Examination of Late Ottoman and Early Republic Period public buildings: The case of Malatya

Malatya has been the crossroads of Anatolia and Middle East since the oldest ages. The oldest means of transportation in the east; Malatya-Sivas in connected to the Caucasus via the Erzurum and then the road. Located on the oldest roads in terms of location, the pre-history of Malatya dates back to the Paleotic Age, it is understood that it dates back to 7000s. Malatya, one of the oldest settlements of Anatolia, have hosted many civilization such as; Hittites, Medes, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, Islamic Civilizations, Seljuks and finally the Ottoman Empire. Nowadays, it depends on the Republic of Turkey. The Ottoman Empire, which aims to serve the people in every land it conquered and attaches great importance to the zoning activities in line with this purpose, continued its zoning activities here after adding Malatya to its territory. During the Westernization period, the Ottoman Empire changed its understanding in the construction field as in many other areas and started to apply this understanding in the late period structures. The understanding of change, which started in the Ottoman Empire period, continued after the establishment of the Republic. In this study, the public structures of the Late Ottoman and Early Republican Period in the province of Malatya were examined. Within the scope of the study, the architectural projects reached from the literature were evaluated, the books, theses and articles written on the subject were examined and the Ottoman and Republican archives were searched. In the continuation of the study, the structures built in accordance with the criteria determined from the public buildings of the Late Ottoman and Early Republican Periods in the province of Malatya were determined. The present conditions of the identified structures were examined throughout the province of Malatya, and catalogs including their architectural features, structural structures and preservation conditions were created. Suggestions have been made for the preservation of buildings in poor condition. The aim of the study is to provide clear, understandable and permanent guidance for other researchers. Another aim of the study is to determine the development of public buildings of theprovince of Malatya, which was one of the provincial centers of the Ottoman Empire, and to determine its place in terms of architectural history.