The legal status of churches in Diyarbakir during the Ottoman period, repair and renovation processes, and the context of cultural heritage

This study aims to reveal the repair, renovation, and reconstruction process of churches belonging to non-Muslim communities in Diyarbakır within the framework of Ottoman legal status, based on primary sources such as archival documents, provincial yearbooks (salname), sharia court records (şer'iye sicilleri) and Mühimme registers. The research provides information about the churches located in the Sur district center of Diyarbakır. It also covers the decisions implemented by the Ottoman administration regarding the repair and reconstruction of churches in the Diyarbakır province and the functioning of this process. Two main approaches were adopted in the methodology. First, Ottoman archival documents related to the subject that had been published previously and translated were examined through a literature review. This allowed for an assessment of the existing body of knowledge on the repair and reconstruction process of the churches. In the second stage, Ottoman archive documents concerning churches in Diyarbakır were directly scanned, and the transcription of records constituting evidence on the subject was carried out. Archival documents, when examined specifically in Diyarbakır, reveal that the procedures applied in the repair and reconstruction processes of churches in the region were parallel to the general practices of the Ottoman Empire. During the classical period, the process was carried out in accordance with the fatwas issued by the Sheikh al-Islam under the influence of Islamic law and with official permission from the Divan-ı Hümayun. During the application process, it was mandatory to state that the structure in question was an existing and ancient church. Expansions or alterations that constituted reconstruction were prohibited by the central authority. During the Tanzimat period, a more flexible and bureaucratically systematic approach was adopted under the influence of modernization policies. Requests for repair and reconstruction were largely approved by decisions made at the Sublime Porte. Archive records show that repair permits were mostly granted on the condition that the structures be restored to their "original state," revealing the Ottoman administration's sensitivity toward preserving the original architectural form of buildings.The policies implemented by the Ottoman Empire to protect churches in Diyarbakır are also significant in terms of the sustainability of its cultural heritage. These structures play a decisive role in shaping the city's historical identity as tangible carriers of social memory. Furthermore, they enhance Diyarbakır's appeal in the context of faith and diaspora tourism, attracting the interest of national and international visitors. In this respect, churches carry strategic value both historically and socio-culturally.