Turkey seals hotel spa illegally set up inside ancient cistern / Photo: Handout - FATIH MUNICIPALITY PRESS OFFICE/AFP
RBGPF
0.1000
Berliner Boersenzeitung - Turkey seals hotel spa illegally set up inside ancient cistern
EUR
-
AED 4.215763
AFN 72.319432
ALL 96.250511
AMD 433.530234
ANG 2.054886
AOA 1052.649851
ARS 1605.041005
AUD 1.627805
AWG 2.06627
AZN 1.952677
BAM 1.960904
BBD 2.315928
BDT 141.097233
BGN 1.962163
BHD 0.433516
BIF 3413.584513
BMD 1.147928
BND 1.47143
BOB 7.94568
BRL 6.045904
BSD 1.149893
BTN 106.138709
BWP 15.668849
BYN 3.402355
BYR 22499.382989
BZD 2.312519
CAD 1.569918
CDF 2590.872602
CHF 0.903995
CLF 0.026617
CLP 1051.008272
CNY 7.916795
CNH 7.911483
COP 4240.54825
CRC 541.010441
CUC 1.147928
CUP 30.420084
CVE 110.553218
CZK 24.433584
DJF 204.762935
DKK 7.471654
DOP 70.644173
DZD 151.956974
EGP 60.095851
ERN 17.218916
ETB 179.486229
FJD 2.543695
FKP 0.866615
GBP 0.86424
GEL 3.133911
GGP 0.866615
GHS 12.487501
GIP 0.866615
GMD 84.391326
GNF 10081.028197
GTQ 8.817989
GYD 240.56612
HKD 8.98925
HNL 30.437352
HRK 7.534075
HTG 150.767805
HUF 389.675577
IDR 19505.587538
ILS 3.586138
IMP 0.866615
INR 105.924459
IQD 1506.327068
IRR 1517244.7443
ISK 143.617015
JEP 0.866615
JMD 180.420365
JOD 0.81386
JPY 182.616948
KES 148.654125
KGS 100.386359
KHR 4610.980884
KMF 494.756922
KPW 1033.134925
KRW 1710.52135
KWD 0.352115
KYD 0.958198
KZT 562.92758
LAK 24639.128089
LBP 102968.395132
LKR 357.859841
LRD 210.418571
LSL 19.312464
LTL 3.389532
LVL 0.694369
LYD 7.337096
MAD 10.829887
MDL 20.059208
MGA 4774.447217
MKD 61.66314
MMK 2410.237597
MNT 4099.576954
MOP 9.269466
MRU 46.005739
MUR 53.654501
MVR 17.735995
MWK 1993.797928
MXN 20.440127
MYR 4.511928
MZN 73.364265
NAD 19.312549
NGN 1584.174748
NIO 42.310305
NOK 11.139837
NPR 169.821734
NZD 1.964437
OMR 0.441378
PAB 1.149793
PEN 3.965321
PGK 5.028087
PHP 68.547329
PKR 321.064833
PLN 4.268403
PYG 7418.307578
QAR 4.179897
RON 5.094046
RSD 117.399254
RUB 93.496271
RWF 1677.974562
SAR 4.30773
SBD 9.24279
SCR 15.713391
SDG 689.904142
SEK 10.75777
SGD 1.468045
SHP 0.861243
SLE 28.18199
SLL 24071.482406
SOS 656.010251
SRD 43.10238
STD 23759.785806
STN 24.563932
SVC 10.06123
SYP 126.874693
SZL 19.306248
THB 37.205504
TJS 11.021333
TMT 4.017747
TND 3.400565
TOP 2.763934
TRY 50.72017
TTD 7.798331
TWD 36.719334
TZS 2990.351426
UAH 50.707096
UGX 4323.252098
USD 1.147928
UYU 46.190421
UZS 13884.075513
VES 508.192904
VND 30179.019325
VUV 137.252268
WST 3.139829
XAF 657.671582
XAG 0.014508
XAU 0.000229
XCD 3.102332
XCG 2.072303
XDR 0.817932
XOF 657.66871
XPF 119.331742
YER 273.838357
ZAR 19.27319
ZMK 10332.727681
ZMW 22.381252
ZWL 369.632252
- City boss Guardiola still has hope of revival against Real Madrid
- Iran, at UN, insists will not submit to 'lawless aggression'
- Appeal trial opens for France's Sarkozy over alleged Libyan funding
- Szoboszlai warns time against Liverpool in quest for Champions League place
- Israel army says begun 'limited targeted ground operations' against Hezbollah in south Lebanon
- Western allies push back on Trump call for NATO help to reopen Hormuz
- Central banks meet as Mideast war fuels inflation fears
- European bank battle heats up as UniCredit swoops for Commerzbank
- Oil eases on hopes for Strait of Hormuz passage
- Race for Paris mayor on knife's edge after first round
Turkey seals hotel spa illegally set up inside ancient cistern
Turkish authorities have sealed off a luxury spa run by a five-star Istanbul hotel that was set up by illegally modifying a 1,500-year-old cistern, officials told AFP on Monday.
The Navitas Spa Sarnic is operated by the Hagia Sofia Mansions Istanbul hotel, which is part of Hilton's luxury Curio Collection that currently offers top-price suites for around $400 per night.
The hotel, just a short walk from the Hagia Sofia, a UNESCO World Heritage site, modified the ancient structure to include a jacuzzi-style swimming pool, sauna and massage rooms and a Turkish hammam.
The revelations about the work sparked an online backlash on social media and eventually local officials took action.
"The swimming and spa centre near the Hagia Sophia mosque... was sealed off by teams from the Fatih municipality in line with a decision by its preservation committee," a municipal official told AFP.
The culture and tourism ministry also said it had lodged a complaint in 2023 about "unauthorised practices" concerning the spa.
The hotel is in the Sultanahmet neighbourhood, known for the Grand Bazaar, the Blue Mosque with its iconic minarets and the Hagia Sophia.
"Our spa offers a Turkish Bath and a restored 1,500-year-old cistern," the hotel website says, showing photos of a tastefully-lit brick-lined underground pool with bubbling turquoise waters.
The municipality said the cistern was owned by Dorak, a holding company with tourism assets across Turkey.
Contacted by AFP, a Dorak spokeswoman said she was unable to comment as "a legal process was ongoing".
A spa employee also refused to comment.
(G.Gruner--BBZ)
