The Genius Loci of Urban Settlements in the Ottoman Period of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Nadja Sabanovic1, Lana Kudumovic2, Ibrahim Numan2
1 Institute for construction of Canton Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
2 Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakif Univeristy, Istanbul, Turkey.

Abstract
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Abstract Urban settlements in Bosnia and Herzegovina started to emerge in their current form in the Ottoman period, which stretched from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century in Bosnia. In this period, new settlements in Bosnia and Herzegovina were developed according to principles that had already been widely applied in the Ottoman Empire, especially in the region of Central Anatolia. New social values were formed alongside processes of urbanization—these were the most significant changes that drove the development of Bosnia and Herzegovina from the Middle Ages onward. Such realities are conveyed in the unique genius loci of the settlements examined here. The aim of this paper is to define the essential spatial attributes of those settlements in Bosnia and Herzegovina that developed during the Ottoman period and their contribution to their “spirit of a place”. To achieve this goal, a range of spatial qualities have been extracted and examined. The discussion highlights how these spatial qualities contributed to the endurance of places with similar conceptual bases, keeping their distinctive spirit and authenticity.
Keywords: the spirit of a place, Ottoman culture in B&H, historic settlements, the built environment.

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Corresponding Author:
Nadja Sabanovic,
Institute for construction of Canton Sarajevo,
Sarajevo,
Bosnia and Herzegovina,
E-mail: nadja.sabanovic@gmail.com