The aim of this course is to enable students to evaluate the phenomenon of the city from a historical and cultural perspective and to develop an understanding of cities not merely as physical settlements, but also as dynamic structures in which political, social, and cultural processes are shaped. Within this framework, the course seeks to provide students with the ability to analyze different urban models from antiquity to the present, the formation of urban culture, city–society relations, and the impact of cultural heritage on urban identity. Furthermore, the course aims to enhance students’ ability to approach contemporary urban issues from a critical and interdisciplinary perspective by examining the transformations brought about in urban structures through processes such as modernization, industrialization, migration, and globalization within their broader historical context.

This course aims to examine the historical development of the city through its cultural, political, social, and spatial dimensions. From ancient cities to modern metropolises, the emergence, transformation, and governance of urban settlements will be analyzed in relation to architecture, everyday life, public space, identity, belonging, and cultural heritage. Within the scope of the course, particular attention will be given to urban traditions in Anatolia, the Mediterranean, and Europe, while themes such as the formation of urban culture, city–society relations, modernization, industrialization, migration, globalization, and cultural diversity will also be discussed. The course further emphasizes the understanding of cities not merely as physical settlements, but as cultural organisms in which political power, economic relations, and collective memory are continuously produced and reproduced. It aims to equip students with the ability to analyze urban phenomena from a historical perspective, critically evaluate issues related to cultural heritage and urban identity, and interpret contemporary urban problems within their broader historical context.