Visibility Analysis in Historical Environments: The case of Kastamonu Castle and its Surrounding

Historical environments are under pressure of extinction because of rapid urbanization. These places are important heritage for the present and the future generations. As a cultural heritage element, historical environments contribute to the identity of the urban area and have positive effects on the economic, social and tourism aspects of the city. Today, various laws with the concept of protection- utilization balance evaluate the historical environments, which attract the attention of many local and foreign tourists. Kastamonu City, which has been home to many civilizations, varies in terms of historical monuments. The Kastamonu Castle and its surroundings are important symbols in the city that developed in the east and west direction along Karaçomak River, a branch of Gökırmak River. The pedestrian paths along the stream axis offer people a variety of images both functional and aesthetically. Within the scope of this study, the visibility of the historic houses around Kastamonu Castle and the city centre via the main pedestrian road in the north-south direction were examined. In the study, photographs were taken along the footpath and the new structures and historical texture are covered the on the photographs with the help of Adobe Photoshop Programme. At the same time, the best visible points were determined on the map. In conclusion, due to the fact that historical environments are an important element in terms of city identity, these areas should be considered as a whole and new constructions should be allowed to be paying attention to not restricting their visibility.

Anahtar Kelimeler: Visibility Analysis, Visual Quality, Kastamonu Castle

Historical environments are under pressure of extinction because of rapid urbanization. These places are important heritage for the present and the future generations. As a cultural heritage element, historical environments contribute to the identity of the urban area and have positive effects on the economic, social and tourism aspects of the city. Today, various laws with the concept of protection- utilization balance evaluate the historical environments, which attract the attention of many local and foreign tourists. Kastamonu City, which has been home to many civilizations, varies in terms of historical monuments. The Kastamonu Castle and its surroundings are important symbols in the city that developed in the east and west direction along Karaçomak River, a branch of Gökırmak River. The pedestrian paths along the stream axis offer people a variety of images both functional and aesthetically. Within the scope of this study, the visibility of the historic houses around Kastamonu Castle and the city centre via the main pedestrian road in the north-south direction were examined. In the study, photographs were taken along the footpath and the new structures and historical texture are covered the on the photographs with the help of Adobe Photoshop Programme. At the same time, the best visible points were determined on the map. In conclusion, due to the fact that historical environments are an important element in terms of city identity, these areas should be considered as a whole and new constructions should be allowed to be paying attention to not restricting their visibility.

Keywords: Visibility Analysis, Visual Quality, Kastamonu Castle