‘when all those fancy buildings are gone and when all ferries stop because fossil fuel ran out. It is these gardens that will sustain humanity.’ Vandana Shiva
Istanbul is a massive city and there are millions of Istanbulites who have never heard of Istanbul’s urban gardens in Yedikule that have been with us for 1500 years till the Byzantine Era. Six hectare gardens were first farmed by Greeks and Albanians, then by the people from the Northern Black Sea. ‘A wide variety of seasonal produce grows in the gardens, including herbs, varieties of lettuce and other greens, red turnip, green onion, cabbage, cauliflower, tomato, pepper, corn, mulberry, fig and pomegranate. ‘ (source: Tour Of Istanbul’s Ancient Yedikule Gardens, At Risk With Urban Restoration, Diken, 29.01.2023)
Yedikule Gardens Initiative has been working to preserve these gardens from being abolished due to the construction project of the Municipality and a Turkish professor of History and Turkish Studies at Harvard University Cemal Kafadar is especially passionate about the protection of these gardens that have been with us for 15 centuries.
Kafadar at a class in the gardens on January 14, 2023 says: “The soil is an archive. It never loses its ability to retain information, unless it has been ruined.”
Kafadar stresses how unique Yedikule is among urban gardens around the world. Let’s land an ear to him:
“There are (urban gardens) that are older than Istanbul gardens, such as those in Rome, but there is no other that has maintained continuity all this time with its techniques and specific craft, What makes Yedikule unique is that it still provides crops. You might have eaten (from these gardens) with or without knowing about it.”
Have a look at this video showing how the struggle to protect this 1500 years heritage has been continuing for years! It closes with a warning remark by the environmental activist Vandana Shiva who says ‘when all those fancy buildings are gone and when all ferries stop because fossil fuel ran out. It is these gardens that will sustain humanity.’
The Urban gardens in Yedikule still survive to this day but it might be wise to pay a visit to them before they are swallowed by the ignorant and crude mentality that has been running this country for decades.
