The historic building, known locally as the haunted mansion, has been restored by the Tuzla Municipality and opened as the Tuzla City and Exchange Museum. The museum, where traces of the past are brought to the present, also exhibits items that have witnessed the history of Tuzla, which dates back approximately 1,500 years.
The 'Tuzla City and Exchange Museum,' brought to life with the aim of 'protecting, reviving, and keeping cultural assets alive,' was opened in Tuzla during the 100th anniversary of the Republic and the population exchange. The opening of the Tuzla City and Exchange Museum, which also houses a historic fountain dating back to the 19th century, was attended by Tuzla District Governor Ümit Hüseyin Güney, Tuzla Mayor Dr. Şadi Yazıcı, Tuzla Infantry School Commander Major General Aydın Cihan Uzun, District Director of National Education Metin Çangır, district protocol members, and numerous guests.
'IT HAS A SIGNIFICANCE THAT TRANSCENDS THE BORDERS OF TUZLA'
Speaking at the opening of the Tuzla City and Exchange Museum, Tuzla Mayor Dr. Şadi Yazıcı said, “Every concept has a projection in the social memory. When we say 'exchange' (mübadele), the most prominent projection in our memory is the population exchange between Turkey and Greece following the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne. In the exchange, which has reached its 100th year, 1 million 200 thousand Orthodox Christian Greeks migrated to Greece, while 500 thousand Muslim Turks migrated to Turkey.
This agreement between states is undoubtedly more than just a treaty. It is 1 million 700 thousand human stories; it is billions of memories, joys, regrets, and fears. Our Exchange Museum is, first and foremost, a memory exhibition of this exchange. Naturally, the exchange carries meanings far beyond its equivalent in our social consciousness. It is the story of everything that changes, and everything changes. Being able to follow the traces of change is like a warning sign for avoiding mistakes and turning toward the right. In this sense, our museum has a significance that transcends the borders of Tuzla.”
News Source: İHA
