Architectural Features and Conservation Issues of Adjacent Public Fountains and Built-in Fountains (Abdestlik) in the Province of Bitlis

Enes Arkan; Mine Topçubaşı

doi:10.17798/bitlisfen.1718523

Architectural Features and Conservation Issues of Adjacent Public Fountains and Built-in Fountains (Abdestlik) in the Province of Bitlis

Abstract

Located in Eastern Anatolia, Bitlis is among Türkiye's provinces with the highest precipitation. Heavy snowfall and prolonged snow cover enhance groundwater recharge, supporting a stable water supply. Historically a frontier settlement, Bitlis preserves a rich heritage of water structures -baths, bridges, and fountains- reflecting the legacy of past civilizations. In the city center of Bitlis, 22 fountains are registered as immovable cultural assets by the Van Regional Board for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage. Additionally, there are adjacent or built-in fountains located within registered structures that have not been individually registered. These fountains, which once added comfort and value to the buildings they were part of, have now become a source of various structural problems. Over time, fountains in neglected buildings deteriorate, while at the same time, water-related damage from the fountains accelerates the decay of the structures. In addition to the 4 independent registered fountains adjacent the structure, 8 adjacent and 5 built-in the registered building fountains will be evaluated within the scope of this study. The characteristics of these fountains in Bitlis will be examined, and a typological comparison will be conducted. The conservation issues arising from the abandonment of buildings and the impact of conservation issues on the abandonment process will be evaluated through observational analysis. The findings obtained will serve as a basis for future conservation efforts aimed at preserving these fountains.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

The study is complied with research and publication ethics.

Thanks

This article is based on the doctoral dissertation entitled “Bitlis İli Taşınmaz Kültür Varlıklarının Koruma ve Kullanma Dengesi Kriterlerinin Belirlenmesine Yönelik Bir Yöntem Önerisi” (Gebze Technical University, 2025).

References

İ. Oymak, “Anadolu'da su kültünün izleri,” Fırat Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi, vol. 15, no. 1, 2010.
T. Acar, “Uşak merkez köylerinde yer alan çeşmelerin tipolojisi üzerine bir değerlendirme,” Sanat Tarihi Dergisi, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 163–179, 2018.
İ. Aktürk, “Trabzon’da Osmanlı Dönemi yapılan tarihî çeşmelerin mimari özelliklerinin incelenmesi ve korumaya yönelik değerlendirilmesi,” Külliyat, Osmanlı Araştırmaları Dergisi, vol. 14, pp. 137–151, Aug. 2021.
S. Çetintaş, “Türklerde su, çeşme, sebil,” Güzel Sanatlar Dergisi, vol. 5, pp. 125–147, 1944.
F. Koçyiğit, “Osmanlı mimarisinde meydan çeşmeleri,” Akdeniz Sanat, vol. 13, pp. 339–354, 2019.
S. Eyice, “Çeşme,” in TDV İslam Ansiklopedisi, vol. 8, pp. 277–287, TDV İslâm Araştırmaları Merkezi, 1993.
E. M. Okba and M. E. Embaby, “Sustainability and heritage buildings,” Int. J. Eng. Res. Technol., vol. 2, pp. 1682–1690, 2013.
R. Harrison, Heritage: Critical Approaches. London: Routledge, 2012.

S. Mazzetto, “Heritage conservation and reuses to promote sustainable growth,” Mater. Today: Proc., vol. 85, pp. 100–103, 2023.
S. Elyasi and R. Yamaçlı, “Architectural sustainability with cultural heritage values,” Cultural Heritage and Science, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 55–61, 2023.
B. Shilling and P. Stephenson, Eds., Fountains and Water Culture in Byzantium. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 2016.
S. Yeler and G. Yeler, “Kırklareli tarihi çeşmelerinin kültürel miras olarak değerlendirilmesi,” Kent Akademisi, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 315–334, 2021, doi: 10.35674/kent.884584.
V. de Freitas, M. Ramazanova, R. E. Cortés, and P. P. Leite, “Water conservation in the urban landscape through heritage and capacity building: The case of Guimarães, Portugal,” in Capacity Building Through Heritage Tourism. Apple Academic Press, 2021, pp. 1–29.
J. Douet, The Water Industry as World Heritage. TICCIH Thematic Study, 2018.
N. Novakovic, I. F. Yorke, and N. Micovic, “Reconstruction, restoration and presentation of the XVI century fountain at the Belgrade fortress,” Multidiscip. Rev., vol. 7, 2024.
ICOMOS, Statement of Significance for Water as Cultural Heritage. ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Water, 2021.
C. Hein, H. van Schaik, D. Six, T. Mager, J. C. A. Kolen, M. Ertsen, S. Nijhuis, and G. Verschuure-Stuip, “Foreword,” in Adaptive Strategies for Water Heritage: Past, Present and Future. Cham, Switzerland: Springer, 2020.
UNESCO, The United Nations World Water Development Report 2021: Valuing Water. Paris: UNESCO, 2021.
Ş. Öztürk and V. E. Belli, “Tarihi Bitlis Çeşmeleri,” in II. Uluslararası Ahlat–Avrasya Bilim, Kültür ve Sanat Sempozyumu, Bitlis, Türkiye, 2013, pp. 177–200.
Ş. Öztürk, “Bitlis Tarihi Hatun Çeşmesi koruma çalışmaları hakkında bir araştırma,” Amisos, vol. 7, no. 13, pp. 420–430, 2022, doi: 10.48122/amisos.1166730.
Bitlis Valiliği, Bitlis 1973 İl Yıllığı. Ankara: Çam Matbaası, 1974.
Ş. Öztürk, “An example of Bitlis historical fountains: Sokakbaşı Fountain,” in III. Int. Architecture Symp. “Built Environment Practices and Actors”, Diyarbakır, Türkiye, 2023, pp. 211–220.
N. Z. M. Azizi, A. A. Razak, M. A. M. Din, and N. M. Nasir, “Recurring issues in historic building conservation,” Procedia - Social Behav. Sci., vol. 222, pp. 587–595, 2016, doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.05.217.
M. I. Adegoriola, J. H. K. Lai, E. H. K. Yung, and E. H. W. Chan, “Development of a significant index model for assessing heritage building maintenance management challenges,” Eng. Constr. Archit. Manag., vol. 31, no. 8, pp. 3398–3428, 2024, doi: 10.1108/ECAM-05-2022-0457.
M. Shan, Y. F. Chen, Z. Zhai, and J. Du, “Investigating the critical issues in the conservation of heritage building: The case of China,” J. Build. Eng., vol. 51, p. 104319, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.jobe.2022.104319.
Z. Cao, L. Huang, Y. Mao, M. Mustafa, and M. H. M. Isa, “Navigating complexity in sustainable conservation: A multi-criteria decision making of architectural heritage in urbanizing China,” J. Build. Eng., vol. 102, p. 111906, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.jobe.2025.111906.
Z. Ahunbay, Kültür Mirasını Koruma İlke ve Teknikleri. İstanbul: Yapı Endüstri Merkezi Yayınları, 2019.
L. Zakar and K. K. Eyüpgiller, Mimari Restorasyon Koruma Teknik ve Yöntemleri. İstanbul: Ömür Matbaacılık, 2015.
C. Hein et al., Adaptive Strategies for Water Heritage: Past, Present and Future. Cham: Springer, 2020.
ICOMOS-ISCS, Illustrated Glossary on Stone Deterioration Patterns. Paris: ICOMOS, 2008.
B. Feilden and J. Jokilehto, Management Guidelines for World Cultural Heritage Sites. Rome: ICCROM, 1998.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Architectural Engineering

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Enes Arkan ^*
0000-0002-6588-7234
Türkiye

Mine Topçubaşı
0000-0002-0901-8093
Türkiye

Publication Date

September 30, 2025

Submission Date

June 13, 2025

Acceptance Date

August 18, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 14 Number: 3

DOI

https://doi.org/10.17798/bitlisfen.1718523

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA88PL74CJ

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Arkan, E., & Topçubaşı, M. (2025). Architectural Features and Conservation Issues of Adjacent Public Fountains and Built-in Fountains (Abdestlik) in the Province of Bitlis. Bitlis Eren Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi, 14(3), 1802-1821. https://doi.org/10.17798/bitlisfen.1718523

AMA

1.Arkan E, Topçubaşı M. Architectural Features and Conservation Issues of Adjacent Public Fountains and Built-in Fountains (Abdestlik) in the Province of Bitlis. Bitlis Eren Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi. 2025;14(3):1802-1821. doi:10.17798/bitlisfen.1718523

Chicago

Arkan, Enes, and Mine Topçubaşı. 2025. “Architectural Features and Conservation Issues of Adjacent Public Fountains and Built-in Fountains (Abdestlik) in the Province of Bitlis”. Bitlis Eren Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi 14 (3): 1802-21. https://doi.org/10.17798/bitlisfen.1718523.

EndNote

Arkan E, Topçubaşı M (September 1, 2025) Architectural Features and Conservation Issues of Adjacent Public Fountains and Built-in Fountains (Abdestlik) in the Province of Bitlis. Bitlis Eren Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi 14 3 1802–1821.

IEEE

[1]E. Arkan and M. Topçubaşı, “Architectural Features and Conservation Issues of Adjacent Public Fountains and Built-in Fountains (Abdestlik) in the Province of Bitlis”, Bitlis Eren Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 1802–1821, Sept. 2025, doi: 10.17798/bitlisfen.1718523.

ISNAD

Arkan, Enes - Topçubaşı, Mine. “Architectural Features and Conservation Issues of Adjacent Public Fountains and Built-in Fountains (Abdestlik) in the Province of Bitlis”. Bitlis Eren Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi 14/3 (September 1, 2025): 1802-1821. https://doi.org/10.17798/bitlisfen.1718523.

JAMA

1.Arkan E, Topçubaşı M. Architectural Features and Conservation Issues of Adjacent Public Fountains and Built-in Fountains (Abdestlik) in the Province of Bitlis. Bitlis Eren Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi. 2025;14:1802–1821.

MLA

Arkan, Enes, and Mine Topçubaşı. “Architectural Features and Conservation Issues of Adjacent Public Fountains and Built-in Fountains (Abdestlik) in the Province of Bitlis”. Bitlis Eren Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi, vol. 14, no. 3, Sept. 2025, pp. 1802-21, doi:10.17798/bitlisfen.1718523.

Vancouver

1.Enes Arkan, Mine Topçubaşı. Architectural Features and Conservation Issues of Adjacent Public Fountains and Built-in Fountains (Abdestlik) in the Province of Bitlis. Bitlis Eren Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi. 2025 Sep. 1;14(3):1802-21. doi:10.17798/bitlisfen.1718523