Turkey: Istanbul's Historic Lettuce Fields Fall Victim to Urbanization
July 11, 2013 - 5:49pm, by Yigal Schleifer
Kebabistan
Istanbul’s Yedikule gardens present something of an incongruous sight: good-sized agricultural fields squeezed between modern apartment buildings on one side and the city’s historic Byzantine city walls on the other. They are also an ancient sight – according to researchers, urban farmers have been cultivating the land near the walls here since most likely the 6th century. In fact, agriculture is so established in the area that romaine lettuce from the Yedikule fields – the area’s main crop – had long ago developed a citywide reputation for its exceptional taste.
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