Urban Public Streets in the Collective Memory: A Case Study of Uray Street in Mersin

Abstract

Streets are public spaces that serve as a vital component of a city’s transportation network, not only for transportation purposes but also for the spaces they provide that hold significant value in the daily lives of individuals. These spaces are subject to social, societal, and economic transformations and changes, which can ultimately weaken or even cause the disappearance of urban memory over time. The collective memory of a city, which is closely linked to its physical structure and identity formation, entails the interpretation of physical environment signs and symbolic meanings within the social, historical, and psychological components of society. This study aims to investigate the shifting and transforming role of Uray Street, a significant street that has been part of Mersin’s memory since its inception, as a port city located in the southern region of Turkey. To this end, oral history interviews were conducted with individuals from different age groups who have utilized Uray Street. Through these interviews, the changes and transformations that have taken place on Uray Street were obtained from the narrations, memories, and recollections of the interviewees within the context of their own life stories as urban dwellers with long-term connections to the area.