Abstract:

İznik has contained various civilizations within itself in the historical process and it is an open-air museum exhibiting ethnographic works, ruins and civil structures related to these periods. İznik, which has been on the main trade routes throughout history, has had a strategically important position; this situation established the ground for the economic and cultural revival of the city. The aim of this study is to re-examine the important structures of İznik in a theoretical framework, by focusing on the early Ottoman period, though examples of “zaviye, imaret and mosque”. The study is limited to zaviye, imaret and mosque structures by reviewing plan schemes applied in the city that hosts Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman cultures. While İznik, which is an important part of “Early Ottoman Architecture”, is examined within the scope of this study, the importance of these architectural works which are accepted as the center of Turkish building art is re-emphasized. A literature review and on-site photographing technique were carried out on selected structures. The reason for choosing these historical buildings is that they are among the first examples of the period and the building construction features shed light on history.