Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND ECOLOGY, cilt.15, sa.3, ss.1181-1190, 2014 (SCI-Expanded)
Historical settlements are the values which combine past and today, achieve interaction between cultures and give identity to the environment. It is usual in historical settlements that a change may be experienced. It is required that a prospective management and protection approach should be provided in order to avoid identity losses by experienced changes in historical settlements. Unfortunately, in time these values are eroded inside the uniform unplanned and distorted urban areas. It is emphasised in the 1972 UNESCO Convention for The Protection of The World Cultural and Natural Heritage that these unique cultural values belong not only to the geography they take place but also to human kind. It is a responsibility for human kind that these values should be protected in a complementary approach without isolating historical places form their original natural and cultural environment. Dating back to Palaeolithic period the Battalgazi town (Old Malatya) in Malatya city was researched. From the antique ages to date, this province has been one of the most important junction points which connect Middle East, Anatolia and Eurasia. In the Ottoman period; during the western attack of Ottoman Army local people were obliged to move orchards houses and set up today urban structure. The town Battalgazi survives with its historical and archaeological tissue. Historical tissue in the town is shaded by distorted urban area, destroyed by wrong restoration methods and poor maintenance conditions in addition to unsuitable socio-cultural structure. This study was carried out by scanning literature, interviewing responsible institutions and experts and evaluating data obtained from observations. In the study elements forming the historical tissue in the area were briefly identified and the relation between historical building and its environment, its land-use and landscape characteristics were investigated. Consequently, the degree of change and its effect on the town were determined.