ONE of Kusadasi’s most striking attractions – the Oküz Mehmet Pasha Caravansaray in the heart of the city – is to be operated by Kusadasi Municipality.

The council will take over the Caravansaray after outbidding other parties on the monthly rental of the attraction. Their bid of 77,000 a month was accepted.

The tender for the historic Öküz Mehmet Paşa Caravanserai belonging to the General Directorate of Foundations was concluded this week.

Mayor of Kuşadası, CHP’s Ozer Kayalı, said that the caravansaray is one of the most important historical places and symbols of the province that has moved away from its identity in the last three years.

He said “This important structure has suffered a lot of despair in the past years and become a fake product sales center.

“Many organizations in our city started campaigns for organizing this place into a living museum. Civil society organizations want the Caravansaray that is a place suitable for a tourism city in a way that is appropriate for Kusadasi in accordance with the historical identity.

“We want to retain the caravanserai’s tourism and cultural arts identity.”

The 35-year tenant of Kuşadası’s historic caravanserai in the city center claimed he could not pay the rent and finished at the beginning of 2014.

In the same year, on 25 April, Elazigli Septioğlu Company rented it for 61,000 TL per month. In order to meet the rent, the units in the caravanserai rented imitation textile and bag products.

Tourism and Civil Society Organizations responded and proposed for the allocation of the ‘Kervansaray to be a Museum. Kusadasi Municipality sought to used the caravansaray free of charge but that was rejected by the General Directorate of Foundations – and was forced to tender for the building.