Reclaiming and Preserving the Architectural and Urban Legacy of Byzantine Trebizond/Trabzon (Türkiye)

Byzantine material culture, especially architectural and urban heritage, in modern Türkiye survives within a complex web of ideological, political, and practical tensions that influence its conservation, interpretation, and valorization. Here, Byzantine heritage has long occupied a ‘marginal’ —and often contested— position within national heritage narratives. This contribution examines these dynamics through the case of Trabzon, the capital of the Empire of Trebizond (1204–1461), where remnants of the Byzantine era continue to shape the city’s cultural and urban landscape, albeit frequently overlooked or reimagined. Trabzon stands out as one of the most remarkable cities in Byzantine history. It is among the most resilient of Byzantine urban centers, having preserved its urban character through the ‘Dark Ages’ (7th–9th centuries) and witnessing a significant architectural revival in the Late Medieval period when little evidence survives elsewhere in Byzantine Anatolia. Despite its historical and architectural importance, much of Trabzon’s Byzantine heritage has now been lost due to deliberate demolitions, neglect, and abandonment. These material losses are not merely the result of physical decay or urban pressures, but also stem from deep-rooted ideological tensions. Research indicates that heritage is often celebrated when it aligns with prevailing narratives of national identity, religion, or political ideology. Similarly, Türkiye’s Byzantine heritage —perceived as ‘other’ or disconnected from the national story— is often neglected, sometimes ‘appropriated’ and stripped of its original attributes, or politically instrumentalized. This contribution argues that the afterlives of Byzantine architectural heritage in Türkiye are shaped more by selective memory, shifting political ideologies, and the enduring influence of nationalist historiography than by pragmatic, functional, or economic concerns. Focusing on Trabzon, this research explores how the surviving Byzantine heritage is interpreted, transformed, or reframed to align with dominant political ideologies, and how these processes affect the preservation of the city’s architectural and urban legacy.