Geological investigation of historical structures in Bitlis region

It is well-known that Bitlis region has hosted many civilizations from the past to the present because it is located in the Van Lake basin, is rich in natural resources and has an important corridor mission connecting the east and west as a geopolitical location. The diversity of historical buildings that have emerged together and managed to stand for centuries reflects that the Bitlis region is truly a living museum. In this thesis, 6 (six) different locations (Bitlis Castle, Şerefiye Mosque, İhsaniye Madrasa, Han Bath, El-Aman Inn, Ahlat Seljuk Cemetery) were determined from the important historical structures that have become the symbols of the Bitlis region, and rock samples were taken from these locations. The mineralogy and petrography of the samples were examined by using thin sections and the type of rocks were determined. At the same time, by associating the examples of historical artifacts with the geology of the Bitlis region, it was determined which type of rocks were built from which local rock units in the construction of these historical artifacts.