Hagios Paraskeva Church in Bursa undergoes controlled demolition

The historic Hagios Paraskeva Church in the Akçapınar neighborhood of Mustafakemalpaşa, Bursa, has undergone a controlled demolition of its most hazardous sections. Built in 1904 by the Greek Orthodox community, the 122-year-old structure was designated as a protected cultural asset of the first group.

Following a decision by the Bursa Regional Board for the Protection of Cultural Assets, municipal teams removed only the parts of the building that posed a threat to life and property due to structural decay. The intervention was strictly regulated to ensure the ground remained untouched and was not a complete, indiscriminate demolition.

The church, named after Saint Paraskeva, was used by the local Christian community until the population exchange following the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923. In the decades following the exchange, the building served various purposes, including a mosque, a school, and a coffeehouse. While restoration was previously considered, the increasing structural risks led to the current safety-focused intervention.