Archaeological site welcome center formation principles: welcoming center design proposal based on the Çobankale excavation site example

Societies have always been curious about the traces left by their ancestors who lived in the past and nature and their ways of living. These traces are cultural heritage for societies. For this reason, apart from restoration and conservation measures, museums, visitor and welcome centers are needed to protect, promote, exhibit, transfer to future generations, and preserve the finds unearthed in archaeological excavations. Within the scope of the thesis, in order to understand the protection in archaeological areas, these areas have been examined comprehensively by mentioning the conceptual meaning of protection, its place in history, protection regulations, conventions and statutes, archaeological excavations. In our country and in the world, 11 examples of exhibition spaces that have the characteristics of a welcome center shaped around or on the archaeological site have been evaluated and the examined structures have been examined based on the parameters determined. Within the framework of the findings obtained as a result of the examinations, Yalova-Çobankale archaeological excavation area was examined and a welcome center design proposal was presented, which should be made and planned in accordance with the area, which provides the promotion, protection, exhibition and active use of the area. Keywords: Archaeological excavation site, Conservation regulations and legislation, New building criteria around the excavation site, Yalova - Çobankale excavation site