The Great Galata Replacement

The Galata neighborhood in İstanbul is transforming due to gentrification and tourism. Early in the morning, the cobblestoned streets are empty, revealing 19th-century Levantine buildings and historic congregations. By midday, the area is crowded and commercial, challenging long-time residents and businesses. Bayram Sezgin, who arrived in the 1970s, adapted his fruit shop to the changing economy, shifting from serving local residents to catering to tourists. Rising rents and changing demand forced him to reinvent his business. The neighborhood's transformation is marked by a loss of its unique social fabric and cultural identity.