In search of an ‘Ottoman Landscape’: Sinan’s works in Thrace as expression of tangible heritage

The aim of the paper is to describe the ‘Ottoman Landscape’ designed by architect Sinan in the 16th Century, through examples of architectural artifacts like mosques, staging posts, caravanserais, complexes, bath and bridges inside the Turkish border of the Thrace region. The land routes connected the capital of the Ottoman Empire Istanbul to the rest of Europe were important routes crossing the Western lands under the control of the Ottomans, to reach other countries and lands. Thanks to descriptions left by many travelers, we can today have an idea of the cities, the urban spaces, the landscape and the territories of Thrace during the Ottoman time, in a period covering approximately the last five centuries. A description of Sinan’s works in the territory of Thrace is given and analyzed, focusing on interesting aspects related to the choice of the site, the urban planning approach and the architectural features. Nowadays Sinan’s works are still visible in the territory and in the minor centers of Thrace, or outside big cities like Istanbul and Edirne. Throughout these investigations and studies we can re-construct and re-shape the enormous heritage left by him as part of an ‘Ottoman Landscape’, not only considers in terms of specific and unique monuments that need to be protected, but also as part of a cultural ‘milieu’ that belongs to our contemporary world. This landscape needs to be revitalized, to preserve the memory of its historical values and for its future persistence in the territory.