Narmanlı Inn Construction Disputes

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Restoration of historical Narmanlı Inn has begun with heavy equipment entering the inn. Trees in the inn were cut down during the works. Beyoğlu Urban Defense and Archeologists Association İstanbul Branch has submitted a petition of complaint with respect to the subject to Protection Region Directorate.

Architect of the restoration project, Sinan Genim speaking to bianet earlier had mentioned that there will be seven shops, two restaurants within the scope of the project and that it is not possible to build hotel or shopping mall because of insufficient space, and said “Trees will probably be chopped down for posing a danger, wisterias will be preserved”.

“Operation should halt”

Beyoğlu Urban Defense has reminded in its petition that heavy equipment was brought into the historical inn damaging the walls of it, and the trees were chopped down.

"Museum inspection is mandatory"

The petition has demanded that necessary inspections should be conducted against those damaging cultural assets such as Narmanlı Inn, and halt of construction by means of legal procedures.

Following information have been included in the petition:

“As known this area is a necropolis area right outside Galata Citadel Walls where Byzantium and Genoese graveyards are located. Significant archeological facts have been documented and graves left from Byzantium necropolis have been brought to light in excavation works conducted under the supervision of İstanbul Archeological Museums.

“Furthermore, it is possible to find remnants belonging to lost architectural details of one of the oldest buildings of Beyoğlu, Narmanlı Inn.

“As a result, all sorts of diggings to be conducted in Narmanlı Inn and other buildings in the area should subjected to inspection of İstanbul Archeological Museum. Diggings conducted out of museum inspection may lead to loss of archeological layers of unknown content without being documented”.   

Narmanlı Inn

Narmanlı Inn has been closed for nearly 15 years. It was opened as a Russian Embassy building in 1831 at the first place. When embassy units moved to the current Russian Consulate in 1880, the building started to be used as a Russian prison until 1914. After that time, it was converted to a Russian Trade Office. The Russian decided to sell the building in 1933. Narmanlı family bought the building afterwards.(NV/TK)