Rainbow stairs
{{Short description|Colorful staircase in Istanbul, Turkey}}
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| image_place = Istanbul, Turkey (November 2023) - 627.jpg
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The "rainbow stairs" (or sometimes "rainbow steps") refer to a rainbow-painted staircase in Beyoğlu, in Istanbul, Turkey.
History
Huseyin Cetinel, a retired forestry engineer, originally painted a rainbow on the Salıpazarı ramp connecting the Fındıklı/Karaköy and Cihangir neighborhoods in 2013. He spent a week painting the rainbow with his son-in-law. Days later, the staircase was painted grey,{{Cite web |date=2013-08-30 |title=Graying of ‘rainbow’ steps in Istanbul causes immediate backlash - Türkiye News |url=https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/graying-of-rainbow-steps-in-istanbul-causes-immediate-backlash-53528 |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=Hürriyet Daily News |language=en |archive-date=2023-01-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129013932/https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/graying-of-rainbow-steps-in-istanbul-causes-immediate-backlash-53528 |url-status=live }} prompting activists to re-paint the rainbow there as well as others throughout the city.{{Cite web |date=2015-05-28 |title=The Colourful Revolution of The Rainbow Steps, Istanbul, Turkey |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/chloe-gunning/istanbul_b_7440890.html |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=HuffPost UK |language=en |archive-date=2021-11-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211129122935/https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/chloe-gunning/istanbul_b_7440890.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2013-08-31 |title=Rainbow steps return after Beyoğlu mayor vows 'colorful era' in Istanbul's bohemian neighborhood - Türkiye News |url=https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/rainbow-steps-return-after-beyoglu-mayor-vows-colorful-era-in-istanbuls-bohemian-neighborhood-53588 |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=Hürriyet Daily News |language=en |archive-date=2023-04-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419135747/https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/rainbow-steps-return-after-beyoglu-mayor-vows-colorful-era-in-istanbuls-bohemian-neighborhood-53588 |url-status=live }} Activism was not the artist's intent,{{Cite news |date=2023-04-05 |title=Photo shows 2015 demolition of Istanbul’s rainbow stairs due to construction work, not to erase political message |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL1N3682BH/ |access-date=2023-12-05}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2013-09-04 |title=With a Burst of Color, Turkey's Public Walkways Become a Focus of Quiet Protest |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/03/with-a-burst-of-color-turkeys-public-walkways-become-a-focus-of-quiet-protest/ |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=The Lede |language=en |archive-date=2023-06-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601004308/https://archive.nytimes.com/thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/03/with-a-burst-of-color-turkeys-public-walkways-become-a-focus-of-quiet-protest/ |url-status=live }} but the steps became popular with the LGBT community and tourists. The staircase was destroyed as part of a demolition project in 2015,{{Cite web |last=Duffy |first=Nick |date=2015-07-28 |title=Istanbul's rainbow stairs demolished |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2015/07/28/istanbuls-rainbow-stairs-demolished-for-restoration/ |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=PinkNews |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-04-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230401174302/https://www.thepinknews.com/2015/07/28/istanbuls-rainbow-stairs-demolished-for-restoration/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2015-07-27 |title=Colorful stairs of Gezi to be demolished in Istanbul’s Karaköy neighborhood - Türkiye News |url=https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/colorful-stairs-of-gezi-to-be-demolished-in-istanbuls-karakoy-neighborhood-86012 |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=Hürriyet Daily News |language=en |archive-date=2023-04-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424173115/https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/colorful-stairs-of-gezi-to-be-demolished-in-istanbuls-karakoy-neighborhood-86012 |url-status=live }} and repainted.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline| Rainbow stairs, Beyoğlu, Istanbul}}
{{Beyoğlu}}
{{Public art in Istanbul}}
{{Portal bar|LGBTQ|Turkey|Visual arts}}
Category:2013 establishments in Turkey