An extensive culture and heritage restoration campaign is revealing previously overlooked layers of the world's most visited city. For decades, the dome-topped turret of the Bulgur Palas in Istanbul's central Fatih district could only be glimpsed peeking out over the top of the high walls that surround this abandoned century-old mansion. Now the palace offers sweeping, panoramic views of the Marmara Sea, the city's minaret-studded historical peninsula and its skyscraper-studded new business district in the distance.
Restored and reopened in February 2024 as a cultural centre, complete with a 150-seat library, exhibition space, garden cafe and observation terrace, this former residence and Ottoman Bank archive is one of dozens of previously inaccessible sites across Istanbul – ranging from Byzantine-era fortifications to late-Ottoman-period factories – that have been opening to the public over the past five years. The result is a wealth of newly restored attractions that reveal little-known historical and cultural layers in the world's most-visited city . "Istanbul cannot fit into a single photograph; wherever you go in the city, you can find these little gems," says Mahir Polat, who has spearheaded this city-wide restoration drive since 2019 as deputy secretary-general of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB).
According to Polat, the restoration projects aim to create new public spaces in the dense metropolis and breathe new life into neglected historical sites t.
