Renata Holod

viii Introduction Renata Holod This volume contains the Proceedings of group takes up broader questions of attitude urban archeological survey described in this the second in a series of seminars which and procedure; the second deals with volume is possible. will precede the announcement of the first specific cases, implemented or still in study Preservation efforts have been challenged on Aga Khan Award for Architecture. The form; and the third considers the uses of an the one hand by a shortage of personnel and general aim of the seminars is to review architectural heritage. There is, of course, budgets and, from a completely different aspects of architectural transformations considerable overlap between the papers and direction, by a phenomenon common within the Islamic world, highlight specific discussions (some may have been better throughout the Islamic world: the existence problems and solutions to them, and situated in a separate methodological of the institution of the vakf and its role in develop the bases for criteria for the Award. section); and as many, if not more, questions the maintenance of buildings funded by The aim of the seminar held in the fall of have been raised as solutions given. Yet individual vakf deeds 1978 in Istanbul was to focus on historic several themes emerged which would environments and to consider strategies indicate the directions of further investiga The institution of the vakf (pious founda which could ensure a future for those tion and action. tion) was an important characteristic of environments in the rapidly changing Islamic social, economic and religious life physical and social landscape. The nature of Restoration, recording and preservation of Originally, edifices of a religious and social that future would most likely vary according individual buildings has been an activity in nature were funded (after they were built) to the initiatives and needs of each par which most governments of the Islamic through a religious trust; incomes from ticular place. The underlying assumption, world have invested. Ministries of Culture agricultural and commercial properties however, was that these environments may or affiliated bodies have sponsored laws provided support for activities housed in still play an important role in the life of which would protect the integrity of these them, as well as for maintenance. Each vakf contemporary Islamic societies. Though the registered buildings. National or municipal was administered by an independent group role perhaps differs from that of previous codes which classify buildings into types of trustees. Any major institutions, such as a periods, historic environments could not just which must be preserved intact, or whose mosque or madrasa, could also receive be swept away in the desire to modernize as fa~ades alone must be preserved, exist in additional vakfs for specific activities or rapidly as possible. Some of these environ Turkey, Morocco, Iran and other countries. items. Activities, from support for pilgrims ments have remained a focus for the more Nonetheless, in many cases the concept of a to winter feed for birds, could also be traditional elements of societies. Others street fa<;ade is an architectural feature quite funded independently of buildings. Within provide valuable housing space for alien to the necessities of preserving a the townscape of a traditional Islamic city, migrants. All possess rich reserves of courtyard-oriented building. Thus, even the most if not all social and religious buildings architectural ideas, and townscapes with a codes of preservation which have existed were under the care of individual vakfs and distinct flavour and identity. Finally, many on the national level may not be suited independent trustees. Moreover, many of could provide valuable lessons for con to the nature of many buildings and their the residential and commercial buildings temporary designers. townscapes. were the income-producing components of foundations. Only the larger private The seminar dealt with aspects of preserva Centralized institutions have initiated repair residences or palaces remained outside the tion and conservation. However, the papers and restoration programmes on varying and discussions also considered such related system, although they could be converted scales. Some have been carried out by their into trust properties. The upkeep of both the topics as archeological surveys, architectural own personnel, others have called upon history and its present uses and the history institutions and the income-producing outside expertise. While some of these buildings was the obligation of the trustees. of urban patterns. While papers were invited activities have been recorded and published, to discuss projects and issues from various such as the restoration and research The evolution of the vakf institution to the regions of the Islamic world, the coverage is programmes on the Safavid monuments of present day has varied depending on region by no means complete. The location of the Isfahan or on the monuments of Istanbul, and country. In some countries it has seminar in Istanbul resulted in a concen many interventions remain poorly recorded disappeared completely, with the institutions tration on a more regional, Turkish per or published. Clearly, a key building block and whatever enjoined properties were left spective, though the range of problems in whatever wider-reaching programmes of to them being nationalized and incorporated raised in this more narrow context may be intervention and conservation may be into other ministries. In others, the adminis found equally in other regions of the Islamic undertaken is parallel recording activity. tration of the vakfs has been delegated to a world. The selected bibliography at the end Large-scale recording efforts have already separate Ministry of the Vakf, with cen of this introduction may prove useful for the been initiated through universities and local tralized control over incomes and responsi reader who wishes to investigate specific offices of urban planning; good starts have bility for maintenance. In still others, cases in other regions. been made by I.T.U , M.E T U and the State control over individual trusts has remained on the local level. Rather than follow the order of the papers Academy of Fine Arts With the number of strictly as presented, we have grouped them trained students in both these institutions, a Whether it now exists in localized form or as according to their general intent. The first concerted programme similar in intent to the part of a centralized administration, this Introduction ix institution has had and still retains im necessary incentives and personnel to carry townscape of a mad ina, it is the har portant influence over the nature of out scientific recording and restoration. monious arrangement of the two categories maintenance and preservation. As an in Finally, because vakfs usually provided for with their systems of communication which stitution, it has great potential as an agent in socially beneficial activities, there would resulted in a distinct regional and cultural preservation and perhaps in conservation. It seem to be some potential for continuing or character. Even cosmetic changes in a is still a specifically Islamic form of property re-inserting this practical aspect by en particular neighbourhood have an impact on maintenance; with some internal restructur couraging more local activity. the surrounding physical setting, as well as ing, it could be the mainstay of preservation on its popUlation. Any efforts which deal and conservation efforts. As an example, A problem closely connected to the location with the setting of a monument must con one can point to the history and activities of of the control over historic monuments is sider all the approaches associated with the Turkish institution which has had some the status of monuments which are them conservation programmes, be they social success in these efforts. A government selves important religious loci, e.g. Mecca, or physical, as have been recently organization (VakTflar Genel Mudiirlugu) Medina, Jerusalem, Karbala, Najjaf, articulated. established as the descendant of old vakf Mashhad and other smaller shrines. These loci are by no means abandoned; on the The status and condition of the older, institutions (and an intermediate nineteenth historic or traditional city quarter (the century Ministry of Awqaf) has been contrary, they must withstand the enormous pressures of rising frequentation, no doubt a madina) is a shared aspect of many Islamic moderately successful in maintaining the towns. All have been subjected to, or are monumentsj institutions under its aegis, and result of improved communication systems. The administrators of the shrines are forced still undergoing, processes of major demo has expanded its activities into the fields of graphic change. The groups or classes which restoration, reconstruction and adaptive to cope, and indeed they have. Yet at times, the new additions or reconstructions have originally built, inhabited and maintained reuse. Particularly successful has been the most of the housing and institutional stock reuse of madrasa or caravanserai buildings, largely altered or completely obliterated not only the historic and characteristic features of the mad ina have moved to new de which had lost their original functions, into velopments built on foreign models. Their dispensaries, hotels, hostels and the like. of the monuments, but

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