Idyllic plateau to be transformed into place of attraction

RİZE

Ayder, a picturesque plateau where endless seas and green forests stand together in northern Turkey, is currently undergoing a transformation.

Turkey’s Environment and Urbanization Ministry has prepared a project to preserve the vast green stretch at an altitude of 1,350 meters and designated more than 21,600 square meters as a preservation area.

The plateau lies in the foothills of the Kaçkar Mountains in the Black Sea region and attracts thousands of tourists every year.

It has seen its popularity rise in recent years with a steady flow of tourists; yet, illegally built structures continue to litter the landscape.

Work is underway to demolish all illegally built structures and to promote the construction of residences in line with local architecture, namely wooden houses with few floors.

Instead of scattered housing, all places of accommodation are being clustered in one spot, according to the project.

The government built a new water pipeline and water drainage system for the plateau, while power lines crisscrossing the plateau were replaced with an underground grid.

A new hotel with thermal water will also be built on one part of the plateau that hosts natural hot springs.

Authorities also plan to ban vehicle access to the plateau.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who hails from Rize, visited the plateau on Aug. 16.

“Our goal is to introduce a whole new Ayder by the end of 2022. This will be a place of attraction for tourism with its infrastructure, residences and restaurants,” Erdoğan told journalists.

He said an airport under construction in Rize will boost visitors in the area.

“We are also working on promoting ski tourism here,” Erdoğan said.