Research Information System
CPUD’17 / II. International City Planning and Urban Design, DAKAM, İstanbul, Turkey, 5 - 06 May 2017, pp.15-35
Bursa, which is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Turkey, has the potential to be studied in terms of
formation and transformation of Ottoman cities in Turkey, via legal aspects in urban planning policy. Although
its urban identity is still surviving, traditional texture of its city core has subjected to various changes since the
end of the 19th century. Hence, in this study, it is aimed to present chronic deformations above the unity of its
multi-layered structure, instead of various types of conservation implementations done for its sustainability.
Within this concept, after a brief introduction about cultural heritage in Bursa, historical background of urban
transformation in this Ottoman city is given chronologically, since the end of the 19th century. Moreover,
distribution of physical changes within its historic city core is also displayed via overlapped historic maps and
city plans. At last, it is aimed to discuss the factors continuously effecting urban transformation in historic
cities, like Bursa, while evaluating results in application of legal aspects and new planning policies.