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MULTIMEDIA
May 27, 2012
 
 
 
 
 
 

‘2010 a good opportunity to promote historic Üsküdar to world’

Üsküdar Mayor Mustafa Kara
10 January 2010 / ŞULE KULU , İSTANBUL
Üsküdar Mayor Mustafa Kara has said that 2010 -- the year in which İstanbul bears the title of European Capital of Culture -- is a great opportunity for Üsküdar, which he defines as a district of culture and history, to exhibit its beauties to the world.
In an interview with Sunday’s Zaman, Mayor Kara said Üsküdar, with its history dating back to 5,000 B.C., as confirmed by artifacts discovered during excavations for the Marmaray tube project, is like an open-air museum. Noting that Üsküdar not only hosted three great empires -- Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman -- but also served as a critical trade center for even older civilizations, Kara said 2010 is an important opportunity for the district to promote Üsküdar at the international level. Stating that Üsküdar is one of İstanbul’s leading places with its location and history, Kara says it is home to numerous imarethanes (public kitchens) and mosque complexes built by wives of Ottoman sultans such as the Mihrimah Sultan Mosque and Complex and the Valide-i Atik Mosque and Complex -- which he says was the last work of legendary Ottoman architect Minar Sinan.

Kara said that when he was elected mayor of Üsküdar in the March 2009 local elections, he had said he and his team would govern Üsküdar in a way that conformed with its image of a “district of history and culture” and added: “From this perspective, our term will be one during which major steps will be taken. In accordance with this approach, we have been carrying out projects to preserve Üsküdar’s history.”

Noting that Üsküdar is a municipality that is important not only for its standing historic buildings but also for its cultural heritage, which is still waiting to be revived, Kara says they have been carrying out a series of projects to restore historic buildings. “So far the restoration of two historic dervish lodges [the Balaban Tekkesi and the Sandıkçı Tekkes] located in the center of Üsküdar have been completed. The two buildings will be opened in the near future to contribute to the cultural and social life of Üsküdar’s residents,” he says.

Stating that it is not enough for Üsküdar to simply restore only historic buildings to preserve history and culture, he says a series of cultural and touristic projects are necessary as well. “We also need to turn the restored buildings into social venues. We want to enrich our cultural and social life by giving functions compatible with their spirit to these places,” Kara notes.

‘Promoting traditional Turkish arts to the world our top priority’

In addition to being like an open-air museum, Kara says Üsküdar is also home to a number of Turkish traditional arts, from miniature to embroidery. Stating that a nakkaşhane (art house) was opened in a historic building next to the Valide-i Atik Mosque, built for Selim II’s powerful wife Nurbanu Sultan in Üsküdar in 1570, Kara says a project by the Üsküdar Municipality to build the Kandilli Traditional Turkish Arts Center in Üsküdar was approved by the İstanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture (ECOC) Agency, which coordinates the activities to be held in İstanbul in 2010 and provides funding for approved projects. It will be opened in 2010. “In 2010, Üsküdar will have the opportunity to showcase its natural beauties and heritage to a broader audience and it will also contribute to İstanbul, a European capital of culture. However, our primary goal is to promote traditional Turkish arts to the world in 2010,” Kara notes.

He also adds that Üsküdar is ready to host cultural events in 2010. Noting that the Bağlarbaşı Culture Center, recently built by the municipality, has already been reserved for cultural events for 70 days, Kara says the Maiden’s Tower, the symbol of Üsküdar, will also be a venue hosting a number of artists in 2010.

Stating that it is going to be a great pleasure for Üsküdar to host the thousands of tourists who will come to Turkey and to İstanbul as part of the İstanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture, Kara says that in the near future Üsküdar is going to be a city that stands out with its historic and cultural fabric and potential to contribute to tourism in İstanbul in general.

 
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© Feza Gazetecilik A.Ş. 2007, Ahmet Taner Kışlalı Cad. No: 6, Bahçelievler - İstanbul 34194 Turkey, +90 (212) 454 1454, +90 (212) 454 1497(fax)