From Byzance´s glory to the European Capital of Culture. Urban intervention strategies in Istanbul

Abstract

Traditional wooden houses are a fundamental part of Istambul heritage, but from the fifties of the 20th century they have been disappearing, replaced with structures of concrete. From the seventies, several restoration projects have tried to protect them, following different conceptions on restoration, on the concept of the authenticity, and on the idea of the city. From restorations based on the demolition / reconstruction and on the recreation of urban scenes for tourists, up to the interventions that join social development and cultural heritage restoration, the strategies of intervention in the city are analyzed.