A transformation of an Ottoman urban fabric: The case of Istanbul Suleymaniye and Zeyrek quarters 1839-2015

Cities are complex and multi-layered entities which are in a continuous transformation. The urban fabric of historical cities or centers transform in accordance with the changes in the cultural, ethnical, social, political and economic structures. Fires, earthquakes, wars urban development policies, etc. are equally important factors as they directly affect the physical structure of historic cities. In this research, the urban morphology of the Ottoman city will be analyzed by retracing the transformations of the historical peninsula in Istanbul. Previous theoretical concepts about the subject, such as the 'Islamic' city or the 'Ottoman' city, will also be examined to understand the structure of the Ottoman city and identify its characteristic urban elements. The first official attempts to organize and reorganize the existing urban fabric of the historical peninsula were realized during the Tanzimat period in accordance with the 'modernization' of the Empire which is the beginning of the analysis of this thesis until the transformations of the first decades of this century. As a study area, this research will be focusing particularly on Süleymaniye and Zeyrek residential quarters. Today, the urban fabric of both quarters is in a process of disintegration and dissolution. Materials such as maps, engravings, photographs, etc. will be used to investigate and understand this process. This research aims to illustrate the continuous transformation of the urban fabric of Süleymaniye and Zeyrek quarters as well as the reasons behind these changes by the critical comparison of different sources.