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A new photography exhibition titled “Sanliurfa Tracing a Rich Heritage” has opened in Vienna, showcasing Austrian photographer Josef Polleross’s images of Sanliurfa’s historical, cultural and social fabric.
The show was organized in cooperation with the Sanliurfa Metropolitan Municipality, the Embassy of Türkiye in Vienna, and the Vienna Yunus Emre Institute, a Turkish cultural center active worldwide.
Sanliurfa Metropolitan Mayor Mehmet Kasim Gulpinar said he was proud to bring the city’s spirit to Vienna and described the show as a journey that brings cultures together and strengthens friendships.
He added that Sanliurfa stands among humanity’s oldest settlements and noted that sites such as Gobeklitepe and Karahantepe—cult centers that reach back roughly twelve millennia—bear witness to the earliest steps of civilization.
Polleross spent a month in the city, and his series brings together multiple themes—historical streets, cultural rituals, and daily life—so visitors can move through time while staying rooted in place.
Gulpinar said the images do not serve as simple documents; rather, they mirror Sanliurfa’s spirit and invite audiences to feel the continuity between past and present.
Ambassador Gursel Donmez stated that it was a source of pride to introduce Türkiye’s rich cultural heritage to the Austrian public through the universal language of art.
He expressed confidence that cultural exchange and friendship would grow stronger via such initiatives and thanked Polleross for his contribution.
The opening drew a broad audience, including Vienna Yunus Emre Institute Coordinator Halil Ibrahim Dogan and Vienna State Deputy Aslihan Bozatemur, reflecting a shared commitment to cultural dialogue.
Gulpinar pointed to the meeting of Sanliurfa and Vienna as a symbol of the longstanding friendship between Türkiye and Austria, while underlining that culture works beyond politics and time by uniting people around common values.
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