Historical Research, Survey and Documentation in Preservation of Historical Gardens: Example of Maslak Pavilions' Gardens

Abstract

Historical gardens, one of the important indicators of cultural accumulation, are living cultural documents shaped by the influence of social, political conditions, cultural relations and requirements of their era. During the time, historical gardens, just like historic buildings, gain monumental value and become part of the historical cultural landscape and heritage of a country. Unplanned settlement and expropriation problems, environmental pollution, loss of life of plants or the addition of new ones and incompatible interventions are causing problems such as loss of the original design of historic gardens and occurrence of material deterioration in their architectural elements. It is necessary to conduct appropriate conservation and restoration work for the historical gardens exposed to such problems to ensure their continuity, to preserve their cultural and aesthetic value, and to pass them on to future generations through creating integrity with the structures they surround. It is crucial to carry out historical research, survey and documentation studies carefully so that conservation and restoration work can be conducted according to the original state of the historical gardens. With this study, it was aimed to show what should be considered during historical research documentation and survey studies necessary to preserve original design, herbal and architectural elements of historical gardens, and present them through an example. For this purpose, gardens of Maslak Pavilions were studied. Within the scope of the study, maps, plans and satellite photographs of the past periods were examined in order to determine the changes in the design features, architectural and herbal elements of the gardens over time, and to evaluate their present condition. The information gained was also supported by field study.