www.zaman.com The fourth round of bids in the tender for the restoration of Divrigi Mosque will open in January.
Sivas Governor Hasan Canpolat invites expert associations and institutions to enter the tender for the restoration project. Divrigi Mosque, listed on the United Nations Cultural Heritage list and a significant stone architectural structure, is in danger of perishing if no restoration project is immediately implemented.
Present technology is almost not sufficient enough to repair the mosque built by great stone masters 778 years ago. The budget for the restoration works was released three years ago; however, works can not go ahead because there is no project.
Turkey even requested assistance from UNESCO, but only one restoration project, hindered by the State Tender Law, has been received so far.
According to state law, at least two project applications are required to open bidding. Therefore, governor Canpolat asked expert companies, institutions and universities to bid in the upcoming fourth tender.
UNESCO made the call for the Divrigi Ulucami’s immediate restoration in 2000.
Later, a common enterprise group comprising of historians, scientists and politicians was founded. The issue was again brought to a cabinet meeting in Sivas in 2003. Prime Minister Erdogan gave instructions to the ministry of culture. A three-way agreement was signed between the Culture Ministry, General Directorate of Foundations and Sivas Governorship. The ministry prepared a budget and released the necessary funds, but an unexpected problem arose.
After three years, no project suitable project has been presented for the restoration works. Four institutions applied to participate in the previous tender held in December 2005 providing some hope for the restoration works; however, only one company and a single project was presented. According to law, at least two projects are required to join a public tender; therefore, all hope for the projects go ahead appeared to be lost. Canpolat says: “Everyone says Divrigi should be restored but no one comes forth with a project. Companies and institutions need to do more than just talk about it and they should organize themselves and join us. The government announced its plans but it is as if nothing has changed. Creating projects is not in our hands and we opened a tender for companies to bid. It was only open to Turkish firms at the beginning, but now it has been necessary to open the tender worldwide. We seek UNESCO’s help because this project is not a task only for a university or a specialist company alone; a consortium needs to be formed. As the governorship, there is nothing more we can do.â€Â
Listed on UNESCO’s world heritage list
Divrigi Mosque and Hospital was built by the Mengucekogullari who settled in Divrigi after the Malazgirt Triumph, the first entry of Turks in Anatolia in 1071. The most significant feature of the mosque is its unique decorations and motifs. The walls of the mosque are naturally decaying through age and neglect. UNESCO placed the mosque on the World’s Cultural Heritage List in 1985, but and since been moved now to the list of ‘under threat of destruction.’ |