Çelik Gülersoy
Encyclopedia
Çelik Gülersoy was a Turkish
lawyer, historical preservationist, writer and poet. He is best remembered for the heritage conservation works he carried out on historical sites during his long-time post as director general of the Touring and Automobile Club of Turkey (TTOK).
He was born in Hakkâri
, the south easternmost city of Turkey
as his father was on duty as a gendarmerie officer. The family moved to Istanbul
in 1933. After completing his primary, secondary and high school education in Istanbul, Çelik Gülersoy attended Istanbul University
and graduated from the Law School. Following his military service between 1959-1960, he was employed in 1961 by the TTOK as law consultant, where he had worked already at various posts since 1947.
In 1966, Çelik Gülersoy became the director general of the TTOK, a position he held 38 years long until his death. Reorganizing the TTOK, he brought in many much-needed services. He contributed to tourism and attended traffic conferences and congresses abroad. He published numerous books on historic sites mainly in Istanbul, and contributed so to the redevelopment of the cultural and touristic places.
Çelik Gülersoy died on July 6, 2003 due to pancreas cancer during a classical music concert he attended at the Fabiato Mansion in Büyükada
. He was buried next to his mother's grave at Demirciköy Cemetery in Sarıyer
following a funeral service held at the Teşvikiye Mosque
. He lived alone and left all his assets to the Çelik Gülersoy Foundation he had established.
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
lawyer, historical preservationist, writer and poet. He is best remembered for the heritage conservation works he carried out on historical sites during his long-time post as director general of the Touring and Automobile Club of Turkey (TTOK).
He was born in Hakkâri
Hakkari
Hakkâri , is a city and the capital of the Hakkâri Province of Turkey. The name Hakkâri is derived from the Syriac word, Akkare, meaning farmers...
, the south easternmost city of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
as his father was on duty as a gendarmerie officer. The family moved to Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
in 1933. After completing his primary, secondary and high school education in Istanbul, Çelik Gülersoy attended Istanbul University
Istanbul University
Istanbul University is a Turkish university located in Istanbul. The main campus is adjacent to Beyazıt Square.- Synopsis :A madrasa, a religious school, was established sometime in the 15th century after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. An institution of higher education named the...
and graduated from the Law School. Following his military service between 1959-1960, he was employed in 1961 by the TTOK as law consultant, where he had worked already at various posts since 1947.
In 1966, Çelik Gülersoy became the director general of the TTOK, a position he held 38 years long until his death. Reorganizing the TTOK, he brought in many much-needed services. He contributed to tourism and attended traffic conferences and congresses abroad. He published numerous books on historic sites mainly in Istanbul, and contributed so to the redevelopment of the cultural and touristic places.
Çelik Gülersoy died on July 6, 2003 due to pancreas cancer during a classical music concert he attended at the Fabiato Mansion in Büyükada
Büyükada
Büyükada is the largest of the nine so-called Princes' Islands in the Sea of Marmara, near Istanbul, with an area of about two square miles...
. He was buried next to his mother's grave at Demirciköy Cemetery in Sarıyer
Sariyer
Sarıyer is the northernmost district of Istanbul, Turkey, on the European side of the city. With a long shore along the water, the district boasts both a beautiful coastline and a lush forest. The Sarıyer district is a huge area consisting of the villages on the European side of the Bosphorus from...
following a funeral service held at the Teşvikiye Mosque
Tesvikiye Mosque
The Teşvikiye Mosque is a neo-baroque structure located in the Teşvikiye neighbourhood of Şişli district in Istanbul, Turkey. It was originally commissioned in 1794 by Sultan Selim III, but most of the current mosque that stands today was completed in 1854 during the reign of Sultan Abdülmecit I...
. He lived alone and left all his assets to the Çelik Gülersoy Foundation he had established.
Notable historical preservations
- Chora ChurchChora ChurchThe Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora is considered to be one of the most beautiful examples of a Byzantine church. The church is situated in Istanbul, in the Edirnekapı neighborhood, which lies in the western part of the municipality of Fatih...
environs (1977) - Çamlıca Hill (1980)
- Malta and Çadır pavilions, Yıldız ParkYildiz ParkYıldız Park is a historical, urban park in Beşiktaş district of Istanbul, Turkey. It is one of the largest public parks in Istanbul. The park is located in Yıldız quarter between the palaces of Yıldız and Çırağan.-History:...
(1982) - Yellow, Pink and White pavilions, Emirgan ParkEmirgan ParkThe Emirgan Park is a historical urban park located in Emirgan neighborhood at the Bosphorus in Sarıyer district of Istanbul, Turkey. It is one of the largest public parks in Istanbul.- History :...
(1979-1983) - Hotel Yeşil EvHotel Yesil EvThe Hotel Yeşil Ev is a historic wooden mansion, located in the Sultanahmet neighborhood of Istanbul, Turkey, which is used as a hotel after restoration...
, Sultanahmet (1984) - Khedive PalaceKhedive PalaceThe Khedive Palace or Çubuklu Palace, Çubuklu Summer Palace, ; Hidiv Mansion; located on the Asian side of the Bosporus in Istanbul, Turkey, was a former residence of Khedive Abbas II of Egypt and Sudan...
, Çubuklu (1984) - Soğukçeşme StreetSogukçesme SokagiSoğukçeşme Sokağı is a small street with historic houses in the Sultanahmet neighborhood of Istanbul, Turkey, sandwiched in-between the Hagia Sophia and Topkapı Palace...
, Sultanahmet (1985-1986)
Recognitions
- 1976 - Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica ItalianaItalian orders of meritThere are five orders of knighthood awarded in recognition of service to the Italian Republic. Below these sit a number of other decorations, associated and otherwise, that do not confer knighthoods...
- 1979 - Ordre national du MériteOrdre National du MériteThe Ordre national du Mérite is an Order of State awarded by the President of the French Republic. It was founded on 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle...
of FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... - 1980 - "Plaque of Honor" by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey
- 1986 - Honorary Doctor of the Black Sea Technical University, TrabzonTrabzonTrabzon is a city on the Black Sea coast of north-eastern Turkey and the capital of Trabzon Province. Trabzon, located on the historical Silk Road, became a melting pot of religions, languages and culture for centuries and a trade gateway to Iran in the southeast and the Caucasus to the northeast...
- 1986 - Honorary Doctor of the Bosporus University, Istanbul
- 1998 - Honorary Doctor of the Anadolu UniversityAnadolu UniversityAnadolu University is a public university in Eskişehir, Turkey and the fourth largest university in the world by enrollment.- History :...
, EskişehirEskisehirEskişehir is a city in northwestern Turkey and the capital of the Eskişehir Province. According to the 2009 census, the population of the city is 631,905. The city is located on the banks of the Porsuk River, 792 m above sea level, where it overlooks the fertile Phrygian Valley. In the nearby... - 2000 - "Grand Award of Culture and Arts" by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey
Biography
- İbrahimhakkıoğlu, Uğur. Çelik Gülersoy Senfonisi, İstanbul Kitaplığı, 561 pp. ISBN 9789757512370