Traditional Antalya Houses |
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The formation of traditional Antalya houses is based on the following principles: regard for life, nature and the environment, sincerity, wisdom, flexibility and practicality, and an emphasis on function rather than style. All of which are apparent in the design concept and layout of the rooms and their placement in the traditional Turkish house. Antalya summers are very hot and winters are cool. The main objective in the houses is to avoid the heat and to provide cool air. For this reason shadowy pebbled mosaic courtyards, high ceilinged rooms and courtyards are specific features of Kaleiçi houses. To benefit from the gentle breeze that wafts from sea to land during the day and land to sea during the evenings the pride of a traditional Antalya house. Generally the houses are 2 stories high with an outer vestibule plan. The basement is made of brick or stone and the upper floor has an open wooden framework style (Bağdadi duvar). It is common to see painted ornamentation's of twisted branches, flowers, the moon and star symbols, leaves, rosettes, and other motifs as well as "Allah" and "Maşallah" phrases written on the facades. At the entrance one passes through a wooden door leading to a pebbled mosaic courtyard with gardens on both sides. The garden is enclosed for privacy by high walls and tall trees, which also provide much shade during the daytime. Usually due to the suitability of the climate, service rooms such as the kitchen, laundry, storage rooms, cellars, and stables are located in the basement. As a result these services do not really affect the planning of the house itself. In all of the gardens there is a cistern (well), which at the same time is used as a refrigerator where food is suspended in a basket. Throughout the streets there are canals running parallel to the houses and the water running through these canals is used in turn by people to water their gardens. Part of the garden underneath the house is called the pebbled mosaic courtyard. This is an indispensable element of Antalya houses. Daily life is generally passed in this paved courtyard or the vestibule. In the courtyard pebbles are set into the soft lime and in this way patterned areas with a botanical or geometrical theme are formed, this is a tradition, which has been carried on for thousands of years. This richly decorated floor is always damp, because of the water spread on it, which provides daylong coolness. Connecting the pebbled mosaic courtyard to the first floor are wooden stairs, which open at the center of the landing to a middle floor. The rooms of the middle floor are low ceilings with small windows and function as a cellar. At the top of the stairs there is a semi-covered area, the vestibule (hayat), furnished with a seating area and a wash sink. The vestibule (hayat) where most of the household activity takes place is the central point and gathering area of an Antalya House. The main floor of the house is the first floor. The size of the basements depends on the measurement of each property and for this reason many of the basements are of irregular size, however, this is corrected in the first floor by placing many bow window balconies in the upper floors. This irregular architecture of the buildings prevents monotony and gives life and richness to the streets that weave and wind in a labyrinth through the city. On the upper floors there are many rooms leading to the vestibule (hayat), which are carefully planned for the comfort of the private lives of the family members. The biggest and most well furnished room (Baş Oda) belongs to the man of the house and the guests to the house. The most important items which define the identity of this room are; a wooden hooded chimney, hand carved bedding chests, the carved and paneled ceiling with a carved center piece, high shelves and many specially named cupboards like "testilik," "peşkirlik," "lambalık", "fincanlık", "kavukluk", which are used to hold water pitchers, napkin holders, lamp holders, cup holders and hats. Inside the house, sofas are located in the alcoves between the windows. These sofas were where the women could look out and also entertain their guests. The colored rugs and carpets laid in the empty spaces were used for various functions. Beginning from the 18th century the Baroque and Rococo styles of the West were especially valued in interior design and decoration. Within a very short time, the influence from Istanbul to Anatolia was shown on the walls of the mansions, which were decorated with views, and panels of fruit and flowers. Decorative cornicing with Istanbul scenes and imaginary framed views are amongst the most popular items that display the wealth of the owner and can be seen in several houses of the antiquity in Kaleiçi. |
