Turkey

The Chamber of Architects and the Chamber of Urban Planners have reacted negatively to plans that would lead to Istanbul’s iconic Taksim Square being decorated with ponds, small groups of trees and benches, according to a fresh project approved by the local preservation board.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sworn in as Turkey’s 12th President on Aug. 28, after 12 years of prime ministry, further strengthening his position as the most powerful leader of the country.

Although its size might not have befit its name, the ancient city of Metropolis had all the architectural trappings of a key city.

Turkey’s top administrative court has upheld a ruling imposing the destruction of a group of skyscrapers that ruined the iconic panorama of Istanbul’s historic center, when looked at from across the Bosphorus.
 

Prominent economy figures from the Turkish government are stepping up their attacks on international ratings agencies in response to their warnings over political uncertainty risks.

The number of Turkish citizens who have applied to undergo psychological treatment tripled between 2009 and 2013, official figures have shown.

Around 3 million people went to the doctor for psychological aid in 2009, with this figure rose to over 9 million in 2013, the Health Ministry said in a response to a parliamentary question.

For the first time ever, Greece is projected to receive about 1 million Turkish tourists this year – representing a roughly 50 percent increase on the figure three years ago – according to the association of hoteliers in Thrace, northern Greece.

Tourism operators in the southern resort district of Kaş are looking to provide an alternative to the area’s sea, sun and sand by offering horse trips.

Islamic lender Bank Asya, which has recently found itself at the center of tension between the government and Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, suffered a sharp downfall in its second quarter profit amid uncertainty over its future.

The Zeugma Mosaic Museum in the southeastern province of Gaziantep received 550,000 visitors in three years. Opened on Sept. 9, 2011, the museum covers a closed area of 25,000 square meters and an open area of 30,000 square meters.