In this texture, a temporal and semantic density is felt rather than an aesthetic concern. Spolia stones are not limited to the architectural language of a singular period. On the contrary, they form a hybrid surface harboring traces of different ages simultaneously. This surface shows that Ankara is not only a city rebuilt throughout history, but also a space constantly reinterpreted. The presence of a Roman inscription on an Ottoman fountain or the use of a structural element belonging to the Byzantine period on a mosque wall is a form of direct contact established with the past. Spolia stones show that the function and usage of the space changed throughout periods; nevertheless, spatial continuity continued by being preserved.
The practice of using spolia stones, seen in many cities of Anatolia, becomes more readable in Ankara by concentrating especially around the castle. The main reason for this is that Ankara maintained its existence as a strategic settlement area starting from the Roman and Byzantine periods and preserved this central position throughout the Middle Ages as well. The spolia stones seen in structures around the castle are one of the most concrete proofs of this long-term settlement at the architectural level. This density shows the city’s long-term settlement character and that it was constantly re-signified by different civilizations throughout history. Stones of the ancient period transform into physical carriers of urban memory by continuing their existence within new contexts in Seljuk and Ottoman structures.
Therefore, spolia stones are a strong focal point in urban memory that brings together Ankara’s multi-layered history on a single surface. This texture, carrying the traces of the past to the present, offers us the opportunity to conceive of Ankara as a city readable through historical and semantic layers.
