ANAMED Talks – Sultanahmet, Istanbul’s Historic Peninsula: Musealization and Urban Conservation

The talk articulated how historic cities undergo a unique urban transformation during their musealization, offering a study of Istanbul’s historic Sultanahmet district as a case in point. This district has held a central role in Turkish planning, conservation, and museological studies since the nineteenth century, representing the public façade of the city. The author provided insights rooted in empirical evidence and contextual specificity into the contribution of museums to the revitalization of historic cities.

Musealization, as an urban process, takes on different forms in diverse geographic, cultural, and ideological settings and over various time periods. By delving into the Sultanahmet district's experience as another instance of a city undergoing the musealization process, the book offered additional perspectives on this globally significant phenomenon.