The current station and sustainability of cultural heritage values with the approach of tourism geography: The case of Odunpazarı houses

There are many areas that can be considered cultural heritage in our country. However, in these areas, cultural heritage has lost its character due to human mobility and the effort to create rent, and has turned into a commodity used to generate more income. In order for our existence to continue and develop, it is our common responsibility to protect the cultural heritage and the natural environment in which this heritage lives. While using historical urban textures, values and problems need to be identified in order to keep them alive and ensure their sustainability. As an example of cultural heritage selected within the scope of the study, Odunpazarı region is very important as it is one of the first settlement areas of Eskişehir. Odunpazarı houses, named after the region, have been declared an urban protected area in order to preserve their traditional texture. Many residences and historical buildings in the area were restored and functionalized by paying attention to conservation criteria and brought to the Odunpazarı region. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 2012 as "Odunpazarı Historical City Center". Odunpazarı houses were chosen as a sampling study to discuss their current use and sustainability. With the study prepared from the perspective of a tourism geographer, it is noteworthy that Odunpazarı houses have a visitor capacity that continues to increase every year. The main purpose of the study is to determine the perceptions and attitudes of visitors to Odunpazarı houses, which are a cultural heritage value. In the light of the opinions and data obtained about the region, evaluations were made in terms of current use and sustainability. As a result, refunctioning suggestions have been presented to identify the problems encountered and to ensure protection and continuity. Keywords: Eskişehir, tourism geography, Odunpazarı houses, cultural heritage, traditional housing, sustainability