Turkey restores historic Ottoman-era buildings in Ayvalık and Istanbul

The Balıkesir Investment Monitoring and Coordination Board (YİKOB) finalized a 13.97 million‑lira tender to restore the registered former district governor’s building in Ayvalık’s Sakarya neighbourhood. The contract, awarded to Ankara‑based Hacıabdullahoğlu Restoration Architecture Engineering Construction Ltd., was signed on 20 April 2026 for 12.84 million lira, with the restoration scheduled from 24 April to 24 August 2026.

Separately, Istanbul’s Governor announced the “Yadigar” project to restore the 16th‑century Yalı Köşkü (also called Cebeciler Köşkü), a historic Ottoman pavilion near Topkapı Palace. The restoration, overseen by the Istanbul Governor’s Investment Monitoring and Coordination Office and carried out with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s endorsement, aims to return the structure to its original design and preserve its cultural significance.