Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) continues to implement public spaces and cultural heritage projects that reflect the identity of the city.
In this context, the opening of the Istanbul Bosphorus Museum and the "We Dragged the Moonlight on the Waters" exhibition, which reveals the historical and cultural memory of the waterway connecting two continents, was held at Kabataş Transfer Center.
Deputy Mayor of IMM Nuri Aslan, Deputy Secretary General of IMM Mahir Polat, council members, political party representatives, headmen, artists and many Istanbulites attended the program.
"KABATAŞ TRANSFER CENTER AND BOSPHORUS MUSEUM BRINGS THE MEMORY OF THE CITY TOGETHER"
Aslan briefly said the following in his opening speech:
"We are together to open a new cultural venue in Kabataş, one of the most beautiful spots of Istanbul, which brings together the past and present of Istanbul. Beyond being a center that connects different transportation systems, we designed Kabataş Transfer Center as a public space that strengthens the relationship of Istanbulites with the city and offered it to the service of Istanbulites. The observation terrace here is the most important part of this approach.
While passing from one place to another at Kabataş Transfer Center, Istanbulites stop, take a breath and look at Istanbul. It watches both sides of the Bosphorus, the ferries, the historical ship and the life on the shore. "Today, while looking at this view, we are introducing the Istanbul Bosphorus Museum, which will tell its story, to the people of Istanbul."
"THE BOSPHORUS IS THE MIRROR OF CHANGE ALONG WITH THE BEAUTY OF ISTANBUL"
"The Bosphorus is a unique geography that shapes Istanbul's cultural memory as well as its natural landscape. In addition to being a waterway connecting two continents, it is also a living space where people have lived, worked, had fun, traveled and interacted with each other for centuries. The Bosphorus, where a unique life culture was formed in the 18th and 19th centuries with its waterside mansions, piers, recreation areas, boats and ferries, has become one of the most important scenes of Istanbul's social, economic and cultural life over time.
However, the wild migration wave, industrialization, rapid population growth and urbanization throughout the 20th century have unfortunately profoundly changed the interior of the Bosphorus. New settlements rose in the shadow of waterside mansions, and green areas faced the pressure of construction. It has transformed into modes of transportation and people's relationship with the coast. For this reason, the Bosphorus is the mirror of change as well as the beauties of Istanbul."
"WE DRIVED THE MEHTAB ON THE WATERS EXHIBITION TELLS THE TRANSFORMATION OF BOSPHORUS"
"'We Dragged the Moonlight on the Waters: A Bosphorus Story', which we opened today, traces this memory. Yesterday, we went to the Çubuklu silos with Mahir Bey and had the opportunity to look at the Bosphorus and Istanbul from there. We truly have a treasure worthy of a capital in the capital of the world. This exhibition, curated by Ali Kayaalp, treats the Bosphorus not only as a view, but as a place that is lived, experienced and imagined.
Bringing together the works of important artists of Turkish painting with historical maps, engravings, photographs, postcards, books and periodicals, the exhibition tells us about the transformation of the Bosphorus through the traces of different periods and different perspectives. In addition to the Atatürk Library and painting collection of our Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, works from very important private collections are also presented in this exhibition. It is also meaningful for us that the exhibition was established in Kabataş. Because this is one of the important stops in the transportation history of the Bosphorus."
"THE VISION SET FORTH BY İMAMOĞLU CONTINUES TO LIVE IN ISTANBUL"
"I feel it is my duty to remember our Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality President, Mr. Ekrem İmamoğlu, who contributed greatly to the realization of this valuable vision. As soon as I woke up in the morning, I took permission and went to see him. He sends his greetings to all of you. I saw his strength, determination and belief. I saw his loyalty to the Republic and Atatürk. Therefore, our president looks to the future with great motivation. The city vision that our president Ekrem put forward for Istanbul, which deals with the cultural heritage, public space, culture and art as a whole, is in different parts of Istanbul today. It finds a response in Kabataş as well.
Even though he has been deprived of his freedom unjustly and unlawfully for more than a year and a half, the vision he put forward, the work he initiated and his qualified staff continue to live in Istanbul and serve the people of Istanbul. "From here, I send our thanks and greetings to Ekrem İmamoğlu on behalf of Istanbul."
"WE WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR HISTORY AND ART EVEN IF IT IS SEIZED BY FOUNDATIONS"
"In some of the restorations we carried out in Istanbul, we revived some historical artifacts, made water flow from fountains, opened museums and exhibition halls. The General Directorate of Foundations has confiscated some of our historical works for now due to a law. They passed an article of law. IMM has revived historical monuments that are tens of thousands of years old, and they are taking them over to themselves overnight with the title deed transfer of the General Directorate of Foundations, and they are asking us, 'In this case, you will give up, you will stop, right?' We will never stop. We will continue to invest in Istanbul's history and artists and pave the way for them.
Today you took the Basilica Cistern, we revived the Şerefiye Cistern. You can take the Şerefiye Cistern from us tomorrow. We continue to revive the land walls of Istanbul. If you take it away from us, we will restore the Çubuklu Silos. If you want to intervene there, we will revive the Golden Horn Shipyard. If you take that place away from us, let me tell you, we will restore the works of the Republic period. If you take that place away from us, we will never give up. We will continue to protect the Republic.
Just as we made the Basilica Cistern a lira, I hereby announce to all citizens of the Republic of Türkiye that visiting the Şerefiye Cistern will also be a lira from now on. As IMM, hopefully next week our friends, we are at the weekend, but since we will continue to do what we do, whether it is in the hands of the Foundations or in our hands, from now on, our general secretary and Metropolitan council members are here, I believe that if they can raise it, we will submit it to the Parliament on Monday, and the IMM Council members will pass it unanimously. We recommend to the IMM Council that the entrance fee for Turkish citizens to all IMM museums in Istanbul should be a lira. "If the IMM Assembly accepts it, we would like to show the people of Istanbul and our citizens in Türkiye how we protect art and history after 2019 and how we exhibit it in our museums and exhibition areas."
