Sarigazi,Istanbul

Abstract

In Turkey, gecekondus (literally “set down by night”) are illegally constructed settlements that oftentimes become formalized over time. Through a description of the gecekondu settlement of Sarigazi, this article draws a connection between the function that Istanbul's historical monuments served in the past and the function of the gecekondus today. Through the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires and most recently the Turkish Republic, these monuments were in a continuous process of change and necessarily flexible to respond to changes in religion, culture, and power. At one time, Istanbul's ruins were lived monuments and authorities on life in the ancient city. Today, the gecekondus assert a similar authority. They reflect the epic lineage and personality of Istanbul— contradictory, incomplete, ambiguous, and heterogeneous—on a human scale.