There is a Turkish song, “I don’t like Istanbul at all anymore,” in which a lover laments the lost love. That reflects my current state of mind. The city that graced the shores of the Bosphorus for centuries, bridging the east and west, the melting pot of diverse cultures, is being raped, and the raping continues daily.
The erect towers are the symbols of this rape, and the cranes serve as some kind of sadistic tool, visible with an alarming frequency. The buildings that emerge under the guise of “economic development” seem to be the result of a special effort to make them look ugly, amorphous, and strangely shaped. On top of the seriously lacking aesthetics, they show no urban planning. With almost deliberate misuse of land, equipment, technology, etc., the rape turns into a “gang rape.”
Development Needs More Than Construction
Building the foundations of economic development in the construction industry under various pretenses is extraordinarily myopic. I have seen multiple towers under construction, with streets no wider than 15-20 feet separating them. While that is going on, I have not noticed any new construction of infrastructure to support these new erections. It is awfully heartbreaking to see the beloved city being violently raped, over, and over again, and it is extremely difficult to explain all this with anything other than financial benefit for some. No sane government would allow this sort of “destruction via construction” of their land.
The Language Is Raped Too
And then there is the cultural raping going on all fronts, the fascination with English leading the way. It is amazing to see so much English as store names and in advertisements. Visit a shopping mall to witness this as well as window messages in English as if the local visitor would actually understand them. Why display a large block of text explaining the history of the company in English?
They have even changed the name of “home” to “rezidans,” or more often “residence.” To boot, these “residences” fetch unbelievable prices, a flat starting at the low-end around $2-3 million and going up from there.
The public seems to have become numb or immune to all this, and visit “outlets,” eat at “burger house,” and rest at “coffee shops.” Why do newspapers report the “top ten” of anything? On the one hand, this may appear as aspiration, as if using English is a sign of westernization. On the other hand, it is cultural and linguistic rape under the shadow of the fully erect towers. Amazingly appropriate symbols of these acts.
Narrow Streets Like Canyons Add To Stress
Going out is extremely stressful. The narrow roads carry an incredible amount of vehicles at equally incredibly slow speeds. The actions of drivers are generally unpredictable and chaotic. This sense of chaos, a sense of disorder, has permeated all facets of life. Even in hospital corridors, patients move with similar patterns and create a similar chaotic mood. They take numbers to wait for their turns. They then return to the counter, way before their turn appears above the workers in clear bright lights.
People here have an aversion to GMOs in the foods they eat but are oblivious to the fact that their genes are being modified every passing moment. The very DNA of the country is being modified, and most are oblivious to that or feel totally helpless.
It breaks my heart to see Istanbul being crushed under its own weight, having very little left of her old self, while a lot piled on top of her. As the song goes, “I don’t like Istanbul at all anymore.“
Capitol Shopping Mall
Jude Plante
I love the image of the dump truck and Mercedes side by side. This could be a scene from the kid’s movie CARS where the dump truck tells the Mercedes “just follow me to your new $3MM flat…we’re almost finished building the garage portion of the monstrosity in which you will reside”, meanwhile all the Mercedes is thinking about is “who let this ugly truck on the road, clogging lanes and being generally unattractive – hurry up and finish my flat!
A. Cemal Ekin
Hey Jude, good to hear from you. They are indeed raping the city and nobody seem to be able to do anything about it. See you in a few days.
Cemal
Sal Capirchio
Unfortunately, so many cities are succumbing to a similar fate! Most corporations have no concern for maintaining the integrity and the history of a city and its people anymore. If these companies feel they have a need to expand into a particular area, or for that matter country then they will do so. And there is always someone willing to take the “offer that they can’t refuse” for their building, property, or land. In many cases, simply to be knocked down and a new monstrosity – eyesore built in its place. Its funny, that in certain ‘home communities’ they have legal requirements that people need to conform to. They are required to conform to a similar “look and feel” to other homes in these developments. Size, color, and in some instance style and shape need to be approved by the group before and changes can be made. Doesn’t seem like that’s a consideration to industry or commercial development. Or at least I’m not aware there are any guidelines anywhere similar to that..
A. Cemal Ekin
As I said in the post Sal, this is more like gang rape. Look at the cranes towering over everything. Most of these photographs I took within a short time period as the driver took us to a brunch. Shameful is a mild reaction!
Take care, see you soon, best of luck on the 25th.
Cemal
Haluk Atamal
I am both glad and very sorry that you have found out what is going on here. True, everything you’ve commented about is true. Your photos depict that in a very accentuating manner.
There is something wrong. Either in us, or in Turkey’s unavoidable destiny.
Üzgünüm..
Haluk
A. Cemal Ekin
Haluk, I am surprised that more people are not writing about this in a forceful way. I felt a great deal of sorrow for the city and its inhabitants as they gallop towards the the cliff.
We made it back home last night, a bit disoriented today but will be fine by tomorrow I think.
Take care,
Cemal
NIMET ENDER ORUC,MD
Hi Cemal and Jen,
I hope you had a nice time in Turkey. I completely agree with your comment.
It is not only cities, entire Turkey has been raped by current Government. I am
very unhappy with what has been going on in Turkey our beloved country.
A. Cemal Ekin
Ender, it was very good to see the family and friends, but the city is as I wrote.
See you soon, hi to Alpay,
Cemal
Suleyman Gokoglu
Cemal Hocam,
I am in complete agreement with your observations and evaluations. It reminded me of an article from a few years back by a mutual friend of ours, http // www. todayszaman . com /op-ed_stabbing-i-stanbuls-silhouette-by-cemal-kafadar-_291511. html
Given his qualifications and his wife’s expertise, imagine their pain.
Suleyman
A. Cemal Ekin
Suleyman, I have just written a comment to Kafadar’s article although nobody will likely see it. I felt it was necessary to salute him on this matter, albeit 3 years too late. “Destruction by construction” continues, for how long is anybody’s guess. When will people wake UP?
Cemal