Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Uysal V. Ş. (Yürütücü), Taşdemir G.
Yükseköğretim Kurumları Destekli Proje, BAP Araştırma Projesi, 2026 - 2028
This project examines the architectural, cultural, and environmental significance of one of the most distinctive yet understudied sacred typologies in the Ottoman world: namazgahs (open-air prayer grounds). Focusing on Istanbul and its surroundings between the 16th and 19th centuries, the study conceptualizes namazgahs as ritual landscapes at risk (fragile, partially surviving heritage sites whose material, symbolic, and social value remains insufficiently recognized in contemporary scholarship, conservation practice, and public discourse). Although existing literature identifies nearly 200 historical examples in Istanbul alone, the field lacks a systematic inventory, consistent documentation, and conceptually grounded comparative interpretations. This project addresses this gap through an integrated, cross-disciplinary, and digitally enhanced methodology.
The project’s contribution lies in reframing namazgahs as a unique architectural typology that challenges conventional assumptions about interiority, enclosure, and sacred space. By treating them as “open-air interiors,” the project situates namazgahs within broader debates in spatial theory, phenomenology, ritual studies, andthe architecture of the sacred. This conceptual shift enables a reading of namazgahs not merely as architectural remnants but as complex spatial practices that articulate communal, infrastructural, and cosmological dimensions of Ottoman religious life. Methodologically, the project brings together conventional architectural survey, archival research, and contemporary digital humanities tools. It also integrates heritage conservation with theoretical analysis, ensuring that outputs address both scholarly discourse and public engagement.
Aligned with the World Heritage Committee’s call for thematic studies on sacred and associative landscapes (Decision 36 COM 13.I), the project positions namazgahs as culturally layered and internationally relevant sites of religious and historical interest, thereby linking local heritage work with global conservation agendas.