Determining the Changes of Cultural Landscapes in the Historical Process: Germir District, Kayseri, Turkey

Today, cultural landscapes are undergoing rapid changes. These changes have raised the issue of understanding and defining change in the context of the protection and management of cultural landscapes. In this context, there are many studies with different perspectives on detection of change. In this study, the historical landscape assessment which is a quantitative method and the survey-analysis study which is a qualitative method was applied for Melikgazi district Germir province. For this purpose, aerial photographs and maps taken at different periods (1959,1975, 1986, 1992, 2005, 2015, 2020) were used within the scope of historical landscape assessment. In addition, a field study was conducted within the scope of survey-analysis method. The findings of the research were grouped under three headings. These are changes in the natural environment, changes in concrete cultural heritage and changes in intangible cultural heritage. As a result of the study, it was determined that cultural landscape values of Melikgazi/Germir District changed over time. In the conclusion part, the changes and transformation of historical and cultural landscapes are presented. As a result of the research, it has been determined that the area has lost its original quality and has undergone structural and cultural changes.