The Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Historic Unkapanı Mill Held with the Participation of Minister Ersoy and Mayor Turan

Speaking at the ceremony, which was attended by Mr. Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr. M. Ergün Turan, the Mayor of Fatih Municipality, stated that the Historic Unkapanı Mill would be restored as an educational facility within Ibn Haldun University and returned to Istanbul.

Unkapanı, an integral part of Istanbul's historical identity, has been one of the centres of the city's food and trade life for centuries. Known as the place where wheat, barley and flour entering the city were controlled, measured and weighed during the Ottoman period, Unkapanı was also the heart of Istanbul's food supply system. The mill structures located here were among the production centres that met the city's basic food needs. Over time, these spaces lost their function and faded into the background in the shadow of modernisation. Today, this historical heritage is being restored to education with a new vision.

The groundbreaking ceremony, marking the beginning of this important transformation, was attended by Mr. Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Minister of Culture and Tourism; Mr. M. Ergün Turan, Mayor of Fatih Municipality; Mr. Mustafa Demir, Deputy Chairman of AK Party Responsible for Local Administration and Mr. Cafer Sarılı, District Governor of Fatih. The participants emphasised the significance of this step, which represents not only the restoration of a building but also the revival of cultural continuity.

In his speech at the ceremony, Mr. Turan stated that preserving Istanbul's historical fabric is not only a sign of respect for the past, but also the most valuable legacy left for the future. Mr. Turan said, "Today, we are witnessing the revival of the Unkapanı Mill, which holds a special place in the memory of our city. This structure, transformed into an educational facility under the umbrella of Ibn Haldun University, will carry not only its stones but also its spirit into the future. I wish this valuable project well for our Istanbul," he said.

In his speech, Minister Ersoy highlighted the concept of industrial heritage, stating, "The structures that form the memory of cities are not only aesthetic but also witnesses to economic and social life. The repurposing of the Unkapanı Mill as an educational facility brings Istanbul's past production culture together with the knowledge production processes of the future. This is not merely a restoration; it is a project of identity and memory," he stated.

Mr. Mustafa Demir, Deputy Chairman of AK Party responsible for Local Government, described the project as ‘a valuable contribution to Istanbul's living heritage’. Mr. Demir stated that such projects strengthen the city's identity and bring different segments of society together around historical values.

In his speech, Mr. Cafer Sarılı, the District Governor of Fatih, drew attention to the district's identity, woven with historical structures, saying, ‘Every corner of Fatih is filled with traces of the past. The step we are taking here today preserves the heritage of the past while also opening the door to new opportunities that young people will benefit from.’

The repurposing of the historic Unkapanı Mill as an educational facility carries meaning beyond the preservation of industrial heritage. This structure, once a place of production, will now be a place of knowledge generation. Wheat will no longer be ground within its stone walls, but ideas, projects and academic work will be generated. Thus, Unkapanı, the ‘breadwinner’ of the past, will become the ‘gateway to knowledge’ of the future.

Experts interpret this project as a powerful example of cultural continuity. Because in a historic city like Istanbul, giving venues new functions both keeps the urban identity alive and connects social memory with younger generations. The transformation of Unkapanı Mill is regarded as a tangible demonstration of Istanbul's determination to maintain an uninterrupted journey from the past to the future.

Thus, this historic structure, which has met the city's food needs for centuries, will now serve Istanbul as a centre where ideas, knowledge and education are blended.