One carriage was opened to service earlier this week in district streets that are closed to traffic in order to preserve the historical heritage of the district. Dutluk Street, Hamamönü Street and Mehmet Akif Ersoy Street are some of the streets the horseless carriages travel on.The carriage project kicked off with only one vehicle but will soon be increased to three, according to Tiryaki. The horseless carriage is a safe mode of transportation, and many believe it will create more profit and revenue for Altındağ.
“Our municipality spent TL 15,000 on the project. We will organize district tours for domestic and foreign tourists to enable them to see the beauties of our district more easily. The vehicle is operated by a municipal worker,” the mayor remarked.
According to the mayor, the district attracts both domestic and foreign tourists due to its historic and artistic framework. “People flock to our district to see culture and art. We organize events including the recitation of poems and stories. People are very interested in this,” Tiryaki noted.
The Altındağ Municipality is also known for its efforts to restore historic buildings in several of its neighborhoods. “As part of a protocol between our municipality and Hacettepe University, so far we have renovated 20 buildings in our district. Renovation efforts help history and traditional Turkish values in the district survive. We also plan to complete ongoing work on Sanat Street [Street of Art] in six months,” the mayor added.
In addition, the municipality is working to restore Ulucanlar Prison. Tiryaki maintained that locals are pleased with the municipality’s restoration efforts as they renew the face of the district without damaging its historical fabric.
“The municipality is leading the way for important work. The restoration efforts are aimed at making people experience history through technological means. As part of the restoration process, we have completed work in our cafeteria and opened it. Restoration work has helped Ankara change its atmosphere,” stated Sedat Şahan, a cafeteria owner in Altındağ.
