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CONSERVATION OF KONYA,
THE SELJUK CAPITAL / THE CONSERVATION PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS
Prof. Dr. in Restoration, Fac. Of Architecture and Engineering, Head of Dep. of Architecture, Abant Izzet Baysal
VII.1. KONYA IN
HISTORY
Konya, which is in the Central Anatolian
Region, is one of the greatest cities of Turkey as far as surface area is
concerned. It has been densely populated in every historical period since its
land is distributed into plateaus, plains and closed river systems and its soil
is fertile. It was an important center of trade, culture and politics all
through the First and Middle Ages at the intersection points of historical
trade routes that connect the Anatolian towns to each other, to Asia and to
Europe (Figure 1). It still keeps that importance today.
FIGURE 1. KONYA AT THE END OF 19TH CENTURY
Significant settlements have been
established in and around this City since prehistoric times. This part, which
also contains the ancient Lykaonia, has in it the oldest ancient-era
settlements of Anatolia. Many findings, witnesses to the prehistoric times,
have been unearthed in the Alaeddin Hill. The same Hill has been home to the
Frigians (Phrigians?) between the 8th-7th centuries BC.
Catalhoyuk, near the Cumra District, houses one of the richest veins of
findings of the history of civilization (800-5300 BC). Besides Catalhoyuk,
important Neolithical settlements are Erbaba (Beysehir), Suberde and Can Hasan.
Settlements were established at Can Hasan, Western Catalhoyuk, the Alaeddin
Hill, Sizma, Karahoyuk and other centers in the Calcolitichal and Bronze Ages.
Konya is one of those Anatolian
cities whose name has lasted since the ancient times. Its name of old, Ikonion,
is related to the work “Ikon”, which means “picture”, “holy picture”. The name
Ikonium was altered to Iconium in the early Roman period, then to Claudiconium
when the Emperor gave the town his own name in the period of Emperor Cladius
(41-54 AD). The town, which became a completely Roman town in the period of
Emperor Hadrianus (2nd century AD: 117-138), went by the name
“Colonia Selenie, Adrina Augusta Iconium. The name of the town, which is
mentioned as “Conium” or “Stancona” in Byzantian sources and “Conia, Cogne,
Cogna, Konich, Konia Tokonion” in other sources, appears as “Yconium” in
Crusader sources. The Arabians named the town as Kuniya. The name Konya, which
was used in the Seljuk (Selçuk) and Ottoman (Osmanlı) periods as well, has come
unaltered to our day.
After raids by Kimmerians,
Lydians and Persians, Konya was put under Roman rule in 133 BC. It is known
that Konya was included in the first great Anatolian Empire, the State of the
Hittites (1650-712 BC). The Konya Egerli and Karaman are among old Hittite
towns. The rock base-relief, which is one of the most descriptive properties of
Hittite art, is encountered in Egerli, Ivris, Beysehir-Eflatunpinar and
Fasillar. Following that, Konya entered the power of the Frigian state
(712-695) and the Lydians (680-546).
This is followed by the Persians
conquering all of Anatolia from one end to the other (546-334 BC). The town was
included in the Cappadoccia Kingdom between the dates 332-17 BC. Conquered by
the Romans in 17 BC, Konya became an important center in this period and the
Byzantian period. The Roman period displays the properties of the peace time in
such a town as Konya which is wide-spread on plains. The town was the scene for
several Emevi and Abbasi (Arabs) attacks
in the Eastern Rome/Byzantine period between the years 395-1076. After the
Malazgirt Battle, it was conquered by Suleyman Shah in the year 1076 and made
the Capital City of the Anatolian Selcuklu (Seljucks) State. The Alaeddin Hill
is an inner citadel in Konya, which attained its true character during the
Selcuklu period. This Selcuk Citadel has almost been left right in the middle
of the town during the Ottoman Empire Period.
VII.2. HISTORICAL
COMMERCIAL CENTER OF KONYA
The “Center of
Trade”, an indication of the economical structure, level of technology, and
the social and cultural life of a town,
is the most important part of the town. There is a deep-rooted tradition of trade organization and trade
structure in the Ottoman-Turkish towns. The traditional trade centers of
many of our towns today, like in Konya, are physical proofs of this tradition,
which have lived until this day. These
trade centers should be rearranged and old buildings should be given new areas
of application. The position of Konya, on the route that runs by mountains
going down all the way to the Mediterranean shores, lends itself readily to
urban settlement. Catalhoyuk, that is perhaps the first prehistoric Anatolian
settlement to display urban characteristic, is on the same route, very close to
Konya. The ancient route, which goes across Anatolia diagonally, had become
extremely significant when Bursa rose as an economical center in the Ottomans’
time.
FIGURE 2. KONYA HISTORICAL TRADE CENTER AT THE
BEGININNING
OF THE 20TH CENTURY (Aziziye Mosque)
This route set off from Bursa, passed
through Kutahya-Karahisar-Aksehir-Konya-Adana and reached Halep and Sam; it
therefore connected Konya simultaneously to the other Ottoman towns, most
significantly Istanbul. Kayseri, through which another trade route from Syrie
passed, was connected to Konya through Aksaray.
Another way the Ottomans reached
the Arabian countries was the Alanya-Antalya (Attalia) sea route. Heavy trade
material of Anatolia was brought to Antalya through land and were carried to
Alexandria and other regions from there through sea. And the control of that
Antalya route was in the hands of Karamans, in Konya.
The trade and social focal points
in Konya are the trader-crafter markets surrounding Mevlana Kulliyesi, Selimiye Mosque, Kapu
Mosque and Aziziye Mosque. The two basic elements of the Islamic town, the
mosque and the market, are observed to be the two elements controlling the
physical structure in Ottoman towns as well. However, Ottoman towns were
developed, unlike other Islamic towns, by creating imarets (Pious Foundations), which are collections of religions and social
buildings. Since imarets included
buildings for all services, including mosques, inns, baths and mealhouses
(aşevi), they tended to attract people around themselves.
The Konya settlement area was
within the walls surrounding the Alaeddin Hill in the Selcuk times. After the
town walls were repaired, a palace was erected on the northern slopes of the
hill and the Ulu Mosque (Alaeddin Mosque) in the middle part. According to the
building remains, it can be stated that the northern side of the hill was
reserved for Turks and the southern side, for the Christian people. The palace,
government buildings, schools, mosques, inns and baths were constructed in the
Turkish part. There was a wall separating the Turkish and Christian Districts.
The Town, which grew and
flourished rapidly, was surrounded by a broader wall by Alaeddin Keykubat
I. Charles Texier mentions that there
were 108 towers on these walls, one in every 30 meters; and there were bridges
on these walls where the gates were. There were 12 gates leading out of the
wall. Some of these gates had names like Aksaray, Atpazarı (Horse Market),
Debbaglar, Ertas, Fahirani, Halka Begus, Meydan (Square), Çeşme Kapısı
(Fountain Gate). The Town spilt out of these walls as well after the 16th
century and spread swiftly in four directions. The main spreads were to
Araplar and Sedirler in the northeast,
to Turbe in the east, to Uluirmak and Lalebahce in the south and to Havzan and
Meram in the west.
Information about the trade areas
and markets during the Selcuk period is limited. While the markets and bazaars
were around the Alaeddin Hill until the 13th century, they were
moved out of the outer walls after that date. The Buğday Pazarı (Wheat Market)
was in the north, the Kapan Pazarı (Trap Market) and Odun Pazarı (Wood Market)
were in the west, and the Bezezistan (Bedestan) was in the east. There also
were horse and sheep markets nearby the Aksaray Gate.
Some of the inns, whose patrons
were merchants, that are in the markets are Sekerciler, Pirincciler, Vezir
Ziyadettin, Bedrettin Yalman, Demre Hanim and Altin Apa. Today, only some shops
next to the Sahip Ata inn remain of the trade points.
The Konya traditional market; had
a unique and original structure in the Ottoman as well as the Selcuk Period.
Every trade branch operated in a street assigned to it. The center of the
market started from the Kanuni Bedesten and reached out to Atpazari in the
south.
The market was in its present
bounds in the 19th century. After the 1869 fire, a great portion was
renovated by the Governor Burdurlu Tevfik Pasa.
The traders and crafters that
remain to us from the old market are as follows: Mustaflar, Çarıkçılar (Shoemakers), Yorgancılar (Coverlet-Makers),
Marangozlar (Carpenters), Demirciler (Blacksmiths), Attarlar (Druggist),
Tuzcular, Kececiler, Jewelers and Dabbags
(Tanner).
None of the trade buildings that
were constructed in the Ottoman Period could reach to our day in its original
form. And the nine-domed covered bazaar “Konya Bedesteni”, dated 1538, was torn
down and the School of Industry (today, the building of Special Governorship)
was erected in its place. The traditional Konya Market was built in 1869 by the
Governor Tevfik Pasha, and the Wheat Market was build in 1901 by the Governor Ferit Pasha. Some of the
trade buildings, which are mentioned in historical sources but could not stand
to this day, were: the Kiremitli Inn built by Beyazit II., the Avlun Inn built
by Behram Aga, the Alaca Inn built by Mahmut Pasha, the Valide Inn built by
Kosem Valide Sultan, the Bezirganlar Inn built by Mustafa Pasa and the Aslan
Aga Inn built by the Kethuda Aslan Aga. The Mecidiye Inn, built in the 19th
century, is still in use today (Figure 3).
FIGURE 3. A CARAVAN INSIDE AN OLD HAN NEAR AZIZIYE MOSQUE
There are inns that bear the
properties of late period Ottoman architecture in the traditional town center
besides the Mecidiye Inn, such as the Nakipoglu Inn and Basarili Inn. Market
Places (Bazaars), which were important elements of the traditional pattern,
have been destroyed (like the Uzum Market (Grape Bazaar) and Agac Market (Wood
Bazaar)) (Figure 4). Whereas the shops that create the pattern in this part of
the town center had generally been one-or two-story, mixed roofed, with
balconies on the front facade, wooden and shuttered buildings in the beginning
of the 20th century, now they are completely disfigured by repairs,
added stories and new buildings. One of the best-preserved historical trade
patterns today is located in the part to the north of the Turbe Street.
FIGURE 4. WOOD BAZAAR (ODUNPAZARI) AT THE END OF THE 19TH
CENTURY
VII.3. KONYA TODAY, THE PROBLEMS OF
CONSERVATION AND SUGGESTIONS
The first urban Master and
Implementation Plan of Konya City, whose basemaps were prepared in the 1940s,
was made in the year 1944. In the Master and Implementation Plans, that were
obtained through the planning competition held by Iller Bankasi in 1964, it was
decided that the city be developed in the Konya-Ankara axis’ direction.
According to the 1990 census, the
city has a population of 513 344. Of that number, 188 244 lives in the Selcuk
District, 182 444 in Meram District and 142 678 in the Karatay District.
In the 1/25 000 scaled
Environment Arrangement Plan approved in the year 1983, the population for the
year 2005 is targeted to be 1.3 millions.
The Central Business Districts
(CBD) of Konya consists of the proximity of Aleaddin Hill, which is developing
to be as the administrative center of the city. The Turbe District, where the
historical town center is located, is a part that can be reached by the Outer
Citadel and the Aksaray Gate (Bab-i Aksaray) in the eastern part of the city.
There is a dense traffic artery between the Aleaddin Hill and the Mevlana
Kulliyesi. This artery, which was conceived to be a pedestrian-concentrated
promenade in the 1964 plan, has not yet been put into application.
The effects of the Konya Urban
Master Plan (Y. Tasci Plan) dated 1965 on the Historical Town Center are as
follows:
Konya is established on a historical core and is presently developing
in a radial and erratic manner depending on the commercial and social
equipment. The onset of highrise buildings on norrow streets in the town center
indicates the growing tendency for sunless, unhealthy places.
The town center is unable to serve surrounding settlements. As a
natural consequence of the human stream flowing in an east-west direction and
connecting the bus terminal and the traditional center, a new center is
planned to develop in time and a dense
building is foreseen around this center.
The Aleaddin Hill-Mevlana Kulliyesi axis is set aside for pedestrian
traffic and it is decided to form two collecting routes, one to the north and
one to the south, and a central ring.
This ring will provide easier access from the
neighborhood, which is developing all directions, to the traditional
centers (Figure 5).
FIGURE 5. GENERAL VIEW OF KONYA FROM ALAEDDIN HILLS (1940’S)
Developing the roads surrounding the Historical Town Center, a second
ring was formed around the center; thus, the region between the first and the
second rings is conceived as a part that is fitting to the theory of urban
development, and a transition-development area for the center.
The permission for 3, 4, sometimes
5-story buildings has, for a long time, prevented high-scale building demands
in this part, as compared to the higher-rant parts of the City. On the other
hand, since these parts are right next to the traditional trade center and
since a potential for tourism is
inherent there, the interest in the region has ever been alive. For the
existing main artery to be rearranged for mainly pedestrian traffic, the two
new Northern Arteries that were created connect the residential areas in the
eastern part of town to the historical trade center and to the new center in
Nalcaci, through the Turbe District (Figure 6).
FIGURE 6 : KAPU MOSQUE AND HISTORICAL TRADE CENTER (1996)
To the west of the Turbe District
is the historical trade center, and to the east, north and south is the Konya
traditional residential pattern. This area, which has been used for residential
purposes until recent years, is gradually being converted into a tourism trade,
daily trade, hosting and small production area since it is included within the
CBD boundaries; and with occasional stores and warehouses, is slowly being
ruined. The 1-2 storied old Konya houses, part of the traditional residential
pattern, are being pulled down and 4-6-storied buildings are being erected on
the same street, hence the density is blowing up to disproportionate amounts
and a building order that clashes with the old town pattern, that lacks services
and parking areas, is being established.
While the existing road pattern
in the traditional center is being preserved as it is (apart from some
opening-closing to traffic and some one-way designations), great damage has
been made to the historical sight of Konya by the increased number of allowed
stories.
The implementation plan that has
been in force in Konya until our day was neither prepared in a manner
thoughtful of the cultural valuables that have to be preserved as examples of
monumental and civilian architecture, nor was aimed to preservation.
Where registered buildings were
dense, either the road was widened or new roads were opened by pulling down
registered buildings. By wide-ranging operations in the traditional center,
big-scale buildings like the Mevlana Market, the Kadinlar Bazaar, The Şeyh
Kamil Merkez Market, the Rampalı Market, the Saray Market, or big-program
buildings that were erected by combining together all of a building plot or
even two plots together, were made, totally incompatible with the traditional
pattern in their mass, dimensions, or architecture.
The projects of some buildings
like the Ferah Market, Vakif Market-Business complex, and the Altin Market are
relatively fitting in their environment with their dimensions. Another project
that was prepared was or the renovation of the Old Wheat Market and converting
it to a great closed-roof-market complex. All of these applications disturb the
historical pattern of the traditional center, and the intensifying business
activities bring about transportation problems.
Konya, whose historical past is
extremely rich and whose accumulation of cultural and architectural material is
extensive, should be considered with all-encompassing approaches and its
cultural valuables and monumental structures should be preserved and developed
as parts of a whole.
Actually, according to the decision numbered 225 and made on 01.05.1995
by the Konya Council of Preservation of Cultural and Natural Assets, a “Konya Historical Town Center Conservation Plan”, that includes the
greater part of the traditional center has been prepared by considering the
traditional center as a whole. With this plan, the “Mevlana Kulliyesi Environmental Arrangement Project” formerly
prepared by the Ministry of Culture, the
“Mevlana Kulliyesi Location Preservation-Aimed Building Plan” that
considers the close neighborhood of the Kulliye, and the “Piri Mehmet Pasa Kulliyesi and Its Environment Conservation Plan”
prepared by the Karatay Municipality, transportation, land use, cultural assets
that have to be preserved and other similar factors were considered altogether
and it was attempted to create a
“Historical Town Center Project”.
All these new developments are positive,
although late. Nevertheless, the planning and application issues presented
below should be considered with priority.
The “Konya
Historical Town Center Conservation Plan” does not contain all of the
traditional pattern and center of Konya. Moreover, a complete and whole
inventory has to be made of the cultural valuables that could reach intact to
our day that have to be preserved. An inventory has been made of the traditional
central parts and new registrations have been made. However, the conservation
plans of parts that include the
traditional pattern in the south-west and north should be prepared urgently.
There are many studies about the
archaeology of the City of Konya. Still, these studies remain separate from
each other. It is important to create an “Archaeology
Master Plan” of the town about past, especially archaeological periods, by
preparing the restitution of the City. The traditional town center and the
traditional residential pattern are within the borders of the Meram
Municipality and Karatay Municipality. The Greater Municipality also has authority
over these two municipalities. For instance, the study on the
Preservation-Aimed Planning for the Surroundings of Piri Mehmed Pasa has been
made by Karatay Municipality, whereas the Historical Town Center
Preservation-Aimed Planning studies were made by the Greater Municipality. The
preservation plans around the Mevlana have, on the other hand, been prepared by
the Ministry of Culture. The Konya Province is directing the project and
application works around the Mevlana Kulliyesi and its close proximity. As can
be seen, the chaos of authority and many-headedness that can be observed in a
lot of other preservation areas is encountered in Konya as well.
It is probably the best if the
preservation and improvement-aimed planning studies the traditional pattern of Konya (the central
and residential pattern) are conducted by the Greater Municipality of Konya,
while some specific projects of application are applied by the Meram and
Karatay Municipalities.
Naturally, the central
administration’s (Governor, the Ministry of Culture, the Department of Pious
Foundations etc.) and local units (The Preservation Council, the Province
Culture Department, the Regional Department of Pious Foundations etc.) should
be directing, controlling and financially and technically aiding the local
administrations.
In the long run, it is vital that
the local administrations (municipalities) should form units within their
structure that contain personnel experienced in urban planning, restoration,
preservation, rehabilitation, development, and renovation to fit the historical
environment; and in the short run, that they should work in cooperation with
people, establishments and organisations experienced in these matters.
By considering “Special Project Areas” that are to be
determined in the course of the work on Preservation Planning, urban design,
landscape and urban furniture projects, relevation and restoration projects
should be prepared in greater scales (1/500, 1/200 and the like), and
applications should commence without any further delay. The important point,
beyond the preparations of these plans and projects, is passing on the
valuables to be preserved to the future generations by prompt application of
these.
SOURCES
·
TUNÇER,
M., “Conservation Project of Konya Historical Trade Area, Research Report”,
Oct. 1996, (Unpublished) UTTA Planning and Consulting Co.
·
TUNÇER, M., “Preserving KONYA, The Seljuk Capital”,
ADA Kentliyim Review, May-June 1998, Number 14, Ankara, pp.72-75.
·
ALKAN,
A., “Planning Problems of Konya The Historic Town”, 1994, Konya.
·
ERGENÇ,
Ö., “Ankara and Konya In Years Between 1580-1596”, Ph.D. Thesis, University of
Ankara, 1973.
·
KARPUZ,
H., “Historical and Physical Development of Konya Historical Trade Center”,
Unpublished Research, 1996, Konya.
·
ÖNDER,
M., “Mevlana’s City Konya”, 1976, Ankara.
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