ISTANBUL - With sloppy restoration work and damaged or disfigured historical monuments, experts say a race for profits, ideological considerations and favouritism are leaving sensitive upkeep of cultural heritage by the wayside in Turkey.
But in recent years, the list of poorly renovated monuments has grown, ranging from Roman mosaics damaged by a botched restoration to concrete piled up in the middle of an ancient amphitheatre or unrecognisable mosques and citadels. In 2011, the highly successful restoration of the 10th-century Armenian church on Akdamar island in Lake Van in eastern Turkey received praise from many experts.
Rather than preserving"parts added by different civilisations" over the centuries or millennia, project specifications often call for"a restitution of the original, which leads to grotesque results," he added. "When restoration is seen only as a construction activity and when we forget that the monument reflects the centuries it has passed through, we miss the objective of preservation. We then have brand-new reconstructions," Mr Polat said.
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.