Culture and Tourism Ministry

The Maiden's Tower, one of the symbolic buildings of Istanbul, has been renovated in accordance with the restoration plan carried out during the reign of the Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II, about 200 years ago, Culture and Tourism Ministry Mehmet Nuri Ersoy has announced.

The Antalya Archaeology Museum opened an exhibition on March 31 displaying a special section of 12 smuggled historical artifacts the U.S. returned to Türkiye following the efforts of the Culture and Tourism Ministry.

Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy attended the opening ceremony of the exhibition.

Within the scope of the restoration works of the historical Maiden's Tower, one of the symbolic buildings of Istanbul, the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry has informed that they have surrounded the island where the tower is located with stakes to keep it standing and afloat for thousands of years.

Some 224 foreign productions, including films, documentaries and TV shows, were shot in Türkiye last year, reveals a report published by the Culture and Tourism Ministry.

The fact that the most filmed genre is documentary proved that the county is a center of attraction for foreigners with its natural and historical assets.

Twelve historical artifacts previously smuggled from Türkiye will be brought to the country as of March 22, Culture and Tourism Ministry Mehmet Nuri Ersoy has stated.

Folk singer Aşık Veysel Şatıroğlu was commemorated at his grave in Sivrialan village in the eastern province of Sivas on the 50th anniversary of his death.

Saplings were planted in the memorial forest for the folk singer who died on March 21, 1973, and a memorial ceremony was held in his house, which is used as a museum today, in the Şarkışla district.

Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy met on March 14 with industry representatives in the tent set up at the Hatay Archaeology Museum in the quake-hit province of Hatay.

Ersoy said that they had started to carry out the decisions made within the scope of the Hatay Cultural Heritage Survival Project.

In a bid to save the historical heritage of the quake-hit provinces, experts and volunteer students are carrying out strenuous efforts to recover historical artifacts that got trapped under the rubble during the devastating quakes last month.

Following a month since the deadly Feb. 6 quakes, Türkiye's tourism sector is gearing up to prepare for the summer season as Germans continue to show increasing interest, a sector representative says, adding that the sector, which expects 60 million tourists and $56 billion in revenue this year, is discussing the impact of the earthquake.

Nine historic artifacts, including the Perge sarcophagus and the statue of Emperor Verus, that have been returned to Türkiye three months ago from the U.S., receive great interest from visitors at the Antalya Museum. Last year, 166,000 people visited the museum, according to figures.