Principle Decision on Strengthening of Immovable Cultural Assets in Need of Protection Was Published

The High Council for the Protection of Cultural Assets under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has taken a resolution of the Principle Decision on the Strengthening of Immovable Cultural Assets in Need of Protection on 27 December 2023.

The High Council for the Protection of Cultural Assets under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has taken a resolution of the Principle Decision on the Strengthening of Immovable Cultural Assets in Need of Protection on 27 December 2023.

Pursuant to Principle Decision published in the Official Gazette dated 13 January 2024 and numbered 32428, the purpose of the Principle Decision is determined to be the protection of historical, cultural, and social fabric, taking into consideration the earthquake risk carried by Türkiye, the developing construction techniques, and current documentation methods; minimizing the damage occurring in immovable cultural assets in case of an earthquake; preventing the loss of architectural features of historical urban fabric and cultural assets, and transmitting them to future generations by protecting their original qualities and enhancing their durability.

In line with these objectives, it has been decided by the Council that: measured documentation methods prepared using current technologies, as well as traditional methods, can be used to document the current conditions of structures registered as immovable cultural properties requiring protection through survey drawings,

• measured documentation methods prepared using current technologies, as well as traditional methods, can be used to document the current conditions of structures registered as immovable cultural properties requiring protection through survey drawings,
• the primary principle is the protection of immovable cultural properties requiring protection, without demolishing them,
• for the fundamental repairs of immovable cultural properties in need of protection; projects including partial basements that stay below natural ground level without altering the structure’s registered dimensions, aiming to protect from earthquake impacts through modern foundation and soil strengthening systems, can be evaluated by the relevant protection regional board, provided a soil survey report is prepared.
• as a result of the evaluation of the reports on the static condition of immovable cultural properties in need of protection, submitted by relevant institutions and/or universities:
• in the restoration projects of immovable properties deemed suitable for protection through strengthening by the protection area council; proposals supported by the modern systems for reinforcement, with the condition of protection the original characteristics of the cultural assets to enhance their durability, and
• in the reconstruction projects of cultural assets determined by the protection area council to be irreparably due to danger of collapse and eligible for demolition; it is a principle that the reconstruction should be based on comprehensive restitution studies, using the original plan layout, facade features, materials, and construction techniques, within the same volume and dimensions previously located on their own plots, benefiting from the available documents, both considering cultural property status and historical contributions to the cultural environment of the sections located above the natural ground level. However, projects of enhancing the durability of the properties that include proposals supported by modern systems for strengthening, again under the condition of protecting the registered building’s original characteristics, can be evaluated by the relevant consideration area council,
• the issue of whether restoration and reconstruction practices, as well as the preparation of soil survey reports for archaeological structures from ancient times located in 1^st and 2^nd degree archaeological sites and immovable cultural properties in need of protection, can be evaluated by the relevant protection area council, taking into consideration the nature of the area and with the approval of the excavation directorate.

Please see this link for the full text of the Principle Decision dated December 27, 2023, numbered 2878. (Only available in Turkish)