CAPITAL ANKARA ON ITS UNESCO JOURNEY
Ankara, the capital of the Republic of Turkey, with its planned urbanization approach and modern architecture, has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List with the file titled “Planning and Construction of a Modern Republic”. Thus, the number of assets of Turkey on the tentative list has increased to 80.
Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced that Ankara has been added to the 'UNESCO Tentative Heritage List' with its planned urbanization approach and modern architecture.
Minister Ersoy said in his post on his social media account, "Ankara's modern heritage is now in UNESCO. Ankara, the capital of our Republic, with its planned urbanization approach and modern architecture, has been added to the UNESCO Tentative Heritage List with the file titled 'Planning and Construction of a Modern Republic'. Many symbolic structures, from the Turkish Grand National Assembly buildings to Gençlik Parkı, from Güvenpark to Kızılay, reflect Ankara's urbanization model that sets an example for the world. I congratulate everyone who contributed to the UNESCO journey. The goal is to enter the UNESCO World Heritage List."
TURKEY'S NUMBER OF ASSETS ON THE LIST INCREASED TO 80
According to the written statement made by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism; The file titled 'Ankara: Planning and Construction of a Modern Republic' was prepared in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the UNESCO Turkish National Commission and was added to the list. With this development, the number of assets of Turkey on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List increased to 80. The application file was prepared with the contributions of the sub-working group established within the UNESCO Turkish National Commission in 2021. While the coordination of the process was carried out by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Prof. Dr. Elvan Altan, Prof. Dr. Savaş Zafer Şahin and Dr. Zeynep Tuna Yüncü contributed to the candidacy process of the area.
The file titled 'Ankara: Planning and Construction of a Modern Republic' includes the capital, which was planned and shaped between 1920 and 1970; It was included in the tentative list within the scope of UNESCO's cultural heritage criteria numbered ii, iv and vi, as it exemplifies the modern capitals of the 20th century with its public buildings, cultural areas and open public spaces built as a symbol of a newly established nation-state. In the file, Atatürk Boulevard's north-south axis and the Ulus and Kızılay regions were included as main components. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd buildings of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, the Presidential Residence, Güven Park, Gençlik Park, Ulus Square, Ankara Train Station, İş Bankası building, various ministry buildings and Kızılay Square are among the important elements reflecting Ankara's planned development and modernization process.
