IN-PERSON ISTANBUL HERITAGE(S)

Abstract

This article develops a conceptual framework for reading socio-cultural heritage as a layered relationship between topography, urban morphology (roads, nodes, thresholds), and collective practices (trade, religion, education, guild organization, and daily sociality). The enduring vitality and remarkable morphological complexity of the Tabriz Grand Bazaar, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, necessitate an analytical approach that transcends mere architectural description. This paper presents a conceptual reading of the Bazaar’s socio-cultural heritage by foregrounding its intricate relationship with the layers of topography upon which it is built. Using the Tabriz Historical Bazaar Complex as a case study, the work synthesizes landscape-based heritage thinking (Historical Urban Landscape), palimpsest approaches to urban form, and environment-behavior perspectives on meaning-making in built environments. The research utilizes a combined framework drawn from urban morphology, socio-spatial theory, and heritage studies, treating the site’s topography not as a passive backdrop but as an active design determinant. The study argues that the heritage value of the bazaar lies not only in its architectural typologies and brick vaults, but also in its long-term capacity to mediate between topographic structure and socio-economic life. The bazaar functions as a permanent “urban interior space” shaped by routes, hydrology, and episodic redevelopment. The article concludes by proposing a “topographic layer reading protocol” that could support the interpretation and management of heritage in historic commercial districts. The study contributes to urban history and architectural theory by illustrating how topographical necessity generates enduring conceptual richness in historical urbanism.