Writer: Ayça Olcaytu İşçen
October 2007

Ramazan Yıldırım, who officiates as the District Governor of Güzelyurt for two years, has been working hard to increase tourism activities in Güzelyurt.
He started from the point of promoting Güzelyurt. He was the initiator of innovations such as, a functional web-site, a multifunctional tourism information desk, nation-wide and international promotion of the borough. Grandsons of Rums who migrated from Güzelyurt to Greece during 1924 population exchange visited the land of their elders during Turkish-Greek Friendship, Culture and Tourism Festival which he organized. He implemented projects such as opening Gaziemir Underground City for tourism and illuminating historical structures at night. He brought ‘one ticket system’ so tourists can visit all the ruins by paying just one ticket cost. He facilitated the increase in number of touristic facilities.
He contributed to works started by Aksaray Governorship for restoration of 1500 years old Kızıl Church, one of the most attractive churches of Cappadocia. By the efforts of ‘Cappadocia Lovers Association’ in France, World Monuments Found (WMF) reported Kızıl Church among 100 ruins to save urgently. Restoration will begin soon and it will probably go on for 3 years. He started the projects of representing historical buildings and antic Gelveri (one of the archaic names of Güzelyurt) houses which are known with their authentic architecture, on ceramics, production and selling of local clothes. Restoration of antic Gelveri houses, construction of wooden bridges and an elevator and opening paths in Ihlara Valley, are among targets of Ramazan Yıldırım.

Note: This article has been published in Peribacası Cappadocia Culture and Publicity Magazine, October 2007 issue. It is under protection of the copyrights of the magazine. No part of this article may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by electronic, mechanical or other means without prior permission from the owner. www.cappadociaexplorer.com