The place of the old tekel factory in Diyarbakir's industrial heritage and restoration proposal

Diyarbakır is a city with fertile lands located on the northern borders of the Mesopotamia Region. Throughout history, the city, which has been home to numerous civilizations, has reflected the advantages of its geographical location and fertile lands in its production and economic activities across all historical periods. The city, which has a significant share in production thanks to its fertile lands, maintained its production standard during the Ottoman Empire. The city's inability to adapt to the evolving production systems that emerged with the Industrial Revolution led to a decline in its share of production. The profound transformations in production systems brought about by the Industrial Revolution, which emerged in 18th-century England, are regarded as a turning point that altered not only the economies of societies but also their cultural and social characteristics. In the face of European states that achieved development through industrialization, the economic, political, and social events experienced during the final period of the Empire accelerated the decline of the Ottoman Empire. The new republic established after the fall of the Ottoman Empire prioritized industrialization efforts to transform and develop the system it inherited. As part of industrialization efforts, industrial plants were established in cities through private enterprise or state intervention, and incentives for industry and production were increased. In this context, the Old Tekel Factory, built in Diyarbakır during the Early Republican Period, is an important structure that should be considered within the industrial heritage, as it holds the distinction of being the city's first modern production facility established by the state. In this study, the production activities of the city from the past to the present and the production areas that enabled these activities have been primarily examined. Research has been conducted on how the developments during the Early Republican period reflected on the city's social, political, and cultural structure, as well as its urban development activities. As part of the documentation and assessment of the current condition of the Old Tobacco Factory, which holds an important place in the city's industrial heritage, measured drawings have been created. The damages to the structure and the incorrect interventions made to the building have been identified. A periodical analysis of the structure has been conducted, and a restitution study has been prepared. Based on the evaluations of the studies, appropriate conservation interventions have been developed for the structure and reflected in the restoration project. The aim of this thesis is to preserve the structure, which reflects the architectural language of a historical process within the city, in the urban memory, allowing it to continue its function while maintaining its original fabric, and transmitting it to future generations.