CIPA 2003 XIX th International Symposium, 30 September - 04 October, 2003, Antalya, Turkey 
2. IMMOVABLE HISTORICAL ASSETS AND 
GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM 
Immovable historical assets are monuments and conservation 
areas. These represent immovable prehistorical or hictorical 
assets on the ground, under the ground or on the sea bed, 
relating to science, culture, religion and fine arts (Aydemir, 
1999). IHA’s in Turkey are classified as immovable cultural 
assets, immovable natural assets, urban, historical and natural 
conservation areas (TC Resmi Gazete, 1989). Recoded 
conservation areas in Turkey are presented in Table 1. As seen 
in the Table 1, 6.812 units of conservation areas and 71.775 
units of cultural and natural assets have been determined and 
registered. In the responsibility area of Trabzon Conservation of 
Cultural and Natural Assets Committee, there are registered 
1.158 units of cultural and natural assets or conservation areas. 
These figures about historical assets reflect prosperous 
characteristic of Turkey as regards its cultural and natural 
assets. 
Conservation Areas 
Turkey 
Trabzon 
Cultural and 
Natural 
Conservation 
Committee 
Count 
Archaeological Cons. Area 
5.278 
2 
Natural cons areas 
831 
11 
Urban cons areas 
188 
8 
Historical cons areas 
125 
2 
Other cons areas 
390 
3 
Cultural (Single building base) 
and natural entity 
64.963 
1.132 
Total 
71.775 
1.158 
Table 1. Number of registered conservation areas and buildings 
in Trabzon and Turkey, (Kiilttir Bakanligi, 2003) 
IHA inventory records in Turkey are performed using 
information documents prepared in accordance with some 
standards and techniques concerning “Conservation Inventory 
of Natural and Cultural Assets” prepared by European Council. 
These info-documents include; 
Inventory Number: Determines the place of building or 
area in need of conservation. For example; in inventory 
number of 61.00-1.3-303 (61: city, 00: district, 1.3: 
tipologic number, 303: monument name). 
Tipologic Number : Numbers representing monuments. 
Map Number : Number of property or development 
map. 
General Information: City, district, street, address number, 
property map number. 
When the importance of spatial information of objects are 
considered, the main problem concerning immovable historical 
assets is that these assets are not registered using a special map 
or database recording system. That there is no link among TTE, 
cadastral maps, development map and current base map makes 
difficult preparation and implementation of some engineering 
projects (e.g, expropriation, road project, development map 
applications). 
Historical Asset Information System (HAIS) is a spatial 
information system by which graphical and non-graphical data 
about immovable historical assets are linked, analyzed and 
queried as regards their spatial locations. This system will 
guarantee implementation of some processes rapidly and in a 
reliable way beginning determination of historical assets by 
authorized committees through registration of these into the 
cadastral records. In the currently used system, spatial data 
acquired in determination stage is held on paper materials in 
ordinary archives. In this classical filing system, there is no 
proper availability to query and analyze acquired data. For 
instance, representing TTE data acquired in a specific year or 
having specific features on a map is not possible. In addition, 
because some required base-maps such as cadastral maps, 
development plans, and current topographical maps are under 
responsibility of different foundations, it is not easily possible 
to use this data in digital form. 
GIS is a system that allows to make a link with the earth by 
making possible spatial data organization, monitoring and 
analyzing (Yomralioglu, 2000). So, in order to monitor 
historical assets by combining these with geographical 
structure, GIS should be used. GIS have some advantages and 
disadvantages in determination and conservation of historical 
assets. These are as fallows: 
One of the advantages of GIS is that it provides rapid access to 
quality data and a possibility to share internal or external data 
between foundations. One of the main comforts of GIS as 
regards IHA researches is that it makes possible analyzing and 
querying high quality data. For example, similar historical data 
gathered in different dates by different institutions can be easily 
determined and studied. 
Another advantage of GIS is that metadata called as data about 
data can be stored as regards different data types or coverages. 
Thus, making easier to access to information in time by 
researchers or foundations. 
The most important disadvantage in accessing classical IHA 
storage systems is that it causes a loss of time and labor force. 
Meanwhile, it can be provided to access easily to data stored in 
a GIS system by using a graphic user interface. 
The most important disadvantage of GIS is that storing intense 
spatial data especially covering large areas in a database in 
specified standards is an expensive and time-consuming 
process. 
2.1 IHA Database Design 
Available data required for formation of new IHA database is 
on paper-based forms, of poor quality, not up to date, lack of 
adequate details and in different coordinate systems. Using or 
manipulating cadastral maps, land development plans and 
current topographic maps which is analog is a difficult process 
to execute. In addition to this, there are several regions not 
having even this kind of data. Besides, in these systems, visual 
materials such as photos, videos or graphical maps are either 
inadequate or not easily accessible. 
Because of swift expansion of urban areas in Turkey, it has 
become an indispensable need to develop techniques for 
conservation and presentation of historical assets. By 
integrating conservation areas, cultural and natural assets, 
cadastral maps, topographic maps and land development plans, 
IHA information system should be established. Providing a 
proper administrative organization on IHA is not only possible