Urban culture in Anatolian Seljuq Empire: Case of Erzurum

Turkish urban culture has shown up in Turkistan and Iranian region, which may be thought in modern Eastern Anatolian region, was influenced by Anatolian conquests and developed in a non-Islamic culture manner; and also was affected a lot by local customs and has acquired its new appearance. Erzurum is one of the most important Turkish settlements' that we can observe this newly emerging urban culture. At that period of time, Erzurum was an important city for the Byzantine Empire. Because of that, Byzantine Empire has continually enhanced Erzurum culturally, architecturally, politically and economically. The socio-cultural structure which created Erzurum urbanization effected urban architecture, urban planning, contribution of religious elements to urban life and the economic relations held in the city. Entry of the Turks to Anatolia, thus Erzurum's transformation to a Turkish city led to the alteration of the urban constructs. Erzurum's critical location in geography, caused Turks to gave great importance to the development of the city. If we examine the socio-cultural structure and the architecture of the cities which are founded in the Anatolian Seljuq Empire period, it can be said that the Turkish art has been taken form in the Anatolian region. Concerning the artifacts that are located in Erzurum; these were arisen after the Turks had brought the cultural heritage from Turkistan and blended this heritage with the Iranian civilisation partaken on the migratory routes and then combined these with the Anatolian civilisation. In addition to that Turkish culture, civilisation and architecture has reached to a unique position by courtesy of the learnings from various geographies; besides it has always been protecting its starting point, its Turkish identity. Keywords: Urban, Urban Culture, Anatolian Turkish State, Erzurum