Historical sites in eastern Turkey's Erzurum are being revived as part of the city municipality's "Cultural Road" project.
The project has already overseen landscaping works at the sites and will add new, elaborate lighting systems to attract more tourists.
Renovation, restoration work carried out as part of the Cultural Road project has largely been completed. The city hosted a number of civilizations over the millennia. It is home to the Erzurum Castle, Çifte Minareli Medrese (Double Minaret Madrasa), Ulu Cami (Grand Mosque) and Üç Kümbetler (Three Domes).
Gov. Okay Memiş told Anadolu Agency (AA), Erzurum is an Anatolian Seljuk city in eastern Turkey. It has historical monuments dating back to the Saltukids dynasty. Its historical sites and cultural richness are a constant draw for local and international tourists.
Memiş added that Erzurum, which has been a long-time home for Turkish-Islamic civilizations, can claim a major share in tourism after the pandemic. "Tourists visiting the historical sites, many of them revived as part of the project, will feel like they are at Istanbul's famous Sultanahmet Square."
"Some of the areas that had previously fallen into disuse, have now been transformed so tourists can walk in their historical ambiance. We are putting in a lot of effort. There are a lot of historical artifacts here. Despite the pandemic, the area has been revived and will now have significant tourism potential."
The governor added that they have taken all measures against the pandemic for local and foreign tourists visiting the city.