Historical Peninsula Of Istanbul Research Articles

Unsustainable Tourism Approaches in Touristic Destinations: A Case Study in Turkey

Large investments made because of high tourism revenues in touristic destinations can threaten balanced growth, ecological sensitivity and sustainable tourism principles. To raise awareness of this situation and draw attention to unsustainable tourism approaches, this study is presented with the situation approach method. The main purpose of this research is to determine the negative effects of unsustainable tourism approaches in tourist destinations. In this context, case studies are frequently used and are the preferred qualitative research method. The Historical Peninsula of Istanbul, Bodrum, Uzungöl and Hasankeyf, which will be examined in line with the principles of sustainable tourism, are understood to be damaged in four basic categories: unplanned construction, sound pollution, exposure to environmental destruction and overtourism pressure. The results of unsustainable tourism approaches are seen in these regions, which are more and more negatively affected by the increasing number of tourists and unconscious tourism policies. Contrary to scientific studies that generally focus on sustainable tourism policies, this study reveals the mistakes made with case approach evidence and develops some ideas for the solution to the problem. It also has remarkable results in terms of showing the obstacles in front of sustainability.

Seismic performance assessment of a historical masonry-infilled RC building located in the historical peninsula of Istanbul (1940s)

The current paper presents a seismic performance evaluation methodology for masonry-infilled RC buildings based on nonlinear analyses. The entire process is illustrated using a case study of a university building constructed in the 1940s. Firstly, a finite element model of the building representing its existing state was prepared based on the current seismic codes. In the second stage, the seismic performance of the building was determined by pushover analysis. Since the seismic performance of the current building was found to be inadequate, a retrofitting proposal was prepared. The model of the retrofitted building was then examined to determine the effectiveness of the proposed retrofitting techniques. The methodology presented in the study is important in seismic analysis of RC + masonry dual system buildings before and after the retrofitting practice.

A Lost Ottoman Square in a Lost Harbour of Istanbul: Kontaskalion / Kadirga Harbour / Kadirga Square

Squares, which are one of the architectural features of cities, have an important place in the field of history of architecture. In the literature, starting from the first ages especially, the notion of square is reached through architectural factors like agora, forum, piazza and etc. and regional and periodic typologies were tried to be produced. However, these studies are limited to general studies, such as Ancient Greek squares, Ancient Roman squares, Medieval squares, Renaissance squares, etc. and the large urban squares known around the world. Neighbourhood squares have been ignored. In addition, because the concept of the square in the Ottoman period was tried to be evaluated through the concept of the square in European countries in the sources, the Ottoman’s unique understanding of the square have been overlooked. In this study, Kadirga Square, located in the historical peninsula of Istanbul, has been chosen among the Ottoman squares. Kadirga Square, its functions and its historical process have been examined by taking the notion of square into the centre. The function and effect of Kadirga Harbour, the formation process of Kadirga Square, the elements forming the square and its intended uses, the transformation process into a park and the process of the disappearance of the square’s functions have been evaluated in terms of the history of architecture. Through Kadirga Square in the Ottoman period, it was aimed to contribute to the field of history of architecture by making an evaluation of a neighbourhood square that was not designed.

An approach for the reconstruction of a traditional masonry-wooden building located in an archeological area. Part II: Building reconstruction

ABSTRACT The study, which consists of a pair of articles, covers the reconstruction process of a traditional masonry-wooden mansion structure, which was built based on the Turkish house typology on the historical peninsula of Istanbul in the 1880s, and was then intentionally demolished in 1948. The paper, which constitutes the second part of the study, presents reconstruction operation in the location of the demolished building. In this context, the construction is carried out with a new approach in which the building load was transferred to the retaining system in order to protect the cultural layer in the construction area. In the reconstruction, steel frame system is preferred instead of the original wooden construction system and material. In contrast, the construction gauge and plan scheme of the original building was taken as a basis in reconstruction. It is concluded that the presented approach is suitable as a new construction technique considering the parameters such as seismic effect, archeological ruins, building–environment relationships and needs analysis in reconstruction of the demolished historical buildings.

HISTORICAL CITY EVALUATION IN THE CONTEXT OF MORPHOLOGICAL THEORIES (ISTANBUL, LAST OTTOMAN PERIOD)

Introduction: The historical city core of Istanbul developed under the influence of the religions and cultures that were brought in during the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman periods. This study investigates the effect that the 19th-century modernization, urban arrangements, road system changes, and sociocultural textures had on urban morphology on the Historical Peninsula of Istanbul, which had symbolic value. We review the morphology of Istanbul during the 19th century, a historical period when the city was undergoing new development and restructurization. We also develop an analysis methodology in order to examine this process in more detail, by following the methods of the researchers who carried out morphological studies. Purpose of the study and methods: In our research, we apply three different urban morphology methods, examining the development of the city, its effects on the urban tissue, and the newly developed and demolished areas. Firstly, we investigate historical plans in line with the Conzenian method and discover the urban tissue typologies of the historical city by using the Caniggia approach. Furthermore, we use the space syntax method developed by Bill Hillier in order to interpret the changes, differences, and similarities in the urban form, and draw axial lines to illustrate the integration of settlements and street systems shaped in the context of the relationship between people and space. Results: We discover the effects of development practices on the morphological structure of spaces and show how urban forms and cultures intertwine over time.

Structural rehabilitation of a middle byzantine ruin and the masonry building constructed above the ruin. Part II: The building

The objective of this study, which consists of a pair of articles, is the structural rehabilitation of a vaulted ruin located on the historical peninsula of Istanbul, dated to the Middle Byzantine period, and a masonry building constructed at a later date on top of the structure. The first article, which constitutes the first part of the study, examined the seismic performances of the historical ruin considering the states; (i) before the construction of the masonry building, (ii) after the construction of the masonry building and (iii) after the strengthening of the masonry building. The present article, which constitutes the second part of the study, presents the seismic assessment of the masonry building's current state located on the historical ruin and a strengthening method proposed for the building in order to achieve its target seismic performance level. Fieldwork and numerical analyses were conducted to this end. The effectiveness of the proposed method is revealed by modal analysis, pushover analysis and kinematic limit analysis in order to determine the global & local failure mechanisms and the seismic performance levels of the current and strengthened states of the masonry building. The findings of the study are significant in terms demonstrating the interaction between historical ruins and buildings constructed above them, and in defining the necessary strengthening applications required to achieve seismic safety in such structures. In addition, by adopting a holistic approach to the structural analysis and strengthening proposal, it is expected to serve as an important tool for the preservation of ruins dated to the Middle Byzantine period.

Structural rehabilitation of a Middle Byzantine ruin and the masonry building constructed above the ruin. Part I: The ruin

The objective of this study, which consists of a pair of articles, is the structural rehabilitation of a vaulted ruin located on the historical peninsula of Istanbul, dated to the Middle Byzantine period, and a masonry building constructed at a later date on top of the structure. The present article, which constitutes the first part of the study, examined the seismic performances of the historical ruin structure considering the states; (i) before the construction of the masonry building, (ii) after the construction of the masonry building and (iii) after the strengthening of the masonry building. Fieldwork and numerical analyses were conducted to this end. In this study, initially, the situations where the masonry building is present or not were compared, and the effects of the construction of masonry building on the seismic performance of the historical ruin structure are investigated. Then, the effect of the strengthening application on the masonry building to the historical ruin structure is revealed. For all of the three cases, the seismic strength of the historical ruin structure is found to be insufficient. The masonry building, which was built on the ruin in a later period caused a significant increase in the stresses and their distribution. A strengthening methodology to be applied to the historical ruin structure before the strengthening of the masonry building is proposed for the historical ruin structure to achieve its sufficient seismic strength. The findings of the study are significant in terms demonstrating the interaction between historical ruins and buildings constructed above them, and in defining the necessary strengthening applications required to achieve seismic safety in such structures. In addition, the primary motivation of the study is to present the necessary structural precautions needed for the preservation of ruins dated to the Middle Byzantine period through the structural analysis.

Saving old cities: land use regression model for traffic emissions in the Historical Peninsula of Istanbul

This study aims to develop a pollution distribution model for estimating traffic related intra-urban concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels. Weekly concentrations of NO2 were measured at 45 different locations in the Historical Peninsula of Istanbul during spring, summer and winter seasons in 2010. The range of NO2 was 14.2-155 µg/m3. A land use regressing (LUR) model was developed to explore the impact of independent variables on the measured levels. Independent model variables were selected based on land use characteristics, traffic and road network information, and meteorological data. Results suggest that 150 metre range is the most effective buffer zone for NO2 distribution characteristics in the study area. Average wind speed and temperature data have significant influences (up to 25%) on the prediction performances. Better estimations were produced for spring and winter seasons, particularly for in land stations compared with costal ones. As a result, the overall prediction performance of the constructed model is satisfactory (R2 = 0.64).

Saving old cities: land use regression model for traffic emissions in the Historical Peninsula of Istanbul

Saving old cities: land use regression model for traffic emissions in the Historical Peninsula of Istanbul

“Western” Influence on Some Palace Gardens in Historical Peninsula of Istanbul

From past to present, Istanbul has witnessed many empires and historical events. This accumulation has made Istanbul one of the most important cities in Turkey. The architecture and historic potential of the city dates back to centuries ago. Palace architecture is the most important cultural inventories of the city. Over time, technological developments and the industrial revolution brought the “western influence” to Turkey. This effect is observed on planning character and on the planting design. The main material of the work is Topkapı Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace and Dolmabahçe Palace. In this context, this paper consist of three stages. Literature studies have been carried out in the first stage. “Western effect” on the palaces has been investigated after the second step consisting of the field study and mapping. As result of the examinations, western influence was studied in three stages as general planning character, structural material and plant material. As a result of the study, results were obtained for each title. Suggestions were made for rehabilitation and palace gardens planning.

Failures of the Listed Wooden Buildings in Istanbul

Istanbul, which has been the capital city of different empires throughout history, houses numerous listed architectural and cultural historical buildings. There are diverse applications of timber structures all through Anatolia. As capital city of Ottoman period, construction of timber had high and low periods in Istanbul. As masonry houses have suffered numerous intense and destructive earthquakes, wooden buildings gained importance to be safe especially among rich people. As several fires wiped out thousands of houses and the districts, masonry buildings were made obligatory by law in the form of building regulations. Later however, due to many damages caused by repeated earthquakes, construction of timber buildings was once again allowed under the law. Between the 15th and the 18th centuries, the Turkish dwellings of timber framed construction with brick filling were developed. After the 18th century, the quality of work was decreased; the wall frames constructed without any filling sheathed with timber planks or lathed plaster became popular. Today, although these timber dwellings are listed, they are in very poor condition due to lack of maintenance and wrong interventions. In order to make risk assessment of these structures, more than 20 houses were inspected in Historical Peninsula of Istanbul. This paper will discuss risks sources, assessment of damage level and evaluation of the present condition of these buildings.

Breaking the duality: The Historical Peninsula of Istanbul as an open-air museum

The Historical Peninsula, the oldest settlement area of Istanbul, includes diverse historical, architectural, cultural and social assets and has a large potential of national and international visitors as a historical and touristic area. The peninsula has two decomposed districts, which have different urban characteristics. The small district around the Sultanahmet Square is a matter of common knowledge including lots of historical buildings, most of which are given new functions as museums and surrounded by boutique hotels, restaurants, cafes, souvenir shops. It is mostly like an artificial urban space, which is arranged only for visitors. It has caused the area to be a touristic space and have a limited activity. However, the rest of the peninsula is most likely to be dedicated to the urban daily life. The tangible potential of the district such as bazaars, inns, street fountains, mosques, houses etc. and the intangible such as traditional life, trade customs, arts and crafts etc. are not taken into consideration, and it is mostly left to citizens. It has caused the area to sustain its organic character and to be alive in the urban space. The whole Historical Peninsula can be considered as an open-air museum because this part of Istanbul has a great potential of having experience, production or creation. Including architectural and historical heritages, it is a dialogue space and an interaction area between the visitors, public and city. Recently, the administrative system of the peninsula is re-organized. Although new development plans are constituted to increase the potential and sustainability, nevertheless the main point of the plan, which is only focused on the touristic district, is to make the district a pedestrian zone, which will make it more artificial and limited. So, this paper mainly discusses a comprehensive plan, which is focused on the public participation and public life. It means that sustaining the museum function in the urban space for the purpose of education, communication, archiving and displaying. It is mainly based on creating various dynamics, discussion arenas, the public awareness and experiencing on its own space. The plan should support the contribution of locals as well as tourists. It will also include cultural and social activities for different types of groups. Consequently, interventions at the urban space should be planned at first in order to increase the number and variety of activities in the area which is considered as an open-air museum.

Probabilistic seismic hazard assessment of the historical peninsula of Istanbul

Abstract. In order to design buildings that are resistant to earthquakes, first it is necessary to determine the parameters of ground motion. In this study, the earthquake seismic hazard analysis of the Old City Districts of Istanbul (Fatih and Eminonu) was probabilistically defined. For the analysis, the study zone was divided into 307 cells of 250 × 250 m using geographical information systems, and these cells were used in the mapping of all the data obtained. Then, for a building lifetime of 50 yr, the acceleration parameters of earthquake ground motions, peak ground acceleration, peak ground velocity, and spectral acceleration values of 0.2 s and 1 s were obtained at the bedrock level according to 10% and 40% exceedances. Additionally, in order to produce the artificial acceleration-time records of the ground movement in accordance with the NEHRP acceleration spectrum, the TARSCHTS computer simulation program was utilized. The results of the analysis showed that for the 10% probability of exceedance, the peak bedrock acceleration values ranged from 0.30 g to 0.40 g, and for the 40% exceedance probability the acceleration values ranged from 0.22 g to 0.17 g. The Ss 10% exceedance probability, calculated according to the spectral acceleration parameter, ranged from 0.67 g to 0.85 g and the spectral acceleration parameter S1 varied between 0.22 g–0.28 g. The Ss 40% exceedance probability, calculated according to the spectral acceleration parameter, ranged from 0.46 g to 0.38 g and the spectral acceleration parameter S1 varied from 0.12 g to 0.14 g.

Mapping the corrosion impact of air pollution on the historical peninsula of Istanbul

Abstract This paper presents the most comprehensive study conducted so far for evaluating the corrosion levels related to air quality and the seasonal pollutant (NO 2 , SO 2 , and O 3 ) exposure levels over 50 monitoring stations distributed on the historical peninsula of Istanbul. Istanbul has been one of the most important as well as most populated major cities in the world during all the ages. Today, owing to its historical and cultural structures, the historical peninsula of Istanbul has become an attraction point of tourism and is one of the most unique and ancient urban settlement areas in the world. However, the cultural heritage stocks in the peninsula are under the risk of corrosion and critical air pollution level exposure caused by chemical reactions under the multi-pollutant situation of the air pollutants, principally SO 2 , NO 2 , and O 3 , as well as meteorological factors, e.g. humidity and temperature. In the present study, seasonal exposure of NO 2 , SO 2 , and O 3 pollutants were monitored using passive samplers, and corrosion attack values were calculated using dose-response functions. The geostatistical analyst tool of ArcGIS ® 9.1 was then used for generating GIS-based surface pollution and corrosion distribution maps. Subsequently, two hotspots were clearly identified, the tip of the peninsula and the area around the Ataturk Bridge, which fall under serious corrosion risks for copper, cast bronze, and carbon steel materials. However, no significant risk was identified for cultural heritage materials made of limestone in the peninsula.

Ground level ozone exposure and distribution over the historical Peninsula of Istanbul

Abstract In this study, passive samplers were used to measure ozone exposure distribution maps over the historical peninsula of Istanbul, Turkey. The study area is partially important due to the presence of cultural and historical buildings and structures distributed all over the peninsula. Unesco's World Heritage list covers four zones located in this historical peninsula in Istanbul. It is necessary to evaluate the pollution distribution in high resolution to construct effective risk management strategies. For this purpose, 50 sampling stations were installed within the study area. Three sampling campaigns within different seasons (summer, winter and fall) showing different ozone distribution characteristics were carried out. Seasonal measurements of ozone exposure values were used to obtain a yearly exposure level, which is an important part of risk characterization. Seasonal ozone exposure maps over the historical peninsula were obtained using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) based interpolation models with high resolution. Risk maps including five regions, based on ozone exposure levels were created. Structures and historical regions located within these risk zones were identified. Based on the defined exposure regions, we found that the Archaeological Park, one of the items on UNESCO's list, is located within the most risky region.

An urban social movement challenging urban regeneration: The case of Sulukule, Istanbul

Urban regeneration projects have become a focus of attention in Istanbul due to tourism promotion, particularly great expectations from the European Capital of Culture 2010 Event. Sulukule, a Romani neighborhood on the historical peninsula of Istanbul, was designated as an urban redevelopment zone. The Sulukule Urban Regeneration Project is one of the recent efforts to present “a better urban environment” to foreign visitors and investors. The project has accelerated the struggle for land, causing dispossessions, evictions and demolitions. Locals’ needs and rights are denied. Consequently, the citizens in Sulukule started to oppose regeneration and formed an urban social movement. This paper attempts to analyze the urban social movement in Sulukule, the Sulukule Platform, which emerged as an urban coalition challenging tourism-led regeneration.

Istanbul Grand Bazaar Evacuation System Vulnerability Assessment

The Grand Bazaar is a historical trade centre more than 500 years in the historical peninsula of Istanbul, Turkey. It consists of almost 3,600 small shops from different sectors (such as jewellery, carpet, leather, souvenir, finance, restaurant, café, confection etc.), two Bedesten, 64 street and 16 Han (inn) buildings. The Bazaar has 21 main gates that open to different streets and have different relation with outside. More than 25000 staff work in the shops and 300-500 thousand users come to Bazaar daily depending on the season and day. The pedestrian density is changeable, depending on the place of the inner street and the type of the sector. The historical disaster records (earthquake, dated 1766 and 1894, the grand bazaar fire, dated 1954) show that there was evacuation vulnerability. The main gates (exit doors) and exit route need some rehabilitation for safety evacuation during any disaster. The aim of this study is to evaluate the Grand Bazaar’s emergency evacuation vulnerability. The evacuation vulnerability factors question the width, length and natural illumination of the evacuation route, maintenance of the roof, presence of hazardous materials, door specifications as size, material, opening direction, maintenance and difference in elevation on the route and exit area such as staircase and thresholds.

EMİNÖNÜ İÇİN BİR TRAFİK TIKANIKLIK FİYATLANDIRMASI MODELİ

A Traffic Congestion Pricing Model for Eminonu District An investigation on applicability of a congestion pricing scheme to the Eminonu District, which is subject to heavy traffic problems in the Historical Peninsula of Istanbul, has been conducted. The area borders are set; field studies are performed to determine speed-flow characteristics of the roads and the demand function for automobile users. Akcelik and MTC speed-flow models are found suitable to represent the area’s traffic. A computer program is developed to assess the optimum toll under many different conditions with higher sensitivity. As a result, optimum congestion toll rates for different scenarios are calculated and it is concluded that the congestion pricing application would have a

TARİHİ KENT MERKEZLERİNİN KORUNMASINDA BİR İŞLEVSİZLİK ÖRNEĞİ: 1990 İSTANBUL İMAR PLANI

The Historical Peninsula of Istanbul, which has thousands of years of cultural heritage, faces the danger of adding a new one to various destructions it was exposed to with the increase of its population throughout its history. A reconstruction project was prepared in 1990 to preserve the city, which has a rich cultural heritage in terms of historic fabric and works of archaeology. In this study, the new status of the ruins in the historical peninsula and the Protection Plan which was changed in 1990 were discussed including the negative aspects of this plan.