TV series’ shoots damage Cappadocia

Historical mansions, churches and other cultural structures have been damaged because of recklessness displayed by TV crews when filming in Cappadocia, according to officials.

“An antiquated Greek house in the Mustafapaşa neighborhood was set on fire for a TV series titled ‘Hayat Devam Ediyor’ [Life Goes On], made by Turkish singer and director Mahsun Kırmızıgül,” Mustafa Kaya, representative for the Foundation for the Promotion and Protection of the Environment and Cultural Heritage (ÇEKÜL), told Anatolia news agency.

The area is one of the most popular places in Turkey in recent years for filming TV series, said Kaya, the ÇEKÜL representative region for the Central Anatolian province of Nevşehir’s Ürgüp district, adding that historical structures should not be damaged for TV series’ production.

Reacting to the incident, Kaya also said other old buildings were damaged during the filming of the TV series “Yer Gök Aşk” (Love is Everywhere). The Cemil Church in Ürgüp is among the antiquated buildings damaged, he said. “During the shooting of the TV series, wood and rubber were burned inside the church … They also burned four precious cultural [artifacts] taken from the Private Cappadocia Art and History Museum,” he added