Aqueduct & Bridge Trabzon — 9 districts
Historic Bridge Restorations
Arch and pier repair across historic stone bridges in nine districts, re-laid with original ashlar.
FOÇA · İZMİR · THE AEGEAN
A ruin becomes a home again.
Stone by stone,history restored.
We carry registered cultural heritage — historic stone mansions and aqueducts — into the future, faithful to their original fabric.
T.C. Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı — Restorasyon Yeterlik Belgesi
RuinConservationLiving Monument
Scroll to watch the transformation
What we do
Four disciplines, one goal: conservation.
Monument Restoration
Survey, restitution and restoration projects for registered structures; works approved by the Conservation Board.
Stone Mansion Restoration
The cobbled stone houses of Foça and the Aegean; revived true to the original with native stone, timber and lime mortar.
Aqueduct & Bridge Restoration
Arch, pier and abutment repair on historic stone bridges and aqueducts; original ashlar craftsmanship.
Façade & Retaining Works
Façade renovation, stone cladding and retaining-wall works; engineering and craftsmanship together.
Natural Stone & Masonry Craft
In the Language of Stone
A historic building speaks in the language of the stone it was built from. We lay natural stone from its original quarry with breathable lime mortar rather than cement, and with the trace of the hand rather than the machine. Every joint and every surface stays true to the structure's original logic of construction.
Stone from the original quarry, matched in texture and tone
Breathable lime mortar instead of cement
Dressing, jointing and surface finishing by hand
Survey · Restitution · Restoration
Document First, Intervene Second
No intervention begins before measurement. We first document the building as it stands today through precise measured survey drawings, then read its original state and reconstruct its restitution from the evidence. Restoration follows only on top of this reading, with the approval of the Conservation Board.
01
Survey & Documentation
The structure's current state is precisely measured, photographed and drawn.
02
Restitution
The original state is scientifically reconstructed from traces and sources.
03
Restoration Project
Intervention decisions are finalized with Conservation Board approval.
04
Application & Conservation
Executed with original materials and techniques, with craftsmanship.
Ministry-Approved · Board-Registered
Work on the Record
On a registered monument, every decision is on the record. Our projects are prepared under Ministry of Culture and Tourism certification, then reviewed and approved by the Conservation Board. This process shows that the work is not a personal preference but an auditable public decision.
- Ministry of Culture and Tourism restoration certification
- Conservation Board review and approval
- 30+ years, 58 projects on registered buildings
0+
Years of experience
0
Completed projects
0
Districts, bridge restoration
Belgeli
Ministry-certified
From the field — registered work
Monuments we have carried forward.
Aqueduct & Bridge
Road & Retaining Ordu
Ring-Road Retaining & Roadworks
Retaining walls and road construction along the ring-road route; ground and drainage engineering.
Façade & Cladding İstanbul
Maltepe Military High School Renovation
Interior and exterior façade renovation with stone cladding; modern detailing faithful to the historic character.
Drag to compare
The same stone, recovered.
Move the slider: from ruin to a restoration faithful to the original fabric.
ARCHITECTURE THAT ONCE CARRIED WATER
Aqueducts: arches that span centuries.
Every arch stands on its keystone. We rebuild that balance — arrest the crack, return each stone to its place.
- Arch & keystone statics
- Original lime-mortar recipe
- Downstream & water-bed works
Once the keystone sits, the arch endures centuries.
The Character of History & Place
The Architectural Language of the Aegean
Every building is a product of its geography. The stone, proportion, shadow and building tradition of Foça and the Aegean are our reference; restoration is not translating a structure into a foreign language, but returning it to its own. By preserving the region's architectural character, we carry forward the local memory of the building.
The local stone and building tradition of Foça and the Aegean
Fidelity to the building's original proportion and texture
Details that carry the region's architectural memory
The Principle of Minimal Intervention
Good restoration is restoration that does not announce itself. What is sound is kept, what is added stays legible and can be reversed when needed; original stone is not replaced but consolidated in place wherever possible. Our aim is not to renew the building but to carry it into the future.
- Keep the sound fabric, intervene as little as possible
- Additions stay distinguishable and reversible
- Don't replace original stone, consolidate it in place
THE STONE FABRIC OF THE AEGEAN
The heritage we conserve.
From the coastline of Foça to Anatolia's stone bridges and aqueducts — examples of the architectural language we work in.
Foça, İzmir
Historic stone housesAqueductStone mansion fabricHistoric stone bridge
Arch architectureHeritage imagery: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA / CC0). To be replaced with actual project photos.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What people ask about restoration
The questions owners of registered buildings ask most, answered plainly.
How is historic building restoration carried out?
Historic restoration runs in four stages: survey (a precise measured drawing of the current state), restitution (reconstructing the original from evidence), the restoration project (approved by the Regional Conservation Board), and application (repair with original materials and techniques). Sonalp performs all four under Ministry certification.
What permits are required to repair a registered building?
On a registered (protected) building, no intervention is permitted without approval from the Regional Conservation Board. A survey–restitution–restoration project is prepared, submitted and approved first; work then proceeds only with the approved project and a certified firm. Sonalp manages this entire process on your behalf.
Do you restore stone houses and mansions in Foça and the Aegean?
Yes. Our main focus is the historic stone houses and mansions of Foça and the Aegean. We revive them with stone from the original quarry, timber and breathable lime mortar, faithful to the building's local architectural character. We also have field experience in regions such as Trabzon, Ordu and İstanbul.
What is the difference between survey, restitution and restoration?
A survey (rölöve) is the exact measurement and drawing of the building as it stands today. Restitution is the scientific reconstruction of its original state from traces and sources. Restoration is the actual repair and conservation work carried out on top of these two readings, with Conservation Board approval. Document first, intervene second.
Why do you use lime mortar instead of cement in restoration?
Historic stone buildings breathe; cement blocks that breathing, traps moisture inside the stone and cracks the original fabric over time. Lime mortar is flexible, breathable and reversible, and matches the building's original logic of construction. For this reason lime mortar is essential on registered buildings.
Do you restore historic bridges and aqueducts?
Yes. On historic stone bridges and aqueducts we repair arches, piers, keystones and downstream works — arresting cracks and re-laying with original ashlar. We have completed historic bridge restorations across nine districts of Trabzon. Arch statics and the original lime-mortar recipe are our areas of expertise.
How are the cost and duration of a restoration determined?
Every registered building is unique; cost and duration depend on its condition, degree of damage, the intervention decisions in the approved project and the sourcing of original materials. For this reason we do not give fixed list prices. After an on-site assessment of your building we provide a free preliminary evaluation and a clear quote.
What is Sonalp's experience and certification?
Sonalp Historic Restoration has over 30 years of field experience and 58 completed projects on registered buildings. It works under the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism restoration qualification certificate, and its projects are reviewed and approved by the Regional Conservation Board — so every decision is auditable and on the record.
CONTACT
Let's take the first step for your monument.
Tell us about your structure, its location and your goal; we'll get back to you with a free assessment and quote.
0532 606 01 35
Adatepe Mah. 3/18 Sk. No:1F, Buca / İzmir
T.C. Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı — Restorasyon Yeterlik Belgesi