Three people died and five people were injured as a result of the collapse of the fairy chimney near Göreme Open Air Museum in Cappadocia on October 29, 2026.
TMMOB Chamber of Architects Ankara Branch President Coşkun, in his written statement, stated that the practices that threaten the natural and cultural heritage of Cappadocia and the risks that endanger human life should be evaluated scientifically and technically, and that the protection and control policies in the region should be reconsidered.
Emphasizing that the effects of transportation, construction and heavy construction equipment activities in the region, especially the Göreme-Ortahisar highway, on natural formations should be investigated, Coşkun requested that interventions that cause destruction in natural and archaeological protected areas be stopped.
COŞKUN DRAWED ATTENTION TO THE ROAD NEXT TO THE COLLAPSED FAIRYCHIMNEY
Pointing out that the highway built between Göreme and Ortahisar passes through first-degree archaeological and natural protected areas, Coşkun stated that the risks of the route in terms of fairy chimneys, registered cultural assets and underground heritage cannot be ignored.
Pointing out the closeness of the collapsed fairy chimney to the Göreme-Ortahisar highway route, Coşkun stated that the effects of the excavation and excavation works carried out during the construction of the road, the activities carried out with heavy work machines and the use of the road on the fairy chimney and the geological formations around it should be investigated.
Stating that the construction pressure in Cappadocia, transportation projects, activities carried out with heavy construction equipment and tourism-oriented interventions threaten the natural and cultural heritage of the region as a whole, Coşkun said, "Conservation policies must be created in line with scientific data and public interest."
Reminding that the Nevşehir Administrative Court decided to cancel the plan on August 18, 2026, in the lawsuit filed against the 1/50,000 scale Cappadocia Area Plan by the Ankara Branch of the Chamber of Architects and the Chamber of City Planners, Coşkun stated that in the court decision, the inconsistencies between the plan sheets and reports and the problems detected in terms of the conservation-use balance were evaluated.
Coşkun said that Cappadocia is not about disconnected project decisions and tourism-oriented interventions; He stated that it should be managed with a holistic conservation approach that considers its geological structure, archaeological heritage, cultural landscape, settlements and natural habitat together.
"IT IS IMPERATIVE TO PREVENT FORESEEABLE HAZARDS FROM TURNING INTO LOSS OF LIVES"
Coşkun stated that the news that cracks were seen on the collapsed fairy chimney in a photo taken approximately 15 days before the incident should also be investigated.
Coşkun evaluated: "Fairy chimneys are sensitive geological formations that are exposed to natural erosion and weathering processes. It may not be possible to prevent natural processes completely. However, it is a public responsibility to predetermine the risks that may threaten human life, monitor them and take the necessary precautions. It is possible and mandatory to prevent foreseeable dangers from turning into loss of life."
Recommending the establishment of an independent and interdisciplinary review committee with the participation of geological engineers, geophysical engineers, architects, conservation experts and relevant scientists, Coşkun noted that the fairy chimneys and other natural formations in the region should be inventoried, crack, weathering, rockfall and structural stability risks should be determined and regular monitoring programs should be created according to risk levels.
Emphasizing that Cappadocia is not only an important tourism center but also a common natural and cultural heritage of humanity, Coşkun stated that the geological structure, natural formations, archaeological values and cultural heritage of the region should be protected as a whole.
Coşkun said:
"A real protection cannot be achieved without stopping the interventions that cause destruction, determining the risks scientifically and establishing an effective control system. Protecting the natural and cultural heritage and protecting human life are not separate responsibilities. As the Ankara Branch of the Chamber of Architects, we will continue our legal and public struggle to protect the natural and cultural heritage of Cappadocia, and we will follow the process to reveal the causes of the disaster and take the necessary measures."
