7600 Tarihi Eser Nasıl Yok Edildi? Menderes Yıkımları | Tarihin Gündemi | 15

In this episode of "The Agenda of History," moderated by Burak Aydın and narrated by historian Mehmet Dilbaz, we discuss the Henri Prost Plan, which forever changed Istanbul's historical skyline and neighborhood culture, and the infamous Menderes demolitions. How did the "city beautification" vision, which began in the late Ottoman period with a yearning for Western emulation, transform into a project to "uncover Eastern Roman (Byzantine) monuments" in the hands of the French urban planner Henri Prost during the Republican era? What sacrifices did the Adnan Menderes government make in the 1950s when, under pressure from American Marshall Plan aid and the growing automobile market, they demolished Istanbul's narrow, historical neighborhoods to open Vatan and Millet avenues? We take stock of the grim toll of 7600 historical artifacts lost, from Mimar Sinan's Forty Fountains to the Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Pasha Mosque in Karaköy. This episode reveals the horrific details of how the tombs of the Grand Muftis were dug up with bulldozers, and how the bones of Bezcizade Mehmet Muhittin Efendi, the author of the hymn "Zahit Bizi Tan Eyleme," were stuffed into a cloth bag and buried in a mass grave in Üsküdar, along with the outrage of intellectuals like Reşat Ekrem Koçu against this historical massacre. Enjoy watching. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:01:24 - When Did the Idea of ​​Reconstructing Istanbul Actually Begin? 00:03:10 - The Ottoman Neighborhood Culture, Closely Connected Like a "Honeycomb" 00:04:39 - Admiration for the West 00:06:22 - Henri Prost's Plan: Was the Real Goal to Turn Istanbul into the Eastern Roman Empire? 00:07:11 - Adnan Menderes Systematically Implementing the Prost Plan 00:08:44 - America's Automobile Market Target and the Impact of Marshall Aid 00:11:05 - While Europe Preserved the "Old Town," Why Did We Demolish the Old City? 00:12:08 - The Bitter Toll of Destruction: 7600 Historical Artifacts, 100 Mosques, Works of Architect Sinan 00:13:24 - How Did the Newly Opened Boulevards Cause Istanbul's Population to Explode? 00:16:36 - Turkish Neighborhoods Destroyed to Reveal the Bozdoğan Aqueduct 00:18:20 - Public Reaction and Reşat Ekrem Koçu's Accusation of Treason Against Menderes 00:19:01 - Unbelievable Event: They Digged Up the Tomb of the Grand Mufti with an Excavator! 00:20:56 - Sheikhs Whose Tombs Were Demolished and Their Bones Placed in Bags in Üsküdar Subscribe to our channel: https://bit.ly/gdhdigital-abone-ol Our Social Media Accounts: X: https://x.com/gundemedairhs Instagram:   / gundemedairhs   Facebook:   / gundemedairhs   Telegram: https://t.me/gundemedairhs