The Trabzon Culture Route Festival began with an opening ceremony attended by Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Gökhan Yazgı. The opening was also attended by Selim Terzi, General Director of the Turkey Culture Route Festival, local officials, and many art enthusiasts.
EXCITEMENT AT THE TRABZON CULTURE ROUTE FESTIVAL Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Gökhan Yazgı stated in his opening speech that the Turkey Culture Route Festival, which started in a single city in 2021, has now grown into a major cultural movement spanning seven regions and 26 cities.
Yazgı emphasized that the festival aims to make the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of cities more visible while bringing culture and art to all segments of society. He noted that the Turkey Culture Route Festival, included in the European Festivals Association in the 100th year of the Republic, has become an important international brand.
Highlighting that Trabzon is hosting art lovers for the fourth time within the festival, Yazgı pointed out that Trabzon, conquered by Fatih Sultan Mehmet, governed by Yavuz Sultan Selim, birthplace of Kanuni Sultan Süleyman, and marked by visits from Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, is one of the most special stops of the Turkey Culture Route Festival due to its deep-rooted history and cultural richness.
TRABZON'S DEEP ROOTS MADE VISIBLE AT THE FESTIVAL Follow our news on Google Add us to your favorites on Google to instantly access the latest news and breaking developments.
Add us as a preferred source on Google Deputy Minister Gökhan Yazgı stressed that Trabzon stands out not only for its history but also for its living cultural heritage. The cultural accumulation ranging from Sürmene knife making, straw weaving, kazaziye (a traditional jewelry technique), and kemençe (a traditional string instrument) crafting to highland migrations and horon (a traditional dance) will be showcased through exhibitions, workshops, talks, and hands-on activities during the festival.
He stated that as a ministry, they continue their investments and efforts uninterruptedly to preserve Trabzon’s cultural heritage and pass it on to future generations. Yazgı noted that slope safety and rock rehabilitation works at the Sumela Monastery, which is on the World Heritage Tentative List, are being carried out meticulously, and the restoration of its unique wall paintings is being conducted using advanced digital documentation technologies.
He mentioned that the Trabzon Museum Kostaki Mansion, which reopened last year after restoration, is an important example of these efforts. Excavations at İçkale and Koskarlı Cave continue to reveal cultural values that shed light on Trabzon’s deep history.
Yazgı also highlighted that Trabzon’s cuisine is a key part of the festival program. The 51 restaurants featured in the Flavor Points selection and the gastronomy events will offer visitors a close look at the city’s culinary culture.
He expressed that from June 6 to 14, hundreds of events under 57 categories will be held at 14 different locations, bringing Trabzon’s cultural, artistic, historical, and gastronomic richness to a wide audience once again.
A JOURNEY INTO TRABZON’S CULTURAL MEMORY Following the opening ceremony, Deputy Minister Gökhan Yazgı and his delegation visited exhibitions meeting Trabzon residents as part of the festival. The first stop was the "Hâne Exhibition" at the Trabzon Fine Arts Gallery.
This exhibition, which presents the aesthetic heritage of Islamic arts with a contemporary interpretation, showcased selected examples of calligraphy to visitors. Afterwards, the "Living Heritage: Trabzon Exhibition" and the "Sacred Relics of the Ottoman Empire" exhibition at the Trabzon Museum were visited.
The "Living Heritage: Trabzon Exhibition" highlights Trabzon’s traditional production culture and craft heritage, bringing together handicrafts passed down through generations. The "Sacred Relics of the Ottoman Empire" exhibition presents valuable artifacts from the Ottoman period to the present day to visitors from Trabzon. These exhibitions offered visitors the opportunity to experience different layers of cultural heritage together.
THE DEEP HERITAGE AND ARTISTIC RICHNESS OF THE BLACK SEA ON DISPLAY IN TRABZON Events held in Trabzon as part of the Turkey Culture Route Festival will offer a rich program appealing to all age groups for nine days, including concerts, exhibitions, theater performances, gastronomy programs, talks, and children’s activities across the city.
Hosting the festival atmosphere with its historic sites, museums, squares, and cultural stops, Trabzon will provide a comprehensive festival experience where culture, art, gastronomy, and living heritage come together.
