Special Report: 25 Places to See Before They Change Forever
Featured, Local Insight, Travel Tips — By Alex Resnik on March 8, 2011 at 6:00 am4. Istanbul’s Balat Neighborhood
Image: Gülgün Özdil
The Wow: The neighborhood, known for its freedom and tolerance, has attracted Romans, Armenians, and ethnic minorities alike over the centuries. Balat’s architecture and people have an authentic spirit that has been lost in much of Istanbul.
Why Now? A local property developer has recently announced his plan to spend $140 million to renovate more than 60 buildings. This and other plans to gentrify the area will likely alter Balat’s authentic spirit, and its ability to transport visitors though time.
3 Comments
I wish there was an easier way to see the list than clicking on page numbers on bottom of the page.
A ‘next’ button would be so nice. Or scrolling down.
I gave up after no6.
Hey Tasha!
Totally hear you on the next button – we’re filing an enhancement on the pages and hope to have it fixed soon. Thank you so much for your feedback!
– Amy
Great special report, lot of good travel ideas. Also a bit sad reading, as it is usually we humans that are changing things… often irrevocably.
A world without the mountain gorillas is unbearable thought, and there are too many fragile ecosystems already under threat. Your report highlights what a beautiful planet we live on, but also how badly we are treating it.