Title deed of Basilica Cistern transferred to the General Directorate of Foundations: Statement from IMM

Discussions regarding the ownership of the Basilica Cistern, one of the most frequently visited historical structures in Istanbul, have flared up again. It has emerged that the title deed of the Basilica Cistern was registered in the name of the General Directorate of Foundations without any official notification or court order. Reacting to the decision, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) announced that they would pursue legal action, pointing out that the process was not conducted in a transparent or lawful manner.

While the news that the cistern was removed from the IMM inventory and transferred to the Foundations became a trending topic on social media, it was noted that similar actions regarding cultural heritage have increased in recent years.

In the statement made by the IMM, it was stated: "No prior official notification was made to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality regarding this process, no administrative notice was provided, and the change of ownership was carried out without any known court decision or ongoing judicial process."

IMM Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, in a previous statement regarding the transfer of certain cultural assets, had said, "If a decision to 'seize' has been made; they neither listen to the law, nor observe justice, nor listen to the public conscience," and stated that such steps damage the social conscience.

The Basilica Cistern was reopened to visitors in 2022 following restoration and reinforcement work carried out by the IMM, and there had been a significant increase in the number of daily visitors. Thanks to the restoration, both the structure of the cistern was improved and measures were taken against earthquake risk. It was emphasized that the structure makes a significant contribution to tourism and culture, and provides resources for the IMM's other cultural projects.

According to IMM data, it was stated that the restoration cost of the cistern was recovered quickly and that it holds an important place in Istanbul's cultural heritage with over 10 million visitors.

In the background of the controversial ownership transfer are new legislative regulations that came into effect in 2025, which expand the registration conditions for foundation cultural assets. With these legal changes, the way has been paved for some historical immovable properties that were not directly foundation works in the past but were under the ownership of public institutions to be registered in the name of the foundation. IMM officials argue that the scope of this new practice has been expanded and that transfers made without sufficient legal basis are problematic.

As in the case of the Basilica Cistern, the latest ownership change also took place quickly without any lawsuit or court process being initiated. Municipal officials state that this decision was noticed during a routine check of land registry records and that no official notification was made.

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality shared with the public that it will use all its legal rights regarding the transfer of the Basilica Cistern's ownership to the General Directorate of Foundations and will take steps to carry the matter to the judicial process.

News Source: 12punto