Bitig Edebiyat Fakültesi Dergisi

Abstract

Throughout history, Istanbul has occupied a privileged place among the world's cities with its unique geographical location and multi-layered cultural heritage. This ancient city, which has been featured in mythological narratives since ancient times, continues to be one of the most important centers of art, architecture and written culture, especially with its Byzantine and Ottoman textures. Throughout the ages, the city has inspired travelers' travelogues, writers' novels, poets' verses and painters' paintings.
The city of Istanbul, about which countless academic research and publications have been conducted, is an open-air museum with its multi-layered historical texture and cosmopolitan structure. This accumulation constitutes an extremely valuable ground in the process of ensuring the cultural continuity of the city and reconstructing its identity intact. However, rapid urbanization, unplanned construction and insensitive approaches to cultural heritage, especially in recent history, seriously threaten Istanbul's historical texture and cultural identity. It is possible for Istanbul to maintain its decisive role in the production of art and culture by preserving this deep-rooted heritage and passing it on to future generations. In this respect, Architect Erhan İşözen's book Bir Semtin Arayüzü Ortaköy 1989-2019 (The Interface of a Neighborhood, Ortaköy 1989-2019), published in 2022, should be carefully examined, especially by local governments, and lessons should be learned in terms of protecting the historical heritage.