Images of trucks in Hagia Sophia: Experts reacted, the Ministry denied

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Images of heavy tonnage construction machines entering the 1500-year-old historical place during the restoration works in Hagia Sophia sparked reactions. While the General Directorate of Foundations and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism denied the images, experts "Universal principles are violated to avoid costs. “The building is suffering permanent damage,” he said.

The images that emerged during the restoration work in Hagia Sophia, one of the most valuable cultural heritages in Fatih, Istanbul, attracted great reaction. It was seen that high-tonnage trucks were used in the 1,500-year-old historical heritage and work was done on the ground with heavy vehicles.

The crane images at the entrance of the building, known as the Emperor’s Gate, were interpreted as a document of negligence that could damage the historical heritage. It was learned that trucks were brought into the building during the second stage works and that this tender was awarded to Güryapı Restorasyon Taahhüt ve Ticaret A.Ş., the company of President Tayyip Erdoğan’s friend from imam hatip school, Hasan Gürsoy.

A floating floor made of steel was built so that these machines could move during the work. However, it was claimed that the original floor was drilled and a raised floor was applied on it, which could cause irreversible damage to the floor. It was stated that the historical building, which has many cisterns underneath, could be damaged by vehicles weighing up to 20-30 tons.

Experts reminded that Hagia Sophia has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1985 and warned that all interventions should be carried out in line with international protection principles.

Experts criticizing the installation of scaffolding with a crane "This work had to be done by erecting scaffolding manually. Since this situation increases the cost, the process has been accelerated with heavy tonnage work machines. This is against the principles of universal restoration." he said.

In its statement on the subject, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism stated that the studies were carried out in line with scientific reports and the decisions of the Conservation Board. In the statement of the Ministry, it was stated that the restoration process progressed with special platforms and multi-layered protection systems, and that the applications were continued without causing any damage to the historical structure. It was also emphasized that the technology used complies with international standards for the protection of the 15-century-old structure. Authorities stated that the works were planned with the aim of transferring the historical heritage to future generations. It was stated that current photographs and detailed technical information regarding the renovation can be accessed from the bulletin in the shared files.