Yaşayan Kültür Mirası Olarak Topkapı Sarayı Bahçeleri

Abstract

Tarihi bahçelerin biçimlenmesi döneminin yaşayış biçiminden, sanatsal-kültürel yapısına birçok faktörlerin etkisiyle beldi bir anlayışı yansıtacak şekilde tarihsel süreç içinde ülkeden ülkeye değişmiş ve gelişmiştir. Bu çalışmada bahçe sanatının gelişimine, bahçe anlayışının doğup geliştiği saray bahçelerinden hareketle tarihsel süreç içinde bakılarak Türk bahçe sanatının yeri ve önemi, taşıdığı özellikler çerçevesinde belirlenmeye çalışılmıştır. Dünyadaki bahçe sanatları içinde Türk bahçe sanatı, özellikle İstanbul'da gerçekleştirilen saray bahçeleriyle kendine özgü bir yer edinmiştir. Devirler halinde Türk bahçe sanatı incelendiğinde İstan bul'un fethinden Lale Devri 'ne kadar geçen dönem içinde Türk bahçe anlayışının esaslarının ortaya konduğu ve dış ve iç bahçeler şeklinde düzenlenen Türk bahçelerinin Doğu ve Batı bahçe sanatlarını kendi kaynak ve özüyle tarttığı, kendine yakın olanları alarak özümsediği, beslediği, kendine uydurarak kendi stilini yarattığı ve yeni sentezlerin doğmasına imkan verdiği görülmüştür. Türk bahçe sanatı Lale Devri 'n- de doruk noktasına ulaşmış, bu devirden sonra ise Batı etkisi altına girmiş ve 19. yy. 'da karakteristik özelliklerini kaybederek dış ve iç bahçe birbirine karışmıştır. Saray bahçelerinin ayrı bir yeri olduğu tarihi bahçeler ülkenin tarihi kültür peyzajı ve mirasının bir parçası olarak geçmiş ile gelecek arasında bağ kurulmasını sağlayan yaşayan mekanlardır. Bu tez de dünyada ve Türkiye'de bu ve daha birçok özellikleriyle önemli olan tarihi bahçelerin korunması için yapılmış ve yapılmakta olan çalışmalara değinilmiş ve içinde bulunulan durum değerlendirilmiştir. Yapılan çalışma ile önemli vurgulu özellikleriyle 18. yy. öncesi saray -bahçelerinden günümüze ulaşan Topkapı Sarayı Bahçeleri 'nin Türk bahçe anlayışının günümüze ulaşan simgesi olduğu, öneminin yıllardır göz ardı edildiği ve bahçelerinin insan ve zaman etkenleriyle maruz kaldığı tehlikeler nedeniyle bozulmuş olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Türk bahçe sanatının esaslarının ortaya konduğu Topkapı Sarayı Bahçeleri 'nin yaşayan kültür mirası olarak değişmeden gelecek nesillere bırakılması için elde edilen bütün bilgiler ışığında bahçelerin maruz kaldığı tehlikelere karşın belirsiz alan olmaktan kurtarılıp sahiplenilip korunarak sürekliliğinin sağlanması gerektiği saptanmış tır. Bunun sağlanması için çeşitli çözüm önerileri geliştirilmiştir.

The idea of the garden as a natural space, adapted by nan to meet his own aesthetic demands grew from the concept that private land could be used to satisfy many human heeds, and from the conviction that the beauty of nature could be improved by the work of man. In other words, the garden always has two roles, and it is as inseparable from its utilitarian function as it is from its aesthetic or "ideal function. As the expression of the direct affinity between civilisation and nature, and as a place of enjoyment suited to meditation or repose, the garden of palace thus acquires the cosmic significance of an :?. ; idealized image of the world, a paradise in the etymological sense of the term, and yet a testimony to a culture, a style, an age, and often to the originality of a creative artist. 1 1 Whether or not it is associated with a building in which case it is an inseparable complement, the historic garden cannot be isolated from its own particular environment, whether urban or rural, artificial or natural. The study consists of four chapters. In the second chapter, the development of the gardens of palace in the course of time from pre historic ages to the present time are explained. In this chapter, the criteria for the establishment of these gardens, architectural approaches, materials and plants which were used in the gardens, are also mentioned. In addition, the art of gardening which differs according to the climate, degree of slopes and other ecological conditions together with different cultures are examined over the course of time. In this thesis is examined that the art of Turkish gardening which has authentic features. The architectural composition of the historic garden includes: * Its plan and its topography, * Its vegetation, including its species, proportions, colour schemes, spacing and respective heights, * Its structural and decorative features, * Its water, still, reflecting the sky. XII The historic garden is an architectural composition whose consti tuents are primarily vegetal and therefore living, which means that they are perishable and renewable. Thus its appearance reflects the perpetual balance between the cycle of the seasons, the growth and decay of nature and the desire of the artist and craftsman to keep it permanently unchanged. In the third chapter; the importance of an historic garden has been examined. An historic garden is an architectural and horticultural compo sition of interest to the public from the historical or artistic of view. As such, it is to be considered as a living monument. Preservation of an historic garden must be governed by specific rules. In 1971 the IFLA (International Federation of Landscape Archi tects) and ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) y organized at Fountainebleau an initial conference on historic gardens which was the basis for the creation of a permanent International Committee. Ten years later this Committee was to draw up a seminal document, as an addendum to the Venice Charter covering the specific field concerned. Florance Charter (21 May 1981) setting out a few basic definitions as well as strict regulations concerning "the maintenan ce, conservation, restoration and reconstruction" of gardens. In Turkey, Palace and Parks Programme has been applied since 1984. Encompassing eight large parks and more than thirty individual sites, and employing over one thusand individuals, this programme engaged the successful co-operation of academics, government agencies and skilled workers.. It represents the active appropriation of an urban heritage by the residents of Istanbul. The programme moves beyond the repair and partial restoration of individual palaces and pavilions to the re-building and re-shaping of their dependent buil dings and parks. The specialised workshops and training courses of the programme ensure the continuing growth of local expertise in res toration. This programme is powerful model for the efficient re-use of otherwise under-valved spaces and resources. In the fourth chapter the architectural situation of the Topkapi Palace Gardens, natural and artificial materials which were used, plant species and composition from the view point of structure, tex ture and colour, are analysed. xnx In recent years the importance of green areas near the city centre in the shape of the Topkapi Palace Gardens has been better understood in Istanbul, because the green environment has decreased year by year. The Inner and Outer Gardens of the Topkapi Palace were surroun ding by a wall called Sur-i Sultani. The Outher Gardens of the Topkapi Palace consist of First Court yard and fifth Courtyard. Acces to the First Courtyard is through the Bâb-ı Hümâyûn, the biggest gate in the palace's land walls. This courtyard was surroun ded by buildings in which were performed administrative function of secondary importance within the tripartite governmental system of the Ottomans: palace, city and state. The other Outer Gardens of The Topkapi Palace is Fifth Courtyard. The main part of the Topkapi Palace was surrounded on three sides by park of woods, orchards, flower, gardens, and sports fields. Tall and slender cypress tress, -which did not obstruct the view and have a richly symbolic significance to the Turks, were the trees preferred for the palace parks and gardens. These were followed by evergreen boxwood, laurel, and poplar trees. Orchards and flower gardens *were adorned with rows of cypresses- Scattered here there amidst lawns and coppices were marble fountains, small pools with jets, and wooden bowers covered with fragrant jasemin or with vines, these being the main elements of Ottoman garden landscaping. The Marmara Side of Fifth Courtyard was divided up into section by means of fences and walls. The most important subdivision was near Seraglio Point and called Hasbahçe (Privy Garden). On the Sea of Marmara Side was Cirit Meydanı. The Inner Gardens of the Topkapi Palace consist of Second Court yard, Harem, Thirt Courtyard and Fourth Courtyard. Bâb-üs Selam was connecting the First and Second Courtyards. In designing Second Courtyard, the builders did not apparently follow any principles of axiality or symmertry. Neither Bâb-üs Saade nor Bâb-üs Selam occupy a central place in the plan nor are they even located on the same axis. Indeed in a sense the ceremonial aspects of the Second Courtyard were determined by the circulation patterns of traffic in the palace. Padişah Yolu was the most important and widest of the paths between the two gates of this courtyard. On eit her side of this stone-paved pathway were lawns in which trees -mostly cypresses- grew. The next pathway of importance in the courtyard is Vezir Yolu between the Divan-ı Hümâyûn and Bâb-üs Selam. xiv Bâb-üs Saade links the Second Courtyard with the Thirt Courtyard. Due to its symbolic singificance, this was undoubtedly the most impor tant of the palace's many gardens. Access to the Fourth Courtyard from Third Courtyard is through three passage. In the final chapter, in the above finding, The Topkapi Palace Gardens has been evaluted as a whole. On the other hand, the short- comeings in the practice of gardening have also been explained. In the final analyses, recommendations are made in view of the above information gained from this investigation. The conclusion can be summarized as fellows: * The outher gardens of the Topkapi Palace must be rescued from occupation of different use. In this way the Topkapi Palace can reach the own value. / * The ownership of the Topkapi Palace must be passed to National Palaces or Ministry of Culture. \ * As a monument, the Topkapi Palace Gardens must be preserved in accordance with the spirit of the Venice Charter and Florence Charter. However, since it is a living monuments, its preservation must be governed by specific rules. * UNESCO, ICOMOS and IFLA must be cooperated to preserve the Topkapi Palace Gardens. * It is the taks of the responsible authorities to adopt, on the advice of qualified experts, the appropriate legal and adminisstrative measures for the identification, listing and protection of historic gardens. The preservation of the Topkapi Palace Gardens must be pro vided for within the framework of land-use plans and such provision must be duly mentioned in documents relating to regional and local planning. It is also the task of the responsible authorities to adopt, with the advice of qualified experts, the financial measures which will facilitate the maintenance, conservation and restoration, and, where necessary, the reconstruction of historic gardens. * The historic garden is one of the features of the patrimony whose survival, by reason of its nature, requires intensive, conti nuous care by trained experts. Suitable provision should therefore be made for the training of such persons, whether historians, archi tects, landscape architects, gardeneres or botanists. xv * Those species of trees, shrubs, plants and flowers to be rep laced periodocally must be selected with regard for established and recognized practice in each botanical and horticultural region, and with the aim of determining the species initially grown and of pre serving them. Care should also be taken to ensure that there is re gular propagation of the plant varieties necessary for maintenance or restoration. * The historic garden must be preserved in appropriate surroun dings. Any alteration to the physical environment which will endan ger the ecological equilibrium must be prohibited. These applicati ons are applicable to all aspects of the infrastructure, whether in ternal or external (drainage works, irrigation systems, roads, car parks, fences, caretaking facilities, visitors' amenities, etc). * Restoration work must respect the successive stages of evolu tion of the garden concerned. In principle, no one period should be given preceednce over any other, except in exceptional cases where the degree of damage or destruction affecting certain parts of a gar den may be such that it is decided to reconstruct it on the basis of the traces that survive or of unimpeachable documentary evidence. * The Topkapi Palace Gardensis a specific landscape associated with a memorable act, as, for example a major historic event, a well- known myth or the subject of a famous picture. * The needs of the public may be satisfied without prejudice to. the conservation of the Topkapx Palace Gardens and landscape. By rea son of its nature and purpose, an historic garden is a peaceful place conducive to human contacts, silence and awareness of nature. Access to the Topkapx Palace Gardens must be restricted to the extent deman ded by its size and vulnerability, so that its physical and cultural message may be preserved. The conditions of occasional use of histo ric garden should be clearly defined. * The Topkapi Palace Gardens require several kinds of action, namely maintenance, conservation and restoration. Continuous mainte nance of the Topkapi Palace Gardens is of paramount importance. Since the principal material is vegetal, the preservation of the garden in an unchanged condition requires both prompt replacements when required and a longterm programme of periodic renewal (clear felling and rep lanting with mature specimens). * Interest in the Topkapi Palace Gardens should be stimulated by every kind of activity capable of emphasizing their true value as part of the patrimony and making for improved knowledge and appreciation of them: promotion of scientific research; international exchange and circulation of information; publications, including works designed for the general public; the encourangement of public access under suitable control and use of the media to develop awareness of the need for due respect for nature and the historic heritage. The Gardens must be left to the rising -generation as aliving cultural heritage.