Ottoman period water structures and water-related architecture: examples in Safranbolu, Turkey

Abstract

Safranbolu is known for the abundance of its water resources. The city is a unique and historic settlement that hosts very beautiful examples of traditional Turkish architecture. The city attracts both national and international tourists. In this paper, firstly the Ottoman period water supply structures of Safranbolu are described. Incekaya Aqueduct and water transmission system, also known as the Pasha Water Supply System or Spring System are discussed. The Incekaya Aqueduct delivers drinking water from the spring at Danaköy Village to Safranbolu enabling the transfer over the Tokatlı Canyon via gravity. This aqueduct, a very historic and aesthetically pleasing water structure, was commissioned as a city asset by Ottoman Grand Vizier Izzet Mehmet Pasha in the period of 1794–98. The paper secondly discusses the pool rooms that serve as an example of the spatial usage of water features in traditional residential architecture of the Ottoman period in Safranbolu. The pool rooms were constructed either within or separate from the traditional Safranbolu mansions. Asmazlar Mansion in Safranbolu and Deligözler House in the Bağlar District have been evaluated as examples of pool rooms within the house, and two garden pools in the Bağlar and central districts are assessed as examples of outside pools, known as pavilion mansions with a garden pool.