Protection and usage conditions of the Armenian Churches located in the Southeastern Anatolia region of Turkey

The Southeastern Anatolia of Turkey is home to important centers belonging to Christianity. Some traditional features of early Christianity is sustained just because the region is where the Christianity was born and expanded and the specific type of construction set up was built in. The main factor is to select Armenian Churches as a thesis subject is that it doesnt exist any extensive research about the churches which are located in city centers of Diyarbakır, Mardin, Şanlıurfa and Gaziantep in where the Armenian who are the first community chose Christianity lived in the Ottoman era. According to Islamic Law, Armenians, who were called "Zimmi" as well, was recognized as a community which took a part in state organization in the Ottoman era. It is named as "Nations System" that the politics is ruled by Ottomans who classified people according to their ethnic and religious orijin. This system thrusted itself forward in the progress of urban fabric and took a big role as well in the formation of the architectural characteristic. Muslim and Non-Muslim communities lived seperate each other in the neighborhoods of Ottoman Cities. Alongside of some social and religious restrictions, it was forbidden to build any new church or temple despite the existing of built in the past so that the communities commit worship. Even though it was forbidden to build new churches, the restoration of old churches had been depended on the govarnate. It was pointed to consider not to permit any attachments or changes. By virtue of the progresses occured in the second half of 19. century and the agreements signed with Russia, conveniences were given to the Christians in the country to build new churches and to restore old ones. Together with Tanzimat ve Islahat Fermanları (Reorganization and Reform Edicts), all difficulties in construction and restoration were removed and the amount and size of religious buildings have increased. As a result of starting of missionary activities which began in 16. Century and increased 19. century, the Secterian Integrity of Armenian has been broken and the new plan type Gregorian Churches has been built alongwith Protestan and Catholic Churches on the demand of new sects. However, it started to destruction process of the churches as the Armenian left the regions where they live because of the deportation, forced immigration and wars. Disused churches were almost extincted and those what given the different functions also became distant its identity. Alongside this sad situation, looting events happened and not only treassure hunters but anyone who needs to obtain construction materials consider the churches as a storage of materials. Therefore the churches started to be extincted. The destructions on the churches which remained have increased day by day because of disrepair, air poluution, zoning politics, natural and atmospheric effects. It is a cultural responsibility to protect and carry the churches to the future safely.. The aim of this thesis is to determine the spread of the Armenian Churches in the region as a whole and to present the current situation of them. In addition, it has been tried to determine the importance of churches religously and culturally and to introduce the architectural fiction and reflections over the places which were caused by the rituals. In the Southeastern Anatolia Region, there are four churches in Diyarbakır, three in Gaziantep, two in Şanlıurfa and Mardin; totally 11 churches, which were dating between 5. and 19. century is formed the scope of this study. The churches which were destroyed in the historical process take a part in this text in the light of the informations which were reached in sources and researches on the ground. Building's development process region by region and plan typology has been discussed in detail. It has been tried to introduce the history, plan type, adornment, using materials and technic of all the churches. Analyzing current situation of churches, the damages and protection problems have been investigated together with their causes. Each of church is evaluated one by one with their structural problems. It is emphasised that it is necessary to be prepared the detailed projects which consisting of restoration and re-functionalize pertain to the building and it is tried to create ideas on the legal and organizational scale.