Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • TÜRKİYE
  • Istanbul
  • Education
  • Investigations
  • Minorities
  • Expat Corner
  • Diaspora

Ottoman-era quarantine island, now used for COVID-19, to become museum

by DAILY SABAH

ISTANBUL Oct 08, 2020 - 3:05 pm GMT+3
An aerial view of Quarantine Island and its facilities, in Izmir's Urla district, western Turkey, Oct. 8, 2020. (DHA Photo)
An aerial view of Quarantine Island and its facilities, in Izmir's Urla district, western Turkey, Oct. 8, 2020. (DHA Photo)
by DAILY SABAH Oct 08, 2020 3:05 pm
RECOMMENDED
Kenan Poleo poses on the stairs of the British Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, Dec. 3, 2022. (AA PHOTO)

'Turkish' British Consul-General fulfills Istanbul dream

BRITISH

A historic quarantine site built in 1865, Karantina Island, in the western province of Izmir is fulfilling its intended function during the COVID-19 pandemic by housing people for the 14-day quarantine period throughout the first months of the outbreak. Now, a new project is underway to restore 16 buildings on the Urla district island so the spot can be converted into a museum.

Restorations began in September with workers carefully renovating the historic surfaces of buildings and ancient disinfection equipment.

Built by French architects commissioned by the Ottoman Empire, the island, which is connected to the mainland via a constructed causeway, was used to fight cholera, plagues and other infectious diseases in the last century.

Turgut Yılmaz, director of facilities on the island, says Quarantine Island was the first of its kind in terms of a scientific quarantine zone in the Ottoman Empire. “Back then, the quarantine period would sometimes take up to 40 days. Its location was chosen due to its proximity to a busy trade and travel route,” he told Demirören News Agency (DHA) Thursday.

The island mainly hosted the passengers and crews of cruise ships or those making the pilgrimage to Mecca from Europe. Port authorities would examine people arriving or passing through Ottoman territories for signs of illness and would ship them off to the island if it was thought they required quarantine. Those quarantining would be taken to the showers and asked to leave their possessions on wagons connected to a primitive rail system that used machines emitting steam to disinfect their belongings. Yılmaz claims that on a busy day up to 600 people would be admitted to the island, which remained open for quarantine until the end of World War I.

The island is now an archaeological site and the buildings are registered cultural assets that experts believe should be protected. This is the first time the buildings are undergoing a comprehensive restoration.

RECOMMENDED
Kenan Poleo poses on the stairs of the British Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, Dec. 3, 2022. (AA PHOTO)

'Turkish' British Consul-General fulfills Istanbul dream

BRITISH
  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Oct 08, 2020 7:20 pm
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    covid-19 outbreak quarantine island izmir ottomans
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    Brazil's Dani Alves in action during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Round of 16 match between Brazil and South Korea at Stadium 974, Doha, Qatar, Dec. 5, 2022. (Getty Images Photo)

    Dani Alves remains in jail as new rape case's harrowing details unfold

    DANI-ALVES
    A fragment of the statue of Pan, the Greek god of shepherds and flocks in Greek mythology, discovered in Saraçhane Archaeology Park, Istanbul, Türkiye, June 1, 2023. (DHA Photo)

    Excavations in Istanbul unearth statue of Greek deity Pan

    pan

    Sudan's paramilitary forces take over Khartoum museum

    SUDAN

    'Ulysses of Istanbul': Celebrating James Joyce's masterpiece

    james-joyce
    No Image
    Turkey's Birgül Erken dives for anniversary of Çanakkale victory
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021