Integrating the Seljuk Cultural Layer into Contemporary Life: The Case of Niğde Historic City Center
Historic city centers today serve as urban memory sites reflecting the “spirit of place” (genius loci) through their underground and aboveground historical layers, cultural richness, and unique identities. However, these multi8 layered historic centers are increasingly turning into areas of urban decay due to the physical and functional deterioration of cultural assets, socio8cultural and economic degradation, and various conservation problems. In the case of Niğde, it has been identified that conservation practices have failed to consider the historical layers both above and below ground, which constitutes a major problem addressed in this study. The study area, perceived by locals as a hill, has long been characterized as a declining zone.
The aim of this study is to analyze and map the Seljuk period layer within the Niğde Historic City Center and to develop proposals for its integration into contemporary conservation practices. Research findings indicate that the Seljuk period was the most significant era in the city’s historical development, thus this layer was prioritized. Another objective is to contribute to the conservation and integration of other historical layers into daily life by setting an example. In this context, proposals have been developed for the sustainable conservation of the aboveground and underground heritage of the Seljuk period.
Selçuklu Kültür Katmanının Güncel Yaşama Katılması: Niğde Tarihî Kent Merkezi Örneği
Günümüz tarihî kent merkezleri, yer altı ve yer üstündeki tarihî izleriyle, kültürel zenginlikleri ve özgün kimliklerinin yanı sıra, “yerin ruhu”nu yansıtan kentsel hafıza alanlarıdır. Çok katmanlı bu tarihî kent merkezleri, kültür varlıklarının fiziksel ve işlevsel eskimesi, sosyo-kültürel ve ekonomik doku bozulmaları, koruma problemleri vb. sorunlarla giderek çöküntü yerleri hâline gelmektedir. Bu sorunları barındıran Niğde kentinde yapılmış koruma uygulamalarında, kentin yer altında ve yer üstünde bulunan katmanlarının dikkate alınmamış olması çalışmada problem olarak belirlenmiştir. Kentli tarafından tepe olarak algılanan çalışma alanı uzun zamandır çöküntü alanı niteliğindedir.
Çalışmanın amacı, Niğde Tarihî Kent Merkezi’nin Selçuklu Dönemi’ne ait tarihî katmanını analiz etmek, haritalandırmak ve bu katmanı çağdaş koruma uygulamalarına entegre etmeye yönelik öneriler geliştirmektir. Araştırma verileri, kentin tarihî gelişiminde en belirleyici dönemin Selçuklu Dönemi olduğunu göstermektedir. Bu sebeple çalışma kapsamında bu katman odak alınmıştır. Ayrıca, diğer tarihî katmanların da korunarak günlük yaşama kazandırılmasına katkı sağlamak, bu çalışmanın bir diğer hedefidir. Bu bağlamda, Selçuklu Dönemi’ne ait yer üstü ve yer altı değerlerinin sürdürülebilir korunmasına yönelik öneriler geliştirilmiştir.
Today, multi8layered cities have emerged as a result of the overlapping of structures and settlements built by different civilizations in different periods. Historic city centers, which have been inhabited for a long time and continue to be inhabited today, contain the traces of these historical periods above and below ground. They are the memories of cities that carry the history, cultural richness, unique identities and the spirit of the place. The ruins, traces and signs that have survived to the present day in the historical process provide information about the lives of societies in past periods, while also establishing a connection with them. Historic city centers become places of collapse over time due to some reasons such as the aging of traditional buildings, deterioration of the socio8cultural and economic fabric, failure to carry out conservation works, etc. In our country, conservation legislation and conservation zoning plans, which are the main implementation tool of the legislation, have tried and are trying to protect the cities formed by physical spaces in constant change. These studies cover urban or urban archaeological protected areas and cultural heritage values in the form of registered and unregistered traditional texture and monumental structures within these protected areas. The layers that exist in the history of cities are not included in conservation practices. Therefore, since the layers that need to be protected are not taken into account, decisions that are specific to the character of the area and that take into account urban memory cannot be made. Documenting and making understandable the layers of multi8layered cities are important studies of unique value in determining conservation decisions for historic environments. Since recognizing the value is one of the important beginnings of conservation, the layers of the city should be made readable and understandable. Historical layers should be researched, understood and documented in order to formulate conservation policies for the future of historical city centers, to solve conservation and management problems, and to make conservation and intervention decisions. Sustainable conservation can be achieved through the participation of underground historical layers and aboveground artifacts in urban life and the participation of users in their daily lives. Niğde Historic City Center, one of the cities with historical layering, is a physical environment with values in urban memory. The oldest settlement area of Niğde city center, which was selected as the study area, is located on Alâeddin Hill in the city center, which is the core and first settlement of Niğde City. This area has a rich cultural heritage consisting of artifacts from various civilizations and is the area where the theme of layering comes to life. The settlement, which started on this hill where the oldest structure, Niğde Castle and its walls are located, expanded beyond the walls towards the skirts of this hill in later periods. Until today, buildings with different functions in different periods have come together to form the Niğde Historical City Center. The historical city center includes the first8degree archaeological site and the mound covering the third8degree archaeological site. This area is where the theme of stratification comes to life. The oldest settlement area and the core of Niğde city center was also inhabited during the Late Hittite, Phrygian, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods. This area is a region that contains examples of military, religious and civil architecture from different periods and monumental structures. The historical monuments of Niğde, which is on the UNESCO world heritage tentative list with its historical, aesthetic, cultural, economic, social and symbolic values, are located in the historical city center. The settlement, perceived as a hill by citizens, has been abandoned for a long time and has created security problems in user memory and has not been included in the city and urban practices. In order to understand the historical value of the area, sustainable protection of the area should be ensured by protecting the historical layers and above8 ground artifacts by participating in urban life with user participation. The user is not aware of the historical values above and below ground. When these historical layers are integrated into the life of the user by considering above and below ground holistically, people who know and perceive the value of the area, who can read the urban memory, will understand that the area is special and valuable with a sense of belonging and will ensure the protection of the area. It is not possible to talk about success in conservation works and practices that do not involve the public. There is a limited information sign on the façade of the Alâeddin Mosque, which survived from the Seljuk Period. This sign, which is placed very high and contains limited information, is very difficult for the user to read and the font size is small. The city’s oldestatıroğlu Fountain, located opposite the mosque, is in a neglected and dysfunctional state and is used for informational purposes. It does not have a board. The user does not know that this fountain belongs to the Seljuk period. Likewise, the user cannot access any information about the castle walls and the castle gate. The fact that the underground and aboveground layers of the city were not taken into consideration in the conservation practices in Niğde was identified as a problem in the study. The aim of the study is to analyze and map the historical layer of Niğde Historic City Center belonging to the Seljuk period and to develop recommendations for the inclusion of this layer in contemporary conservation practices. According to the historical stratification research data, the Seljuk period is the period when the city showed the most important development during its existence and had the characteristic of being an important city. Since the oldest cultural assets in the historical city center of Niğde belong to the Seljuk Period, the Seljuk cultural layer of the city is discussed within the scope of the article. For this reason, this layer was selected and it is aimed that the recommendations developed for this layer will lead to the inclusion of other layers in the conservation practices in the area. In the study; the historical stratification of Niğde Historic City Center belonging to the Seljuk period was analyzed and mapped, and suggestions were developed for the inclusion of this layer in contemporary life as sustainable conservation. These recommendations will ensure sustainable conservation. It is important that Alâeddin Hill, the historical core of the city, becomes a living center with its surroundings and transforms into spaces that citizens use, spend time and connect with in their daily lives. The Niğde Castle and Surroundings Renovation and Conservation Project is being carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, Niğde Municipality and Housing Development Administration (TOKİ). As of 2023, the demolition of the buildings in the area has been completed and the new buildings proposed within the scope of the project have not yet been built. After the demolition, rock8carved spaces and caves emerged in the area. The historical layering of the area is better understood with the demolition. The current situation of the site can be turned into an opportunity and the inclusion of historical stratification into user life can be easily realized.
The method of the research consists of research, documentation8presentation and evaluation stages of Altınöz in analyzing the historical stratification of the Seljuk period in the historical city center of Niğde. In the research phase; archaeological excavations and drilling studies, identification and registration studies, written sources, historical sources (travel notes of geographers and historians, travelogues, urban planning studies, visual data (plans, photog8 raphs, sketches, engravings, etc.), surface surveys and field analysis. As a result of these researches, the order of the historical layers was determined and the information was visualized on the layer map of the Seljuk period as a presentation of the results, the development of the cities was investigated, and the development of Niğde city in the Seljuk period was explained. The data that have survived and not survived from the Seljuk period are indicated on the layer map, and the characteristics and current status of these artifacts are emphasized in order to understand the importance of the assets of this period that have survived to the present day. As a result of the research, sustainable conservation proposals have been developed in which the values above and below ground belonging to the Seljuk period are included in the daily life of the people. It is necessary for the sustainable conservation of the area that Alâeddin Hill, the historical nucleus of the city, becomes a living center with its surroundings and transforms into spaces that the users use in daily life, spend time and establish bonds.
For many years, this place, with its characteristics of derelict, orphaned, decrepit and depressed area, has the characteristics of belonging, image and expression of a social identity for the city and the urbanites. Its value will be revealed by remembering, learning, understanding and experiencing the Seljuk layer it has accumulated. At the end of the research, suggestions were made to understand the historical layer belonging to the Seljuk period and to transfer it to future generations by revealing the importance of the artifacts that have survived to the present day. It is thought that this research will set an example for the inclusion of other historical layers of the area in today's life and will make a difference for sustainable conservation.
