VIRTUAL ISTANBUL HERITAGE(S)

Abstract

Built heritage, such as historical buildings, quarters or cities, can create a strong sense of belonging and community. It can unite groups of people around a common understanding beneficial for a shared goal for the future. These emotional aspects, generated by the built heritage, can create unity in a community and ultimately provide a strong foundation for a socially sustainable future. However, built heritage is also contested with different meanings. The emotional attachment to built heritage, hence a heritage place, can result in a perception of claim or right to a place. Consequently, this can include some social groups in society and exclude others. Built heritage can physically manifest parts of history, that some groups in society relates to and others feel rejected by. These emotional aspects of built heritage are of critical importance in a socially sustainable future. But, in relation to the present built heritage management; Do we fully recognize the power of built heritage when planning for a socially sustainable future? This paper will discuss built heritage in relation to resent debates about the heritage of minorities, decolonizing heritage and deterritorializing heritage in the future. The paper will depart from the management of built heritage and discuss the role of built heritage in relation to communities.