The Effects of the Changing of Urban Identity on Historic Towns

Abstract

Urban identity is one of the important factors, which affects the formation of the city. It also plays important role in shaping and changing the form of city. Each city has its own identity that is shaped by its characteristics. The concept of identity is felt much more in historic towns, but historic towns are being oppressed by new functions with a danger of losing their identity.In this study, the city identity is briefly explained; and several factors will be studied to make up the identity of the city. Physical, socio-economic, socio-cultural structures and historical factors will be listed. The effects of topography, climatic factors and the effects of identity will be discussed. The effects of socio- cultural and historical structures on urban identity will be discussed in relations with the way of living and historical evolutions. The study will also present the effects of the economic changes on the urban identity in historical towns.Furthermore, this study will examine the effects of urban identity changes in Istanbul historical towns, and it will also describe and explain, with examples, the changing urban identity as changing form and function in historic towns.Finally, the changing of lifestyle with changing in urban identity, the changing meaning of the historic towns, and changes in the perception and meaning of the city (understand by citizens) will be studied in historical Yedikule district of Istanbul.In the conclusion part, the results of this study are explained and the concepts, which are discussed during the study period, are evaluated in their entirety.