A Morphological Analysis on the Transformation of Ottoman Cities during the Tanzimat Era

Abstract

Ottoman Empire witnessed radical changes and transformations in the economic, social, political and legal fields during
the 19th century. Especially, with the proclamation of the Tanzimat Edict in 1839, several reforms were issued to
strengthen the relations with the West. It was a period of reform and westernization where new orders were
specifically structured for Istanbul and later implemented into the selected cities of the empire. Although these newly
introduced legal reforms had an impact on the urban fabric, the main factor driving the spatial transformation in
Ottoman cities was the need to solve problems related to fires, migration and population growth. Therefore, this study
aims to examine the changes brought about by the reforms specifically developed for the city and urban space during
the Tanzimat Era. Through an analysis on urban morphology, this study focuses on understanding the impact of
Tanzimat reforms on spatial transformation of various Ottoman cities – except the capital city İstanbul – that exhibit
similar urban characteristics and patterns of change.