Urfa Tarihi Kent Merkezi'nde Kültürel Peyzajın Değişim ve Dönüşümü: Saray Meydanı (Sarayönü) ve Belediye Parkı Örneği (1923-1990).

This study examines Saray Square (Sarayönü) and its surroundings (Belediye Park and Mustafa Kemal Pasha Avenue), which were considered to be the main focal points of Urfa in the pre-Republican and early Republican periods, emphasising state governance and authority during these years. As the city shed the influence of the Ottoman period and attempted to project the image of a modern and new nation-state, Saray Square and Belediye Park, which had long served as the administrative centre of the city and housed public service buildings, were of great importance. The two areas were connected by bridges over the stream that ran between Saray Square and Belediye Park. A large part of the Ottoman-era structures in Saray Square and the qualified buildings around Belediye Park, which were built during the Republican period and reflected the modern architectural ideas of the time, have been demolished over time. The stream, the bridges over it and the buildings and square arrangements built in different periods formed the cultural landscape of the area. The aim of this study is to reveal the changes and transformations of the cultural landscape values (buildings, roads, green areas, etc.) of the area between 1923 and 1990. The study uses the historical research method, one of the qualitative research methods. In addition, data was collected and evaluated using sub-methods such as literature review, observation, content analysis, maps and inferences from old photographs. Aerial photographs from 1955, 1966, 1976 and 1986, obtained from the General Directorate of Mapping of the Ministry of National Defense, were an important source of data to elucidate the changes and transformations experienced. This study of Urfa's Saray Square and its environs provides important insights into the formation of the area's current spatial structure and cultural landscapes. The urban development activities carried out between 1923 and 1990, which damaged the historic fabric, have severely damaged the cultural landscape of the squares. Understanding the damage caused by these demolitions to Urfa's historic cultural landscape areas will be crucial for the preservation of the historic fabric and the sustainable management of the cultural landscape areas in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]