Lost Waters of Istanbul: Deciphering Cultural and Natural Landscapes Through Mapping

Istanbul has been known as a water city since ancient times, with many conveyance structures built to meet the city’s water needs. Its unique landscape and aquifer systems have been part of the city’s daily life throughout history, but today they face extinction due to urbanization and extensive groundwater use. Of the 321 creeks, only 174 remain due to these factors. The Lykos Creek, depicted in Christoforo Buondelmonti’s engraving, was one of the main creeks that has been lost. The paper examines how natural systems like creeks and springs have shaped Istanbul’s urban heritage, specifically the bostan and hagiasma. Using GIS, we analyzed land use by comparing past and present conditions through historical maps, including the 1845 Istanbul map prepared by Mühendishane-i Berri Hümayun students and the “Carte de Constantinople” map by F. Kauffer and J. B. Lechevalier. Our analysis focuses on the historical peninsula, one of the earliest administrative regions of Ottoman Istanbul. By comparing the historical maps to current urban features, hydrogeological maps, topographical data, and water network systems, we revealed the historical and current relationships of the sites studied. This analysis significantly impacts land use, tourism, and historical heritage development policies.