Architectural development of the Small Menderes Basin in the Turkish period

The fertile river basins have played an important role in the historical development of Western Anatolia. With a length of 138 km, the Küçük Menderes River is known to be the longest river in Western Anatolia after the Büyük Menderes and Gediz rivers. The phenomenon of urbanization in the Küçük Menderes Basin dates back to the Hellenistic period; however, it is observed that Turkish dominance in the region has continued uninterrupted from the early 14th century to the present day. Especially during the process that began with the conquest of the region by the Aydınoğulları Beylik in 1306, Tire, Birgi, and Ayasuluk gained importance and became the main centers of the Aydınoğulları principality. The first architectural developments in the basin also started during this period. The region, which came under the definitive control of the Ottoman Empire after 1426, experienced a long-lasting dominance that coincided with urbanization, leading to the construction of many new architectural works. Among these, foundation works such as mosques, madrasas, tombs, fountains, inns, and baths have gained significance. Tire, Birgi, and later Ödemiş have stood out while maintaining their importance as Ottoman period settlements. In the context of our main topic, efforts have been made to introduce the architectural works of four districts: Bayındır, Beydağ, Kiraz, Seljuk, and Tire. However, due to the simplicity and plainness of Beydağ's district architecture, the architectural works have been excluded from consideration, focusing instead on the district's geographical, historical, and architectural fabric. Due to its status as an Ottoman period settlement, the construction of architectural works from the Turkish period in the Bayındır district began to be observed alongside this era. In the Kiraz district, there are architectural works from the Aydınoğlu and Late Ottoman periods. The architectural works found in the center and villages of Ödemiş belong to the late Ottoman period, while in the town of Birgi, there are architectural works from the Aydınoğlu period. The architectural works located in the Seljuk district reflect the stylistic characteristics of the Aydınoğlu period, while the mosques are primarily designed in the form of small prayer houses, being single-unit structures that are similar in terms of plan, materials, and technical features. The Tire district is adorned with works from both the Aydınoğlu and Ottoman periods. The architectural works from the Aydınoğlu and Ottoman periods examined in the thesis titled "Architectural Development in the Küçük Menderes Basin during the Turkish Period" have been evaluated within the context of 6 their histories, archival documents, plans, architecture, materials, and decoration programs. A total of 211 architectural works have been identified in the relevant area. However, 141 architectural works have been evaluated within the scope of the study, while 70 architectural works have been excluded from the scope. The absence of the works today due to serious damage and the loss of the stylistic character of the existing works as a result of unscientific interventions have made such a restriction necessary.