摘要: Justification of Outstanding Universal Value　　“Odunpazari Historical Urban Site” is a significant example to cities established totally by the Turks within Anatolia. It’s an urban workshop with the be

Justification of Outstanding Universal Value

　　“Odunpazari Historical Urban Site” is a significant example to cities established totally by the Turks within Anatolia. It’s an urban workshop with the best preserved examples of traditional Turkish architecture and an open-air museum where the structure of the traditional Turkish neighborhood with its entire pattern is maintained.

　　Architectural style of Odunpazari houses, which is developed peculiar to the local geographical circumstances, also carries the characteristics of traditional Turkish housing architecture. Not only individual structures but also harmony of the houses with each other and with their surroundings is a remarkable aspect within the site. Alongside with the architectural characteristics of a certain period observed in Odunpazari, social and cultural values of the period are represented in the side. In addition, materials, techniques and workmanship used in Odunpazari houses are the components of a technology which is not used today.

　　Besides territorial, geographical and climatic variables, the area is an important example of how the texture of a city is formed with religious life and traditions. The urban texture of the “Odunpazari Historical Urban Site” developed around the “Kursunlu Mosque Complex” is an architectural landscape that has been home for Mevlevism for four centuries. With the mosque at the center, the hanikah (inn of dervishes) at southeast, semahane (whirling –a kind of Mevlevi ritual- area) at south, the hospice and imaret at southwest, the soup kitchen at west, the caravanserai at northwest and Ottoman elementary-primary school at east, Kursunlu Mosque Complex has been one of the leading training complexes of its period.

　　What brings the Complex from an individual ensemble to spatial importance beyond being a mere educational complex is its success in shaping Odunpazari Area in line with the traditions and patterns of Mevlevism. Many tombs -not only those whose locations are known but also those survived through oral history and whose location are not known- are scattered around by taking the Complex in the center.

　　Meerschaum which is a rock form known and used for five thousands years according to the archaeological excavations is used mainly in knickknack and pipe manufacturing today. Almost all the beds of commercially workable meerschaum are located in Eskisehir region, while the masses also can be seen in France, Spain, Morocco, the USA, Moravya region of Check Republic and in certain islands of Greece. A lot of dedes (progenitor of Mevlevi’s), omniscients, mentors, Mesnevihans, scholars, calligraphers and musicians were trained in Mevlevihane of Eskisehir. In addition, these Mevlevi crafters had given a lot of precious products of traditional crafts such as clock making, meerschaum, etc.

　　In the light of these issues, “Odunpazari Historical Urban Site” is a developing area which can be characterized and registered as a World Heritage due to its social, cultural, traditional and physical values.

　　Criterion (iii:) The area preserves intact products of the Seljuk and Ottoman religious architecture as well as invaluable examples of traditional Turkish house with interior and exterior spatial setups, material specialties, structural elements, internal design items and street textures compatible to nature.

　　Criterion (vi): Mevlevism, which is known to be the largest and the most famous Sufi religious orders and formed by needs and opportunities of the time, has lived for four centuries in the site. Traditional life patterns of Mevlevism have a significant effect on demographical and urban development on the city and region. Therefore, the site was formed with unique behavioral Mevlevism patterns. The hints of these patterns can be still seen and traditional way of life can be experienced at the Kursunlu Mosque Complex.

　　To deal with a branch of art differing among the regions is a part of Mevlevi tradition. In Odunpazari, Mevlevis practiced clock making and meerschaum craft and they donated their revenues to dergah. This traditional art is still performed in the workshops opened in the museum within the Kursunlu Mosque Complex by the master artisans living in Odunpazari. The only meerschaum museum of the world contributes to development of this traditional art skills and knowledge.