Conservation Challenges of Cultural Heritage: Ottoman Baths in Istanbul's Historic Peninsula

Baths are multifaceted architectural structrures that embody both the tangible and intangible dimensions of cultural heritage. The construction of bath structures, designed to meet the architectural demands for bathing, health, and socialization, dates back to ancient times. During the Roman era, advancements in construction techniques and materials brought bath architecture to a high level of sophistication. In later periods, the Islamic emphasis on cleanliness contributed to the widespread adoption and development of bath architecture across Islamic cities. In Turkish-Islamic urban contexts, cleanliness became a core aspect of daily life, and baths gained prominence, particularly during the Ottoman period. Bath architecture reached monumental scale and refinement in the works of Hassa Chief Architect Sinan, especially in Istanbul. This study investigates the conservation challenges of Ottoman bath buildings in Istanbul, focusing on their distinctive architectural and structural characteristics, as well as their functional systems for heating, water supply, acoustics, and lighting. The causes of deterioration are categorized under several headings: environmental factors (including earthquakes, fires, and climatic conditions), fuel-related issues, socio-cultural transformations, economic difficulties, property disputes, inappropriate adaptive reuse interventions, and the negative impacts of urban transformation and zoning practices. The study examines three case studies of baths constructed by Architect Sinan during the Classical Ottoman period, representing different functional states: baths currently in ruins and unused, baths that have been adaptively reused, and baths that have retained their original function such as Valide Sultan Ayakapı (Cibali) Bath. Kapıağası Yakupağa Bath, Çemberlitaş Bath. Each case is analyzed in detail to understand the specific challenges and conservation needs.