Abstract
A Methodological Approach to the "Genoese" Period of Çeşme Castle in the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List Context
The UNESCO World Heritage List, as a reputable global classification, may positively affect the preservation and promotion of architectural heritage as cultural destinations with international recognition. Nevertheless, together with essential regulations, studying such monuments through a historical framework and placing them into a thematic architectural context have vital importance. However, studies on architecture and relevant scientific disciplines are occasionally omitted during conservation processes. Through confusion in the literature, the monuments may be identified with ambiguous, even inaccurate thematic identities that can affect a UNESCO listing process. With the submission of the Turkish National Commission for UNESCO dated to 2020, Çeşme Castle became a part of the submission entitled "Trading Posts and Fortifications on Genoese Trade Routes from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea" and added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. Yet, there are critical inaccuracies between the theme and the monument in the architectural history context. In this research, Çeşme Castle was studied through primary sources in terms of the UNESCO listing. A methodological discussion was made about the alleged "Genoese" identity that the literature merely displayed only through some assumptions so far. The findings indicate no solid evidence about any Genoese relevance for Çeşme Castle and only point to the Ottoman period.
Keywords
Genoese, Aegean Sea, Castle, Architectural History, Fortifications, UNESCO
