Investigation of the Deterioration Types Observed at the Kanuni Sultan Suleyman Mosque in Hatay Belen District

Abstract

One of the oldest cities in Anatolia and the meeting place of cultures and religions, Hatay was home to a variety of cultures. It is understood that historical life discoveries in the area date back to approximately 100.000 BC. In addition, Hatay and its surroundings have hosted many civilizations such as Akkadian Empire, Hittite, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Seleucid Empire, Roman Empire, Umayyad, Abbasid, Seljuk, Byzantine Empire. This region, which remained under the rule of the Ottoman Empire for 4 centuries, was ruled by the French for a while after the First World War. The region joined the Republic of Türkiye in 1939. One of the significant Ottoman Empire structures in Hatay are Kanuni Süleyman Mosque and Caravanserai in Belen District. This cultural complex, which comprises of a mosque, han, hammam, madrasah and castle, essentially has the characteristics of a social complex in many ways. The central mosque of Belen, this temple, is still standing and available for prayer. In this study, in-situ visual analysis was used to examine the different types of deterioration that have developed in the Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Central Mosque and Complex The mosque, which is located in this ancient and holy temple, stands out as the structure where the effects of atmospheric deteriorations are most frequently noticed. It is anticipated that the study’s data on deterioration will serve as a crucial foundation for the conservation planning studies that will be created in order to pass possession of the monument to subsequent generations.