The Fairy Tale Fiasco: Burj Al Babas — Where Dreams Built Castles (But Didn’t Finish Them)

Once upon a time, in the magical land of Mudurnu, Turkey, a grand vision was born — a vision of 732 enchanting castles that would house the dreams and aspirations of those with a taste for opulent living. But alas, this tale takes a twist more unexpected than a dragon showing up for high tea.

Meet Burj Al Babas, a residential development that had the audacious idea of bringing a touch of chateau charm to the Turkish landscape. With houses so identical that even twins would get confused, this project aimed for a level of uniformity usually reserved for meticulously arranged sock drawers.

The masterminds behind this fairy tale endeavor were the Yerdelen brothers, Istanbul’s very own construction conjurers. With a stroke of genius (or was it a stroke of folly?), they set out to build 732 three-story luxury villas that would make even the most aristocratic pigeons turn green with envy.

These architectural wonders were designed to channel a blend of Gothic, English, and American aesthetics. Because, let’s be honest, nothing says harmonious architectural fusion like trying to incorporate English cottages and American colonial homes into a single structure.

The pièce de résistance of the development was a domed structure at its heart, promising everything from shopping delights to beauty and relaxation. Turkish baths, a mosque, and even a movie theater were to be included, making sure residents could shop, pray, and be entertained without ever having to set foot outside their castle kingdom.

But wait, there’s more! The Burj Al Babas was marketed with flair to the Arab market, presumably because if you’re going to build a modern-day castle village, why not go for the gold — or in this case, the oil? Thus, the development was named the Burj Al Babas Thermal Tourism Company, clearly setting its sights on attracting vacationing genies.

Construction commenced in 2014 with an army of 2,500 workers, presumably all trained in the delicate art of castle crafting. Halfway through the ambitious endeavor, sales began to plummet faster than a turkey falling from the sky on Thanksgiving Day. The reasons? Falling oil prices and a dash of Turkish instability. Who would’ve thought that world economics would mess with our happily ever after?

As 2018 came around, the castle dream began to crumble faster than a stale croissant. The developers, in a surprise twist, filed for bankruptcy with a debt of $25 million. It’s as if the Big Bad Wolf had come knocking on the door, demanding his huff and puff payments.

By now, you might be wondering if the story ever gets a happily ever after. Well, as of the most recent update in 2021, 587 homes were started, and a grand total of zero had reached completion. That’s right, folks, it’s a real-life fairy tale where the princess forgot her gown, the prince misplaced his sword, and the castle… well, it’s just a collection of unfinished blueprints.

So there you have it, the whimsical and slightly perplexing tale of Burj Al Babas, where dreams of castle living were dashed by the reality of economics and a sprinkle of instability. Perhaps one day the castles will be completed, and the ghosts of unfinished dreams will finally get to live their happily ever after. But until then, all we can do is raise a toast to the dreamers and hope that their castles in the air find their way to solid ground.