Reinterpreting the Representational Space of Churches in Yozgat in the Context of Urban Memory and Cultural Heritage

This study explores the churches of Yozgat, Türkiye, as part of the city’s multi-layered cultural heritage through the perspectives of urban memory, spatial representation, and functional transformation. It examines how the historical meanings and identities of these structures have been maintained, altered, or become less visible as a result of changes in function, physical interventions, naming practices, and contemporary representations. The analysis considers three interrelated dimensions: the physical and historical characteristics of the churches, their visibility within urban memory, and their connections with the wider cultural heritage environment. Churches situated in urban, district, rural, and archaeological settings are comparatively examined in terms of their physical condition, historical layers, current functions, accessibility, and memory traces. The findings indicate that the continued physical presence of a structure does not necessarily ensure the continuity of its historical meaning in collective memory.