1st Istanbul International Geography Congress Proceedings Book
The spatial development and change in cities: a case study of Tekirdağ
Ahmet Emrah Siyavuş, Cemalettin ŞahinThis study elucidates the spatial development of the city of Tekirdağ from its foundation to the present day and the geographical factors influencing its development. The study area, as a home to different civilizations, came to be surrounded by Çorlu in the east, Muratlı in the north and northeast, Hayrabolu in the north and northwest, Malkara in the west, Şarköy in the southwest, and Marmara Sea in the south. Tekirdağ has been a residential area for 5,000 years owing to its favourable location and geographical features. The city of Tekirdağ, home to different civilizations, came under Thracian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Umayyad, Venetian, Catalan, Bulgarian, and ultimately Ottoman domination. The city, which developed in the axis of the castle during the Byzantine period, was developed as a port city after the Ottoman rule and became the center of trade from the sea. Its spatial development has followed a course parallel to economic development, and the urban area has expanded on a daily basis. To determine the spatial development of Tekirdağ, this study utilized maps, photographs, and observations from travelers and the existing literature. The beginning of the planned settlement occurred after the Republican period, where the spatial development of the city of Tekirdağ was demonstrated using zoning plans, aerial photographs, 1/25.000 scaled topography maps, satellite images, and building counting charts