Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy made statements about the agenda as a guest of the live broadcast program "Açık ve Net" on Habertürk TV. Ersoy, regarding the restoration started last year on the Maiden's Tower, said, “We had to take extra precautions regarding the infrastructure of the tower. The restoration of the Maiden's Tower will be finished in early May.” said.
Stating that he felt the first earthquake that occurred in Kahramanmaraş on February 6 in Ankara, Ersoy said, “I immediately called the Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu. 'I will gather my team. If you assign a task, we'll be ready in half an hour.' I said. By 5.30, the distribution of duties of all ministers was determined. We were assigned to Malatya with our Minister of National Education. We were able to arrange our flight for 8.00. We landed at 8.55. As I approached, I looked, there was an incredible blizzard. Malatya was under the cover of snow. We arrived in the city around 9.30 am. I learned later that it was the most intense snowstorm in Malatya in recent years. Work had already begun on the wreckage, the fires were lit.” used the phrases.
“We passed the exam in the museums in the earthquake zone”
Pointing out that there are approximately 11 registered properties affiliated to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in the earthquake zone covering 8 provinces, Ersoy said:
“We have prepared the disaster emergency plan. The museum exposed to the disaster knows from which museum it will receive support. Disasters may occur in distant provinces. They are not waiting for instructions from Ankara or any administrative center. They are communicating. They set off a few hours after the earthquake in Hatay, Elbistan, Adıyaman and Hatay museums. The number of specialist personnel there is doubled. They know their place of duty. We do not have a museum destroyed in the earthquake zone. Only one block of Hatay Museum is damaged due to ground collapse. We passed the test in museums.”
Noting that they have established a Cultural Heritage Scientific Advisory Board, Ersoy emphasized that academicians who want to do business on a voluntary basis can join this board.
“A Memory Museum will be built in the earthquake zone”
Mehmet Nuri Ersoy underlined that the Regional Directorate of Foundations continues its damage assessment and survey studies in the earthquake zone, and continued his words as follows:
“Foundations will spend around 11 billion liras. There are some buildings that will be completed in 1 year and some that will be completed in 5 years. After all, I think it will spread over 5 years. We are establishing a new Survey and Monuments Center in the disaster area. There's a lot of work here. We will increase the capacity 3-5 times. There is a place we call old Hatay. This is a multi-layered structure. There are many layers and cultural assets that have survived from archaeological times. A conservation plan is being made here. That's the main job. There is no problem with ours.
We had a meeting about foundations. For example, there is a church there, there are shops under it. The church was demolished, the shops were destroyed, the foundation's income was lost. We said that we would support them as a state. We do all the ground surveys of the registered buildings. Our expert teams undertake the project for those who cannot afford it. We will do the project work free of charge in return for their request. This is how we dissolve private foundations. If support is needed, we provide financial support.”
Pointing out that there are also plans to establish a museum in Hatay so that the earthquake will not be forgotten, Ersoy said, “Support will be given for the destroyed hotels. We will make a new protection plan in old Antakya. We will do it together with the Science and Advisory Board. We will also build an earthquake corner inside the protection area so that the earthquake is not forgotten. A Memory Museum will also be built.” he said.
“The restoration of the Maiden's Tower will be finished in early May”
Minister Ersoy said the following regarding the restoration initiated last year in the Maiden's Tower by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism:
“We had to take extra precautions regarding the infrastructure of the tower. The restoration of the Maiden's Tower will be completed in early May. On the advisory board of the restoration, Prof. Dr. Feridun Cili, Prof. Dr. Zeynep Ahunbay and Architect Han Tümertekin. II. Although it looks like wood, it is actually a reinforced concrete structure built during the Mahmud period. The architect of that period calculates according to the material he used. When calculating its static, it calculates according to the weight on it. Wood and concrete are not the same weight. This is the island with the most intense current of the Bosphorus. This current begins to eat up the hill slowly over hundreds of years. In fact, there is wear under it that we cannot see. Whatever has been done so far has been done 'as if'.”
Emphasizing that the restoration works are carried out in a transparent manner, Ersoy stated that the information regarding the restoration works, reports and the history of the tower can be viewed, together with the documents, on the "www.kizkulesi.com" address.
The Minister of Culture and Tourism also touched upon the 12 historical artifacts smuggled into the USA and said that the artifacts will be delivered to the New York Consulate General tomorrow.
Pointing out that there has been a decrease in the number of tourists coming to Turkey due to earthquakes, Ersoy noted that the targeted figures will be reached by the end of April with the promotions.
“Students have the opportunity to study 24 hours a day at the Rami Library”
Noting that the Rami Library consists of an indoor area of approximately 37 thousand square meters and a garden area of 51 thousand square meters in the middle, Ersoy said, “We are making this a National Garden. Many people come to Rami Barracks for its garden. We also have a memory library in it. We have included a sample of all the books and publications in Beyazıt in the special section here. A protected area has been built here. Turkey's largest specialized library was created in it. Atatürk Specialized Library… We continue to buy books from abroad. There were days when we found 50 thousand visitors on Sunday. Entry is not free. Cake and soup are served at certain times. There are also paid cafes. Certain parts are open 24 hours. Students have the opportunity to work 24 hours a day.” used the phrases.
Ersoy stated that there are more than 1200 libraries affiliated to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and that they will continue to increase the number of libraries, opening libraries in shopping malls and train stations where people are concentrated.
Mentioning the Turkish Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, Ersoy noted that the agency made promotions in 200 countries around the world, adding that their 2023 target in tourism is 60 million tourists, while in 2028 they are targeting 90 million tourists and 100 billion dollars in revenue.