No. 42, Fall/Winter 1997
Urban Agriculture in Drylands

Urban agriculture in Istanbul: Gardens along the ancient city walls

[Note: All pictures taken by Paul Kaldjian. Permission is granted to reuse these pictures for private and educational uses only, as long as proper attribution is given.]

Although Istanbul has long overgrown its 5th century defenses, the land walls retain their visual strength, providing a powerful backdrop for urban farming. This image shows the central wall, with the outer two walls visible on the left and right. Three levels of urban gardens are also visible.
	In this image, an urban farmer is taking advantage of good weather to prepare one of his plots for planting. The towers in the background, from which defenders of the city once kept guard, now watch over a peaceful scene.
Here, along another stretch of the ancient walls, a farmer stands proudly in front of his newly emerging crop.

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