Alevi-Bektaşi Kültüründe Kırsal Dini Mimarinin Mekânsal Özellikleri: Seyitgazi Örneği

Abstract

This article examines “the three great tekkes (dervish logde)” of Seyitgazi as cases of rare monumental rural building complexes of the Ottoman architecture. These religious monumental structures, commenced to be established around the “Veli”, “Alp-eren”, “Gazi” identities in the 13th century within the Seljuk boundaries have been used as religious centers affiliated to Alevi and Bektashi belief since the classical Ottoman period. Within the context of this study, functional requirements, design features and symbolic meanings, emanating from social and architectural interactions and spatial developments of the structures through some annexations and repairs in their long past, were examined comparatively. The focal point of this research is to reveal spatial organisation of the structure mass and symbolic context of the religious architecture. For this purpose, primarily, physical formations within religious rituels and structures as well as annexes and modifications made over them starting from 13th century up to the end of 19th century were studied and, through the comparison with leading examples founded in Anatolia, common architectural features were determined. In order to locate the structures historical maps and drawings were utilized as primary data sources. Architectural analysis of identified structures constituted the second stage of the research. Records found at the Ottoman archive of Turkish Presidency, researches of European scientists and explorers regarding spatial foundation and socio-economic life and observations at locations enabled identification of modified features over the course of centuries.Overall assessment of the study reached architectural definitions of the religious structures built in Seyitgazi while at the same time revealed specific common spatial features. Keywords: Alevi and Bektashi, Seyitgazi, Religious Architecture, Cultural Heritage, Rural Architecture.