Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1845119355 ISBN 13: 9781845119355

Publisher: I.B.Tauris, 2009

In its transition from 18th century capital of the Ottoman Empire to economic powerhouse of the Turkish Republic, the city of Istanbul has been transformed beyond recognition.  Using newly released archive sources, Murat Gül charts the urban transformation of Istanbul during the late Ottoman, early Republican and the Democrat Party periods of Turkish history.  After the establishment of the Republic, Turkey increasingly turned to the West for ideas about how to develop a modern culture, particularly in its most populous city.  Istanbul became a forum for the different regimes to display their political, ideological and social policies in the context of the built environment.  Gül traces the impact of these changing policies on the very fabric of the city itself -- in its streets, buildings and landscapes -- and in the process provides new insights into the history of Turkey.

About the Author:

Murat Gül is an Associate Professor in Architecture Program at the International University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Review:

'Murat Gul locates the...development of [Istanbul] in a clearly articulated description of the complex and intricate socio-political history of Turkey. Relying heavily on previously untapped archival sources, this book presents a fascinating and highly readable account of the physical development of the city as shaped by individual laissez-faire decisions and the planning, urban design and architectural ideas and schemes that were developed as different political leaders strove to create a modernised city.' - Jon Lang, Professor of Architecture, Master in Urban Development and Design Program [MUDD], University of New South Wales; 'Gul's book is a tremendously interesting read, synthesizing both original archival material with a range of other sources to present the first thorough exploration of the transformation of Istanbul... Judicial in its assessment of the most influential urban redevelopment in Istanbul's long history of piecemeal spatial reform, the book also gives readers a wealth of fascinating details about the history of urban planning failure in Turkey's most important metropolis.' - Christopher Houston, Head of Department of Anthropology, Macquarie University; 'This book addresses an important and significant gap in the literature of the urban history of Istanbul; it is greatly needed, and Dr Gul's book fills the void in a scholarly and highly readable manner. This book will not only appeal to architectural and urban historians, but also to a wider readership with an interest in modern Turkey.' - Trevor Howells, Director, Heritage Conservation Program, University of Sydney; 'This is a timely work on the history of Istanbul's modernisation as the city has been declared the cultural capital of Europe for 2010. It tells the story of the dramatic transformation of the city's urban form that took place in the early post-World War II years under Prime Minister Menderes' Democratic Party government - a much disputed and controversial period of Turkish history. ... [T]he book makes a very important contribution to understanding Istanbul's architectural and planning history.' - Dr John Dee, Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning, University of Sydney