Paper short abstract:

The paper describes different urban transformation processes in Istanbul's World Heritage areas. Many of the residents were recently evicted to make place for real estate investments in heritage tourism that particularly focuses on the reconstruction of neo-Ottoman architecture.

Paper long abstract:

Under Turkey's governing Justice and Development Party (AKP) large scale urban transformation projects have dominated Istanbul's cityscape in the last decade. Political actors especially focus on historic neighborhoods, including the four UNESCO World Heritage areas, to promote heritage tourism by rebuilding neo-Ottoman architecture.

In this paper, I examine the transformation projects in different World Heritage neighborhoods (e.g. Süleymaniye and Ayvansaray). Old houses have been demolished and are currently rebuild to create a 'historic' environment with leisure facilities close to the main tourist attractions. Different local actors in neighborhood associations and citywide platforms oppose these projects by pointing to the loss of the city's cultural heritage.

While the transformation of the areas often leads to the eviction of former residents, the practice of demolition and rebuilding is also supported by some residents as an adequate means for heritage preservation and as an effective way to improve their own living conditions. These discourses enable municipalities to realize their vision of 'heritagization' against opposing claims.

The paper sheds light on cultural heritage as a commodity to gentrify historic neighborhoods. It traces the residents' hopes and struggles in course of the transformation projects and illustrates how property no longer guarantees the right to stay in the area after completion of these projects.