The Site
Mudurnu, a historic town in Turkey situated along the Silk Road at the crossroads of the Western Black Sea, Central Anatolia, and Marmara regions, is known for its rich cultural and architectural heritage. In the early Ottoman period, it was an important centre for trade and craftsmanship, with a strong connection to Akhism, a socio-economic and ethical guild system that shaped the urban life of Anatolian towns. This tradition lives on today, particularly through the continued practice of the Merchants’ Prayer, which has been recited in the town’s bazaar for over 700 years.
The historic centre of Mudurnu is one of Turkey’s most extensive urban conservation areas, comprising nearly 2,000 historic buildings, approximately 250 of which are registered as cultural properties. These include well-preserved examples of timber-framed residential architecture that blend harmoniously with the town’s natural setting. The commercial hub of Mudurnu, its historic bazaar, features a total of 247 buildings, 67 of these are registered as cultural property to be protected. Following a devastating fire in 1906, the bazaar was reconstructed in a grid plan, with three main streets running parallel to the main road and smaller perpendicular streets, some incorporating staircases to adapt to the town’s terrain. Beyond its commercial function, the bazaar also houses municipal buildings, a public library, and the Yıldırım Bayezıd Mosque, which marks its southwestern edge.
Since 2015, two former ironsmiths’ shops have been restored as part of the Akhism Museum, preserving the stories and objects of the artisans, while additional historic shops continue to function within the museum’s exhibition scheme. However, many other shops in the bazaar remain vacant due to economic stagnation, rising rental costs, and a lack of commercial reinvestment. While some of these unused spaces contribute positively to the bazaar’s visual and cultural character as part of the open-air museum, others remain vacant as reminders of the challenges facing Mudurnu’s historic core.
Among Mudurnu’s most remarkable heritage structures is the Hakkı Efendiler Mansion, located centrally along the east bank of the Mudurnu Stream at the same latitude as the Yıldırım Bayezıd Mosque. Thought to have been built in the 1890s using materials left over from the construction of the nearby Armutçular Mansion, it represents a distinctive example of Mudurnu’s 19th century residential architecture. The three-storey, timber-framed structure features a bay window supported by wooden consoles, a balcony with wooden railings, arched wooden ornamentation, and a traditional tiled gable roof. Its main façade overlooks the mosque and the stream, with additional annexes extending from the north side.
Despite its historical and architectural value, the Hakkı Efendiler Mansion has remained largely neglected, placing it at risk of further deterioration. While a conservation project was approved by the Conservation Board in 2010, and Mudurnu Municipality acquired the property in 2018 with plans for its repair and reuse, conservation interventions have yet to take place. Together with the Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Mosque and Armutçular Mansion, it forms a unique architectural ensemble, offering a rare example of Mudurnu’s traditional housing style. Unlike other grand mansions in the town, which feature Baroque influences, the Hakkı Efendiler Mansion retains a purer expression of the local vernacular tradition, with minimal external modifications. Its high level of authenticity, combined with years of neglect, makes it both an invaluable and endangered heritage site in need of urgent conservation efforts.
The Project
The European Heritage Volunteers Project in Mudurnu will bring together participants to engage in two interconnected heritage conservation tasks aimed at preserving and revitalising important cultural sites in the historic town.
The first aspect of the project will focus on preparing and installing a temporary exhibition in the vacant shops of the historic bazaar. This exhibition will showcase the Bengüboz Photograph Collection, a unique archive capturing the rich social and architectural heritage of Mudurnu. To facilitate this, the participants will clean and prepare selected vacant shops and musealised former workshops, ensuring they are suitable for exhibition purposes. Temporary display structures, lighting, and signage will be arranged to enhance the visitor experience, while video documentation will capture the transformation process.
The second component of the project will address emergency conservation measures at Hakkı Efendiler Mansion, one of the most historically valuable but currently endangered traditional houses of Mudurnu. The participants will undertake primary documentation of the building’s current condition, cleaning both the interior and its immediate surroundings while carefully identifying any historical assets within the space. Updating the architectural documentation, originally prepared in 2010 and 2018, will be a key outcome of this effort. Additionally, basic conservation measures such as securing openings, installing protective supports, and carrying out minor repairs will contribute to stabilising the structure and preventing further deterioration.
The culmination of the project will be a public event forming part of the European Heritage Days, where the temporary exhibition at the bazaar will be inaugurated, reviving interest in the town’s historic centre and showcasing the photographic memory of Mudurnu as a means of reconnecting the community with its tangible and intangible heritage. Simultaneoulsy, participants will guide visitors through Hakkı Efendiler Mansion, offering insights into its history and conservation needs. The European Heritage Days, an initiative jointly led by the Council of Europe and the European Union, celebrate and promote cultural heritage across Europe through public events, community activities and site openings.
As part of the educational programme, the participants will have the opportunity to visit sites of historical relevance, gaining a broader perspective on regional heritage as well as related conservation efforts. Additionally, they will prepare and present case studies from their home countries, focusing on the revitalisation of historic urban centres through adaptive reuse, community-led initiatives, and the role of temporary exhibitions and other events to raise awareness for the local cultural heritage, in the same time showcasing its larger importance.
This project offers a hands-on experience in conservation, documentation, and heritage interpretation, while also contributing to the ongoing efforts to safeguard and promote Mudurnu’s cultural heritage. Through practical engagement and public outreach, the project seeks to bridge the past with the present, ensuring the continued appreciation and use of these historic spaces.
The project will take place from August 31st to September 13th, 2025, and is jointly organised by European Heritage Volunteers and Terra Mudurnu Association, in collaboration with Mudurnu District Governorship, Mudurnu Municipality, the Polytechnic University of Valencia and Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University – Süreyya Astarcı Mudurnu Vocational School.
