Antalya cliffs illuminated amid controversy
ANTALYA
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A cliff lighting initiative, canceled four years ago due to public backlash, has been revived by local authorities in the Mediterranean province of Antalya, aiming to illuminate the region's cliffs and enhance its nighttime appeal.
Initially announced in 2021, the project involved illuminating 3.4 kilometers of cliffs, one of the city’s landmarks, with amber-colored lights, aiming to attract visitors and showcase the grandeur of the touristic hub.
The initiative was promoted as a step to make Antalya "shine," as the cliffs were barely visible in the dark, yet it reignited debates over its ecological and aesthetic impact.
Environmentalists raised concerns about the project’s impact on wildlife, including endangered species like the Mediterranean monk seal, bats and migratory birds. Public reactions on social media were also largely negative, with many condemning the lighting for tarnishing the natural beauty of the cliffs.
In response to the rising concerns and backlash, Antalya Mayor Muhittin Böcek declared the cancelation of the project at the time.
Nonetheless, over the past four years, authorities have spent more than 10 million Turkish Liras on the project, installing projector and lighting equipment at several locations. Most recently, they completed the initiative in the renowned Kaleiçi Marina region.
However, concerns continue to prevail across the province.
İzzet Ünlü, the head of a local maritime platform, noted that artificial lightning poses risks to the area’s ecological balance.
Similarly, Erol Kesici, a scientific adviser to the Turkish Association for the Conservation of Nature (TTKD), warned that such lighting could pose various threats to all living beings in the region.
"Excessive and multicolored light spilling from human living spaces into areas where wildlife thrive, especially in tourist and commercial zones, contributes to pollution,” he further warned.