Findings and recommendations for the protection of Kütahya Ulu Cami and its close surrounding urban conservation area

In the city of Kütahya, where the inventory of cultural heritage to be protected is concentrated, conservation studies were started in 1979 and as a result of these conservation efforts, a conservation development plan was approved for the area in 1987. This plan; Due to the inadequacy of the tools for implementation and the inability to implement the intervention decisions for the area, it was not successful in terms of protection and the plan had to be renewed. In this context, when the Revision Conservation Development Plan approved in 2019 is examined, it is seen that there are areas of expansion and contraction only in the site boundaries and there are newly registered structures. The fact that the intervention decisions for implementation are not included in the revision plan creates uncertainties in the conservation studies to be carried out in the tissue within the area. In this context, the necessity of handling the historical city center of Kütahya with contemporary conservation approaches has emerged. In the revision plan; The Ulu Mosque, which has the largest area in terms of surface area among the areas where the protected area has been expanded, and 368 buildings in the region covering its immediate surroundings were examined, analysis studies were carried out and the current state of the conservation approach in the area was examined. Conservation problems in the area were determined and suggestions were presented according to the contemporary conservation approach. It is aimed that the analyzes, determinations and suggestions made within the scope of the study will contribute to the new conservation studies to be carried out in all areas within the protection boundaries.