RESTORATION OF HISTORICAL BUILDINGS TO SERVE CITY TOURISM (RENOVATION): EXAMPLE OF ŞANLIURFA GUEST HOUSES

Abstract

Şanlıurfa, which is home to the first temple of humanity and which has many civilizations in its history due to its location in
Mesopotamia, has rich historical and cultural heritage. One of these values is the stone-built guest houses that reflect the
architectural features of the region. The original buildings in the province of Şanlıurfa with historical architecture have been
restored by various institutions and organizations. Especially the need for tourism super structure supply and the desire of
tourists to stay in authentic places have increased the importance of these buildings. For this reason, historical buildings are
becoming an important advantage for city tourism and touristic destinations. In this context, some historical guest houses which
have been restored in the last years and opened to tourism and other services have been examined. The effect of the historical
buildings converted to guest houses on the tourism activities are also considered as another result.