türkiye, on June 13, 2023. The restoration of the 1,600-year-old historical walls of Istanbul, the largest Turkish city, has rejuvenated the surrounding once-notorious neighborhoods in a way that has beat the expectations.(Photo by Omer Kuscu/Xinhua)
This photo taken on June 13, 2023 shows the site of an ongoing restoration project on the 1,600-year-old historical walls of Istanbul, Türkiye. The restoration of the 1,600-year-old historical walls of Istanbul, the largest Turkish city, has rejuvenated the surrounding once-notorious neighborhoods in a way that has beat the expectations.(Photo by Omer Kuscu/Xinhua)
This photo taken on June 13, 2023 shows some watch towers on the 1,600-year-old historical walls of Istanbul, Türkiye. The restoration of the 1,600-year-old historical walls of Istanbul, the largest Turkish city, has rejuvenated the surrounding once-notorious neighborhoods in a way that has beat the expectations.(Photo by Omer Kuscu/Xinhua)
This photo taken on June 13, 2023 shows a restored part of the 1,600-year-old historical walls of Istanbul, Türkiye. The restoration of the 1,600-year-old historical walls of Istanbul, the largest Turkish city, has rejuvenated the surrounding once-notorious neighborhoods in a way that has beat the expectations.(Photo by Omer Kuscu/Xinhua)
