I have wanted to visit this area of Istanbul for a long time. I recently watched a programme that tried to raise the profile of the area, as it has become so run down that UNESCO will strip it of its World Heritage Status. The are is full of these beautiful timbered houses. sadly through neglect many are crumbling and unless there is an injection of cash, they will probably not last much longer. The government is based in the capital city of Ankara so shows little interest in preserving this area.
No mod cons but always a satellite dish!
Many of the buildings house work shops like this joinery I photographed. The man made stair rods.
Despite the proximity to the main tourist area where the mosques and palaces are, the houses are virtually squatted in. Life is very tough for these people, the only heat in the bitterly cold winters come from coal fires, hence many of the buildings have burnt down, In the summer I would image they are baking hot.
This was the middle of the day but the streets are empty. but you can see what a 'done up' house looks like in the distance
I have always loved the use of found containers to put plants in, I loved the fact that despite the decay someone had seen fit to plant up some pots.
In a way I preferred the houses as they were, when you occasionally saw one done up they were almost Disneyfied and cloyingly pretty.
No mod cons but always a satellite dish!
Many of the buildings house work shops like this joinery I photographed. The man made stair rods.
Despite the proximity to the main tourist area where the mosques and palaces are, the houses are virtually squatted in. Life is very tough for these people, the only heat in the bitterly cold winters come from coal fires, hence many of the buildings have burnt down, In the summer I would image they are baking hot.
This was the middle of the day but the streets are empty. but you can see what a 'done up' house looks like in the distance
I have always loved the use of found containers to put plants in, I loved the fact that despite the decay someone had seen fit to plant up some pots.
In a way I preferred the houses as they were, when you occasionally saw one done up they were almost Disneyfied and cloyingly pretty.
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