An assessment of the architectural features of the dervish lodge structures in Debre (Late 19th and early 20th century)

The study titled "An Assessment of the Architectural Features of the Dervish Lodge Structures in Debre (Late 19th and Early 20th Century)" aims to present a comparative review of the architectural features of the lodge structures built in Debre, Northern Macedonia alongside with the drawings found in the archive documents. The scope of the thesis involves the Debre dervish lodges' relationship with the capital (payitaht), their local architecture, artistic style, and their position within the Ottoman architecture. It can be observed that the studies on the Ottoman Architecture in the Balkan Peninsula rarely analyze Debre, especially in comparison with other Balkan cities. Ipso facto, in this thesis, exploration records have been reviewed, leading to certain commentaries regarding the architectural understanding of the period, and the construction processes have also been taken into account. Debre's location and topography have been investigated through the sources of the period in conjunction with Ottoman community's religious, lingual, and educational structures. While providing references to the drawings found in Ottoman archival documents depicting the architectural structures that belong to the religious orders, the architectural features of the lodge structures have been clarified, and the current status of these dervish lodges has been determined via the written sources of the said period, such as the exploration records and annuals (Salnâme) in the Turkish Presidency Ottoman Archives.