Demolitions crews on Monday began work to tear down a five-story hotel and an adjacent building built on sections of Istanbul's historic ancient city walls.

The yellow-colored building that stands on the walls that encircle the city's historic peninsula was expropriated by the government last week.

Locals have long complained about the two buildings, constructed in the 1960s and were recently being renovated, as "an eyesore" of the Cankurtaran neighborhood of Fatih district.

Cracks were visible on the city walls they were built on while an ancient fountain on the walls was gradually eroding.