The Traditional Ottoman Period Houses of Antioch

Abstract

During the Middle Ages, Antioch was succesively ruled by the Crusaders, the Ayyubides and the Mameluks. In 1516 the Ottomans conquered Syria and Egypt, and Antioch was included within the vast territory of the Ottoman Empire. The famous traveller Evliya Celebi, who visited the region in 1648, described the city and its castle in his Seyahatname (Book of Travels). He noted that the houses were well built and they mainly lay along the banks of the Asi river (Figs. 1,2). He also mentioned eight palaces and informed the reader about the commercial activities and baths of the city (Demir 1996:122-123). Moreover, water mills and wheels along the Asi river provided water for agricultural production and for oilier activities in the city and its environs (Kaya 2001:26).