KONYA ALAEDDIN HILL AS A PALIMPSEST: URBAN AND ARCHITECTURAL MEMORY

Abstract

As the points of interaction between different social processes, cities constantly change and transform with the cultural, social, economic and political traces from the past. The role of urban space and architectural works is critical in the formation of urban identity, generation of physical urban form and relevant alterations that occur in time. While spaces reflect urban identity, spatial experiences leave a mark on people’s minds; although physical changes/terminations happen in time, the objects and concepts kept in memory are considered as what determines the urban identity as images. Physical environments, which are the witnesses of the moments/memories in the minds of urban dwellers, reflect the concrete circumstances that indicate and convey the urban history and assign a meaning to it, which suggests a close and mutually-beneficial relationship between urban space, urban memory generated with the experiences within urban space and urban identity. As dynamic organisms regenerated constantly, cities serve as a palimpsest with their structure which displays continuity and formS a physical layer. Located in downtown Konya, Alaeddin Hill is considered the symbol of the city and a significant mound exemplifying the palimpsest structure with its history dating back to the Phrygian era, and it constitutes the scope of the present study. Alaeddin Hill also consists of spatial traces and acts as an urban memory accumulating events and concepts. Reaching beyond the current appearance of Alaeddin Hill, the relevant traces and meanings were emphasized, and efforts were made to reveal the multi-layer structure of the hill using the concepts of palimpsest and urban memory.