Research Information System
MEGARON, vol.7, no.1, pp.47-62, 2012 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)
The city of Isparta is located in the center of Mediterranean
Region of Turkey. The historical urban fabric
of Isparta also constitutes at the center of the city of
Isparta today.
One of the important urban spaces of Isparta, which
is remained in the conservation area and many surrounded
with many historical structures, is Kaymakkapı
Square. This square brings a distinct identity to the city
by means of locating at the intersection of the city’s
dense streets and being an urban space which is given
façades of important historical building. Kaymakkapı
Square has experienced significant transformations at
various periods due to the factors such as, excessive
increasing of the city’s transportation and traffic problems,
changing of the employment areas, increment of
the commercial buildings, efforts to get unearned income,
requests to make a new high-rise structures and
etc. The historical buildings have been overwhelmed
by these factors. The Square has doomed to lose urban
space characteristic and has become almost a crossroads.
In this context, in this study, principally so as to propound
of Kaymakkapı Square’s historical and urban
value, Square’s historical development will be investigated
by different period’s photographs, maps, documents
and oral sources.
Subsequently, causes of not only tending to lose
of Kaymakkapı Square’s historical characteristics but
also failing to respond of today’s needs will be identified.
Finally, within the frame of urban and architectural
conservation theories, planning decisions will
be determined on the subject of that how to properly
Kaymakkapı Square be preserved and be kept alive today.