Will Historical Cities Be Like They Used to Be?

Someone recently said that one of the worst things that the earthquake did was that the memories of people who lived there, visited there, or somehow saw there, whether they were from the region or not, were destroyed by this earthquake, and in a sense, people lost their memories. 

Indeed, when I was very young, we lived in İskenderun for a year and a half. When I think about it, what he said is really true. 

I don't really remember much, I was only five years old then. What can you remember from that age?

I remember we lived in a cosy one-storey house in a garden. I remember that the weather was usually warm. There were also a few citrus trees in the garden. The fruits of the citrus tree are bitter, they are wild oranges, I remember trying them once. I couldn't eat it because it was bitter. 

I mostly remember the citruses spilled on the ground when we were playing with them as a ball.

I also remember myself making something out of mud in the garden with the neighbour's daughter. Just childhood. 

In fact, I think houses with gardens are especially suitable for children. You are outside, you play freely, and there is no danger. 

Other than that, my memories are very vague. Once I think there was a very strong wind near the pier, it could have been a storm. I must have gone down to the beach with my late mother. I can visualise huge waves beating the stones.

Also, I don't remember exactly, but my parents used to make fun of me, a young girl used to call me her fiancé from the window of the neighbouring house, and I seem to remember an older sister lying on the window. Maybe I may be imagining it myself because it was mentioned in the family since I was little, I'm not sure.

But it would have been really hot, I am sure of that.

That's all my memories of Iskenderun. There are a few memories in my memory, even if they are few.

Years ago I once thought, is that house with a garden still there?

Maybe they had already demolished it and built big houses in its place, I thought at the time.

Now the beautiful city has been razed to the ground. I think there were palm trees on the beach, again from my memories.

If they left it as a single storey house, maybe it wasn't demolished. 

I don't even know where it is. I should ask my parents, they would probably remember where it is. I would actually look at the map to see what happened to the house in my memories.

Then we went to Erzurum, and I started primary school in Erzurum. Then I travelled from school to school with my brothers.

What will the people in the region who have lost everything do now?

Those who have relatives or acquaintances in different cities in Turkey have probably gone to their relatives for a while.

I think most of them have settled in the tent cities established in the region.

Although there are still some people who want tents. This means that there are still hungry and vulnerable people. 

I know that some of them are asking for tents in order to stay in a tent next to their destroyed or severely damaged houses. Or because they are afraid of entering their slightly damaged houses, but on the other hand, they want a tent next to their houses in order to keep their belongings, say the reporters in the region.

They are right, what can people do? They have worked and laboured all their lives, but the earthquake took everything they had.

Last night I came across a discussion programme on how to rebuild the four main cities in the region that were almost destroyed.

Of the 11 cities mentioned as disaster cities, these four especially devastated cities are also very historical cities.

These are Hatay, Maraş, Adıyaman and Malatya. 

These cities have to be rebuilt almost from top to bottom. Especially Hatay, the city that Gazi called his personal matter. 

As I have said before, experts say that multifaceted studies should be carried out for the planning of cities.

However, one of the opinions that draws my attention is that each city should have its own special zoning regulation.

Look, they are right about this. The zoning regulation in Turkey is the same for all cities. This results in the same type of cities everywhere. 

For example, TOKİ builds residential buildings with type projects in one part of the city. OK, they are strong. TOKİ houses in the earthquake zone were almost undamaged. This is a very positive situation. 

However, especially the characters of historical cities are changing with such projects. 

I have been talking about the need to build tunnel moulded buildings for a long time. But when I say tunnel moulded buildings, I am talking about houses with all concrete walls. Buildings with four or five floors.

These buildings do not have to be typical buildings like the ones built by TOKİ. There is nothing wrong with each building having a character appropriate to the region. In fact, this is how it should be. 

Architects trained in the region, knowing the historical characters of the cities they were born in, can develop a special architecture for their cities. In this architecture, it is possible to construct buildings with only curtain walls like tunnel moulded buildings.

There were also some ideas on the development of cities in the programme. 

One method is to fully comply with the city plan made by the central government by force.   

The other is for cities to develop as they have developed over time, in accordance with the needs and aspirations of their inhabitants.

Experts say that the second option is the main one.

To be honest, I am neither close to the first nor the second.

I think that cities should have a certain master plan and some things, some places should be forbidden for settlement. Within the framework of a pre-thought-out master plan, it is conceivable that people should be free. 

However, there are many different methods of urban planning. I think that which model is suitable for that city should be determined through a large-scale exchange of views.

Anyway, at the group meeting, Mr Kılıçdaroğlu explained what should be done about these cities in 11 articles and how to help the people of the region with another 11 articles.  

I think his views are very valuable because he said what should be done. Let's see how much the government will comply with these issues.

In short, we will see whether these cities will be able to recover their old character for many years to come.

But the memories, the old cities will live only in the memories of the survivors. There will be brand new cities instead of the old ones.

What a pity, what a pity! I hope that what is thought these days can be realised.

But for this, politicians must take their hands off these cities.  

Politicians, take your hands off these historical cities!

Let the experts do what needs to be done!

My love and respect to everyone from Moscow.