Restoration of The Bedesten in Trabzon

Abstract

Trabzon has had important commercial buildings since it has taken place at the beginning ofthe third caravan route through Asia. The Bedesten in Trabzon is one of these constructions. Itis commonly thought that the Bedesten as the central building of the commercial part of thetown was built by Ottomans in late 15th century in Trabzon.The Bedesten, which lost its original function over time, had structural distortions as being outof use and it tended to collapse. At the end of the 90s the idea of re-use of this structure witha different function which has to be protected as a major cultural asset of the city has beencome up. For this purpose, in collaboration with the Governorship of Trabzon and KaradenizTechnical University, it was regained to the social and trading life of Trabzon by carrying outa restoration project prepared by a working group that includes the authors of this article.This study comprises surveying practices, reconstruction and rehabilitation applications carriedout in restoration phase by introducing historical background and structural properties of theBedesten in Trabzon.