Sawtooth overhang houses In Odupazari In Eskisehir


Creative Commons License

Manaz S.

in: The Science and Education at the Beginning of the 21st Century in Turkey, A. Drujinin, Z. Kostova, I. Sharuho, E. Atasoy, Editor, St. Kliment Ohridski University Pres, Sofia, Sofija, pp.218-229, 2013

  • Publication Type: Book Chapter / Chapter Vocational Book
  • Publication Date: 2013
  • Publisher: St. Kliment Ohridski University Pres, Sofia
  • City: Sofija
  • Page Numbers: pp.218-229
  • Editors: A. Drujinin, Z. Kostova, I. Sharuho, E. Atasoy, Editor
  • Anadolu University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Eskisehir was founded at the road junction intersecting Central Anatolia with Western Black sea, Marmara and Inner western Anatolia. It is an important city on the rail route between Ankara and Istanbul (Özüdoğru – Kedik & Manaz: 2005: 1-3). In terms of surface features, it consists of medium -height mountains, Porsuk brook and planes up in the Sakarya valleys (Ertin: 1994:2).

Eskisehir was founded in the place of ancient city called Dorylaion. It was the most important center of Phrygia region. Once Lydian king, Kreusos was defeated by Persians in B.C 546, all Phrygian regions were captured by Persians. As Alexander the Great entered into Anatolia, he conquered Phrygian region. However, after the death of Alexander the Great, many Galatz incursions to the region happened and the Roman Empire took the charge of the region in time. After the Roman empire was divided into two, the cities around Phrygia got smaller but Dorylaeum remained unchanged (Özüdoğru – Kedik Ertuğrul& Manaz: 2005: 2-3).

Turks learned about Eskisehir firstly in 1074 with Kutalmışoğlu Süleyman Şah(Altınsapan&Parla: 2004:6-14)Then, during the period of Orhan Gazi (1324-1361), the city was defined as a township ruled under Sultanönü Sanjak (Tuğlacı:1985:130).

During the period of Yavuz Sultan Selim (1512-1529), many reconstruction activities were conducted in Eskisehir and Sultanönü Sanjak (Doğru:1992:43).

Evliya Çelebi, who visited Eskisehir in 17. century, mentioned that there were 14 streets, a bazaar with 800 stores, 7 caravanserais, 7 kindergartens and hot springs in the city. Besides, he expressed that the center streets were located in the southern slopes of the city (Danışman:1969:53).

According to the Montrose armistice agreement that was signed by the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I, enemy forces could invade every important places they want, as a result, Eskisehir was invaded like other Anatolian cities on 23 January 1919 but Turkish forces saved the city on 20 March 1920 (Ertin:1994:17-38).

Eskisehir Odunpazarı neighborhood, which is accepted as archeological site, was located on an inclined land so the streets and houses accommodated to these land conditions. Houses are generally duplex/two-floored as on half basement floor or on a basement floor. However, there are one-floor or three-floored houses. Although houses are generally bordered on neighbor houses with one of front sides or two sides, there are some houses located independently in a yard. The entrances of these buildings in this neighborhood are generally opened to the street yet some of them were built as opening to a yard.

The main building materials of the houses are wood and adobe. The stone materials were used at foundation. The wall masonry was generally built as between wood and carcase with half-timbered/logging technique or with timber-work technique which was applied by basting lathes together. The floors were built on basement or half-floor basement.

Overhangs were used at the houses in order to enlarge the indoor, benefit from the scenery and sunlight, adapt to the land conditions or to compensate the disorders in building plan. These are used with console overhangs built with sticking out floor woods, overhangs with beamed console carried by consoles or overhangs carried by consoles and different designs at frontages.  These frontage designs are: frontage without overhangs; frontage at vertical position and generally two-floored. There are sub-groups, namely without overhang but with balcony, entrance at bay/niche and frontage with pediment-profilo.

Single overhanged frontage; the only overhang of the building is the opposite of the entrance but at side or in the middle.

Double overhanged frontage; it is the most common overhang group in Odunpazarı neighborhood. These are classical double overhang; group with balcony built between double overhanged frontages, frontages with pediment-profilo in the middle and combined overhanged frontages.

Three overhanged frontages; such type of application was used at the big houses with longer street frontage. In Odunpazarı, there are only two buildings with such kind of frontage.

Saw-tooth overhanged frontages, the focus of the study; these frontages were designed according to the width of frontage as single, double or three-overhanged.

Additionally, at the roof called as Cihannüma or kuş kondu, which is apart from the groups mentioned above, small rooms were built in order to benefit fresh water or scenery.