Trabzon's historic Orta Mahalle attracts tourists as restoration continues

The Orta Mahalle quarter in Akçaabat, a district of Trabzon, Turkey, is a preserved Ottoman‑era neighbourhood featuring historic houses, mansions, cobblestone streets and fountains. Declared an urban site in 1988, the area has become a key stop for both domestic and foreign visitors, with the municipality reporting that about 80 % of the city’s tourists pass through the quarter.

Mayor Osman Nuri Ekim said the local government, together with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, has completed the first two phases of a multi‑stage restoration project and plans to refurbish roughly 20 more houses in the third phase starting next year. At the same time, the neighbourhood is undergoing a natural‑gas conversion that will improve heating, reduce commercial disruptions and cut air‑pollution.

Sedat Şener, head of the Orta Mahalle Preservation Association, expressed satisfaction with the growing interest, noting that visitors often stop for tea or coffee and use the municipal facilities provided in the area.