The Ottoman Külliye as an Enduring Urban Symbol and Cultural Landscape: Cognitive Mapping of the Selimiye Complex in Edirne, Türkiye

Abstract

Ottoman külliyes have structured urban life and city landscapes for centuries through the integration of monumental architecture, public functions, courtyards, circulation, vegetation, and constructed landscape elements. This study examines whether that symbolic role remains perceptible to people experiencing Edirne. Thirty architecture, urban planning, and landscape architecture students joined a field trip on 16–18 March 2018 and subsequently produced three ranked cognitive-map drawings with short descriptors. The dataset comprised 90 drawings. Drawings were coded by urban element, rank, monument, and perceptual attribute, and frequencies were analyzed descriptively. Külliyes accounted for 29 drawings (32.2%)—more than any other category—and Selimiye represented 19 of these 29 drawings (65.5%). Architectural splendor and size were the most frequent descriptors, followed by topographic prominence, citywide visibility, and lighting. Together with historical evidence, the drawings indicate that Selimiye continues to function as an urban symbol and landscape reference for this participant group. Its influence on people touring the city arises from the interaction of distant skyline visibility, elevated siting, approach sequences, and close-range architectural and courtyard experience. Heritage-led planning should protect these relationships while maintaining the complex’s connection to everyday urban life. The exploratory sample limits generalization, but the protocol offers a reproducible basis for comparison.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Sustainability, 2026 · DOI ↗