Assessing the Sustainability of Historical mContinuty in Multi-Layered Historic Towns: The Case of Amasya, Turkey

Abstract

The major subject of this study is the sustainability of historical continuity in multi-layered historical towns which are the outcome of continuous inhabitation process that is reflected in current town by physical remains belonging to different periods. This study asserts that these remaining elements of past periods can be conserved, as long as they become an integral part of the current urban context. Thus, conserving the multi-layered character requires sustaining the historical continuity by integrating the remaining elements of the former periods with current context. According to this concern, for assessing the integration of historical stratification with the current town regarding the physical, visual, functional, social and managerial aspects, a method is developed. This method, applied on Amasya (Turkey), makes possible to expose the factors of disintegration which can provide a basis for searching the strategies and tools for their reintegration with the current urban context, consequently, for the sustainable conservation.