Water heritage in Ankara: Conservation principles and strategies for Hanımpınarı Well in its wider network

Date

2025-11-27

Author

Akgül Coşkun, Zeynep

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The relationship between civilizations and water has historically been a primary determinant in shaping urban settlements. Beyond meeting basic needs, this bond has produced complicated infrastructure systems that serve as engineering marvels and carriers of traditional knowledge. In Ankara, a city with a multi-layered history, water management has evolved from Roman aqueducts to Republican modernization projects, utilizing sources such as Elmadağ, Hanımpınarı, and Çubuk. However, the rapid urbanization following Ankara’s designation as the capital led to the continuous modernization of these systems, causing the disappearance of many water structures built between 1920 and 1960. The Hanımpınarı Wells, a crucial component of the drinking water network from this era, have largely succumbed to this transformation; today, only one of the original seven wells survives with its electromechanical equipment intact. Although currently non-functional, this isolated structure stands as a significant representative of the city's water heritage. In this regard, the thesis aims to document and conserve the Hanımpınarı Well not merely as a singular architectural object, but as an integral part of a wider hydro-technical network. The study is structured around the theoretical framework of water heritage, the historical analysis of Ankara’s water systems, and the development of conservation strategies. Ultimately, the research proposes holistic principles to re-contextualize the surviving well within its detached urban and ecological connections.

Subject Keywords

Water heritage, Hanımpınarı Wells, Infrastructure heritage, Water systems in Ankara

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/118288

Collections

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis