Evaluation of Bursa city Hamitler cemetery in terms of landscape planning and design principles

Cemeteries; religion, history, social, economic, traditions, such as craft cultural identity information and structures that bring to the present day. Cemeteries are the oldest structures and important records of human history. As a basic function, cemeteries are the storage areas that allow corpses to enter the soil without risking public health. Cemeteries are also areas for people to remember, visit and symbolically meaning. However, while cemeteries have a spiritual meaning for professional disciplines such as anthropology, art history and theology, they are of interest as open green space and ecological reserve areas, an important potential for professional disciplines such as ecology and urban planning. Cemeteries appear as recreational, visual, ecological, cultural and religious areas in some foreign cultures. In earlier times, the cemeteries which were far away from the city, remained in the settlements over time and formed a whole with living spaces. In spite of the decreasing open green areas in the cities, the cemeteries which are protected by a special protection law and which cannot be used for any other purpose even if the zoning plan is changed. Cemeteries are able to maintain continuity with certainty in all urban open green space systems. Recreational, ecological and visual functions of cemeteries to be sustainable, landscape planning and design practices should be done within the principles. Although various studies have been carried out in the cemeteries on architecture, archeology and history, studies covering landscape planning and design have been insufficient. This issue is among the newly discussed issues in our country. The aim of this study; to determine the cemetery areas which are an important element of urban open green space system and physical planning subject, in the case of 'Bursa City Hamitler Cemetery' within the scope of landscape planning and design principles, their deficiencies, the problems arising from the applications and the dissatisfaction of the visitors with the concrete data and developing solutions. Within the scope of the study, the location of the cemetery in the city, the road connection of the cemetery, the transportation network within the cemetery, the topography, the locations of the structure, the condition of the urban furniture, the condition of the plant materials and the newly opened cemetery parcels were evaluated. The results are aimed to provide a source for the new cemetery areas.