Tevfikiye village in the northwestern province of Çanakkale has been turned into an archeology village depicting the Troy era.
As part of a protocol signed by the Çanakkale Governor’s Office on Nov. 21, 2017, the village became an archaeology park due to its buildings and structures reminiscent of the Troy era as well as its rich history and mythological values. The goal is to make people visit the village during their tour to the ancient city of Troy and buy organic products and souvenirs from locals.
While the restoration of the village is continuing, courses on different topics were initiated with the cooperation of the Çanakkale Public Education Center Directorate, boosting the quality of social life in the region.
”After our village became an archaeology village, the type of people coming has changed. We have never received this many people to the village so far. There are great services. We can say that we hit the jackpot. Our infrastructure and superstructure works are completely over. Only some roads need to be restored. The other things are over. Our expectations are now higher. Villagers think of giving boarding house and restaurant services. We will work on these issues this summer. We are very pleased to become an archaeology village. It is more beautiful now than it was in the past,” the village head, Hüseyin Dinç, told İhlas News Agency.
A sociological survey was conducted with the locals of Tevfikiye Village at the start of the Tevfikiye Archaeological Village Project. With this survey, the socio-economic and demographic information of the people in the village were compiled, such as their views on Troy, their expectations, their demands in the courses and their opinions on the subjects they would support.
According to the results of the study, the people of the village said that they want to receive more guests to the village, they want to know more about the war and ruins of Troy and want the village to turn into one of Troy. They also said that they are hopeful, optimistic and excited about the project and stressed they would like to attend courses on crafts, business, hospitality and cookery.
Later, a village committee, in which the village’s head, imam and teacher naturally became members, was formed. The committee, which also consists of five female and five male village residents who have the knowledge and skills to follow the project and to coordinate the people of the village, still continues working.
The entrance road of the village and its surroundings were reorganized by oil company OPET. Architectural renovations were carried out in the village’s coffeehouse, wedding hall and health center in accordance with the concept of “Troy 6“ period concept.
The wedding hall in the village square was transformed into a museum and a culture and arts center.
The historical village mosque, which was built with stones taken from the ruins of the ancient city of Troy by a Greek craftsman from İntepe/Erenköy in 1895, was restored to the original with the natural stones of the Troy period. The square, created at a spot that overlooks the wide Troy plain and called the “square of Troy,” was recreated as an observation area. The busts of the Troy-era heroes such as Sarpedon, Priamos, Paris, Helen, Homers and others were placed in this square. Also the statues of modern Turkey founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and Ottoman Emperor Fatih Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror were placed in the village square.
A building in the garden of the village’s coffeehouse was renewed with the concept of the Troy house. A miniature waterfall was created in a field between the Troy Square and the mosque. An old school building was turned into a hostel, which hosts many guests.
Also 14,800 trees were planted in the village in donation by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.