Preparation of Edirne city action plan within the context of historical urban landscapes

Today, cities are in a process of an uncontrolled urbanization due to technological developments and globalization influence. This process poses a threat to the historical cities which are important cultural heritage sites with their genuine natural, historical and cultural values. Integration of cities with changing living conditions and ensuring the sustainability of their genuine features however, it is only possible to preserve the historical urban landscapes which the cities have all the natural and cultural values. In order to preserve historical urban landscapes, action plans that enable the realization of cities' future targets are being used as an effective tool. Action plans are the plans that set targets, strategies and actions for cities. These plans, which are prepared to foresee the difference of the future of cities compared to today, also provide solutions to the problem areas of the cities, reveal how the city will use its potentials and determine the priorities of the identified actions. The purpose of this research is the preparation of an action plan within the context of historical urban landscapes in order to integrate the natural and cultural characteristics of Edirne, which is a city stratified with cultural assets belonging to different historical periods such as Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Periods, to the new period urban developments. In the direction of this purpose, first of all, field studies were carried out in the city and then, the targets, strategies and actions related to the existing potentials and problems were determined by taking into consideration of the existing situation analyzes of the natural, cultural and socio-economic characteristics of the city. When setting targets; examples of international and national action plans and all plans prepared on the subject were examined. In addition, expert opinions were utilized to prioritize the identified actions. As a result, an action plan in which the targets, strategies and actions, the priority status of the actions and the institutions responsible for the actions were determined, of the city's the natural, cultural and socio-economic characteristics was prepared. It is thought that this research will provide a framework for action plans that can be made within the purpose of historical urban landscapes for the historical cities which have lost their genuine values.