The
old
town
of
Koya
holds
a
special
place
among
Northern
Iraqi
historic
towns.
Its
architecture,
still
preserved
today,
reflects
the
great
prosperity
of
this
regional
centre
in
the
late
Ottoman
period.
At
that
time,
Koya
was
a
bustling
town
that
benefited
from
trade
in
livestock
and
agricultural
products
and
was
home
to
many
literati
and
talented
people
in
religious
and
cultural
fields.
Two
valuable
domed
trade
buildings
(qaysariyas),
the
Great
Mosque,
the
Mahmud
Agha
Khan
(caravanserai)
and
numerous
heritage
houses
dated
from
the
1840–1930
period
represent
this
heyday.
After
many
decades
of
neglect,
destruction
and
reckless
modernisation,
the
gradual
restoration
of
this
heritage
is
beginning
with
the
cooperation
of
Kurdish,
German
and
Czech
experts,
directed
by
WADI
e.V.,
with
the
financial
contribution
of
the
Aliph
Foundation.
ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE OF KOYA / KOI SANJAQ
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Webdesign by Nyx Alexander Design
© 2022 WADI e.V.
Webdesign by Nyx Alexander Design
he
historical
origins
of
Koya
remain
unclear
so
far,
although
there
are
archaeological
hints
that
Koya
and
its
surroundings
used
to
be
a
Christian
regional
centre
–
a
bishop
see
–
in
the
period
from
the
3rd
to
7th
century
AD.
Later
medieval
periods
represent
a
‘Dark
Age’
in
the
history
of
the
town.
One
can
only
speculate
that
since
the
1530s
the
district
(sanjaq)
of
Koya
played
important
role
in
the
Ottoman
borderland
protection
policy.
In
the
mid-
eighteenth
century,
Koya
was
already
considered
the
largest
and
most
powerful
Kurdish
principality
in
Iraqi
Kurdistan,
even
extending
its
power
over
the
Erbil
and
Altun
Köpri
districts.
The
power
of
the
town
stemmed
not
only
from
its
strategic
position
and
political
role
but
also
from
developed
agricultural
production
and
commerce,
which
included
also
special
goods
like
tobacco.
At
the
beginning
of
the
19th
century,
the
number
of
inhabitants
of
Koya
was
estimated
surprisingly
high
–
12.000
according
to
British
traveler
William
Heude.
According
to
the
location
of
the
oldest
dated
landmarks
in
the
city
plan,
we
can
conclude
that
the
mid-nineteenth
century
was
a
key
period
of
the
urban
growth
and
that
roughly
all
areas
of
the
present-day
urban
nucleus
have
been
already
occupied
in
the
first
half
of
the
nineteenth
century.
In
1847,
the
Ottomans
took
over
direct
control
of
the
town,
and
the
commercial
character
of
Koya
has
been
even
stressed
as
a
consequence
of
the
Tanzimat
policy,
which
intended
to
tie
the
remote
provinces
closer
to
the
capital.
Since
the
1960s
when
Koya
was
identified
as
one
of
the
centres
of
the
Kurdish
nationalistic
uprising,
its
city
suffered
many
losses
caused
by
both
direct
military
operations
and
administratively-based
reconstruction
obstacles.
The
27-
hectare
core
of
the
oval
plan,
situated
on
the
south-eastern
slope
and
annexed
to
the
Koya
stream
terrace
edge,
was
originally
fortified
by
a
wall
punctuated
with
four
gates,
according
to
the
local
historical
tradition.
The
wall
had
gone
out
of
use
at
the
beginning
of
the
19th
century
and
was
gradually
removed.
The
main
streets
used
to
connect
the
gates
with
the
central
commercial
node
situated
in
the
area
among
the
Grand
Mosque,
the
bazaar
with
its
two
qaysariyas
and
khans.
The
axial
road
running
from
the
south
gate
to
the
north-west
presumably
represented
the
once
most
important
corridor.
In
a
later
phase,
probably
after
the
removal
of
gates,
its
importance
might
have
been
overshadowed
by
a
commercial
thoroughfare
coming
from
the
southeast,
as
the
orientation
of
qaysariyas
followed
its
direction
and
khans
were in touch with it.
1 – Great Mosque
(1844 AD)
2 – Old Qaysariya
(1840 AD)
3 – New Qaysariya
(1906 AD)
4 – Mahmud Agha Khan
(1277 H, 1861-62 AD)
5 – Jameel Agha House
6 – Murad Agha House
7 – Rasul Agha House
(1885 AD)
8 – Mar Yusif Church
Dashed
and
dotted
lines
–
hypothetical
courses of the town fortification
G – Possible location of gates
1 – Grand Mosque
2 – Mhmud Agha Khan
3 – Old Qaysariya
4 – New Qaysariya
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Webdesign by Nyx Alexander Design
The
vivid
commercial
activity
in
the
Ottoman-period
Koya
is
corroborated
by
the
fact
that
at
least
three
khans
(caravanserais) used to exist in the city to house merchants.
Only
the
most
prominent
one
of
them,
Mahmud
Agha
Khan,
survived
until
the
present
day
,
occupying
the
central
part of the bazaar close to the Grand Mosque, both covered bazaars
(qaysariyas)
and several house residences.
It
was
founded
in
1277/1860-61
and
represents
a
two
storey
type
of
Ottoman
khan
with
a
large
courtyard
built
on
all
four
sides,
with
stables
and
storage
rooms
in
the
basement
and
accommodation
spaces
on
the
first
floor.
All
doors‘
frames
revêtements
are
decorated
with
slightly
ornamented
so
called
Mosul-marble
slabs.
The
rooms
in
the
upper
floor
contain
fire-places
as
heating
facilities.
The
entrance
portal
is
lavishly
decorated
with
a
floral
ornament
made
of
so
called
Mosul-marble
and
contains
a
persian
insccription
which
mentions
the
date
of
erection
and
blesses
the
owner
of
the
khan.
The
khan
was
preserved
in
a
roughly
original
state
until
1993
when
the
dilapidated
building
complex
was
partly
repaired
at
the
expense
of
the
owners.
These
interventions,
however,
did
not
prevent
large-scale
ruination
in
the
2010s
which
the
arcades
of
the
west
and
east
wings
fell
victim.
In
September
2021,
the
ruined
khan
was
documented
in
detail
and
a
project of emergency stabilization was underway with the prospect of gradual restoration of the entire complex.
The
later
layer
of
the
houses
can
be
characterized
as
a
post-Ottoman
and
colonial
evolution
of
the
traditional
house.
The
houses
maintained
the
Ottoman
organization
of
the
inner
space
(with
more
stress
put
on
perimeter
arcade
passages
in
the
case
of
the
elite
houses),
but
have
applied
new
architectural forms:
© 2022 WADI e.V.
Webdesign by Nyx Alexander Design
RESIDENTAL
ARCHITECTURE
represents
the
most
numerous
and
most
valuable
part
of
the
Koya
old
town
heritage,
comprising
more
than fifty structures.
Its
evolution
demonstrates
the
transformation
of
life
standards,
building
technologies,
and
architectural
styles
since
the
2nd
half
of
the
19th
century.
The
oldest
layer
of
the
residential
architecture
features
late
Ottoman
houses
with
spacious
first-floor
arcades
(tarma)
supported
usually
by
wooden
columns
with
carved
capitals.
The
houses
are
furthermore
characterized
by
spacious
courtyards
with
a
central
fountain,
timber
roofs
and
pointed
arches,
richly
niched
living
rooms,
decorative
stonework
(using
an
elegant
gypsum
stone
of
Mosul
origin,
so
called
Mosul
marble,
as
raw
material),
stucco,
reliefs,
and
inscriptions,
as
well
as
metal
accessories (window bars, railings, door knockers, etc.).
The
preserved
assemblage
of
the
late
Ottoman
houses
in
Koya
comprises
both
large
palatial
residences
and smaller houses.
Rasul Agha
Sabir Mam Khidr House
Safeguarding and
Restoration Work
Research and
Documentation
Photogrammetry and
Remote Sensing
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
© 2022 WADI e.V.
Webdesign by Nyx Alexander Design
The project was conducted under direction of WADI e.V. (Frankfurt,
Germany) and generously financed by the ALIPH Emergency Fund.
The tams consists of
WADI e.v. and the project team would like to acknowledge the continuous support and facilities which
have been provided by the following institutes to this project:
ﻆﻔﺘﺤﺗ ﺖﻟﺍﺯ ﺎﻣ ﻲﺘﻟﺍ ﺎﻬﺗﺭﺎﻤﻋ ﻥﺇ .ﺔﻴﻟﺎﻤﺸﻟﺍ ﺔﻴﻗﺍﺮﻌﻟﺍ ﺔﻴﺨﻳﺭﺎﺘﻟﺍ ﻥﺪﻤﻟﺍ ﺰﻛﺍﺮﻣ ﻦﻣ ﺎﻬﺗﺍﺮﻴﻈﻧ ﻦﻴﺑ ﺍﺰﻴﻤﺘﻣ ﺎﻧﺎﻜﻣ ﺔﻤﻳﺪﻘﻟﺍ ﻪﻳﻮﻛ ﺓﺪﻠﺑ ﻞﺘﺤﺗ
ﺖﻧﺎﻛ ،ﺔﺒﻘﺤﻟﺍ ﻚﻠﺗ ﻲﻓ .ﻲﻧﺎﻤﺜﻌﻟﺍ ﺪﻬﻌﻟﺍ ﺮﺧﺍﻭﺃ ﻲﻓ ﻲﻤﻴﻠﻗﻹﺍ ﺰﻛﺮﻤﻟﺍ ﺍﺬﻫ ﻩﺪﻬﺷ ﻱﺬﻟﺍ ﺮﻴﺒﻜﻟﺍ ﺭﺎﻫﺩﺯﻻﺍ ﺲﻜﻌﺗ ،ﺍﺬﻫ ﺎﻨﻣﻮﻳ ﻰﺘﺣ ﺎﻬﺘﺌﻴﻬﺑ
ﻥﺎﻨﺛﺍ ﻚﻟﺎﻨﻫ .ﻦﻴﻔﻘﺜﻤﻟﺍﻭ ﺀﺎﺑﺩﻷﺍ ﻦﻣ ﺪﻳﺪﻌﻠﻟ ﺎﻨﻃﻮﻣ ﺖﻧﺎﻛ ﺎﻬﻧﺃ ﺎﻤﻛ ﺔﻴﻋﺍﺭﺰﻟﺍ ﺕﺎﺠﺘﻨﻤﻟﺍﻭ ﺔﻴﺷﺎﻤﻟﺍ ﺓﺭﺎﺠﺗ ﻦﻣ ﺓﺪﻴﻔﺘﺴﻣ ﺔﻳﻮﻴﺣ ﺓﺪﻠﺑ ﻪﻳﻮﻛ
ﻲﺘﻟﺍ ﺔﻴﺛﺍﺮﺘﻟﺍ ﺭﻭﺪﻟﺍ ﻦﻣ ﺔﻋﻮﻤﺠﻣ ﻦﻋ ﻼﻀﻓ (ﻱﺍﺮﺴﻧﺎﻓﺮﻜﻟﺍ) ﺎﻏﺃ ﺩﻮﻤﺤﻣ ﻥﺎﺧﻭ ،ﺮﻴﺒﻜﻟﺍ ﻊﻣﺎﺠﻟﺍﻭ ،(ﻥﺎﺘﻳﺮﺼﻴﻗ) ﺔﺒﺒﻘﻤﻟﺍ ﻕﺍﻮﺳﻷﺍ ﻦﻣ
،ﻝﺎﻤﻫﻹﺍ ﻦﻣ ﺔﻠﻳﻮﻃ ﺩﻮﻘﻋ ﻲﻀﻣ ﺪﻌﺑ .ﺎﻬﺟﻭﺃ ﺓﻭﺭﺫ ﻞﺜﻤﺗ ﻲﺘﻟﺍ ﺓﺮﺘﻔﻟﺍ ﻚﻠﺗ ﻲﻫﻭ 1930-1840 ﻦﻴﺑ ﺎﻣ ﻡﺍﻮﻋﻷﺍ ﻰﻟﺇ ﺎﻬﺨﻳﺭﺎﺗ ﻊﺟﺮﻳ
ﻚﻴﺸﺘﻟﺍﻭ ﻥﺎﻤﻟﻷﺍﻭ ﺩﺍﺮﻛﻷﺍ ﺀﺍﺮﺒﺨﻟﺍ ﻦﻴﺑ ﻥﻭﺎﻌﺘﻟﺍ ﻝﻼﺧ ﻦﻣ ﺙﺍﺮﺘﻟﺍ ﺍﺬﻬﻟ ﺔﻴﺠﻳﺭﺪﺘﻟﺍ ﻢﻴﻣﺮﺘﻟﺍ ﺔﻴﻠﻤﻋ ﺕﺃﺪﺑ ،ﻲﺋﺍﻮﺸﻌﻟﺍ ﺪﻳﺪﺠﺘﻟﺍﻭ ﺮﻴﻣﺪﺘﻟﺍﻭ
.ﻒﻟﺃ ﺔﺴﺳﺆﻣ ﻦﻣ ﻲﻟﺎﻤﻟﺍ ﻢﻋﺪﻟﺍ ﻦﻋ ﻼﻀﻓ
ﻖﺠﻨﺴﻳﻮﻛ /ﻪﻳﻮﻜﻟ ﻱﺭﺎﻤﻌﻤﻟﺍ ﺙﺍﺮﺘﻟﺍ
ﺓﺪﻴﻔﻣ ﻂﺑﺍﻭﺭ ﻞﻤﻌﻟﺍ ﻖﻳﺮﻓ ﺔﻴﺛﺍﺮﺘﻟﺍ ﺭﻭﺪﻟﺍ ﺕﺎﻳﺮﺼﻴﻘﻟ ﺎﻏﺃ ﺩﻮﻤﺤﻣ ﻥﺎﺧ ﻪﻳﻮﻛ ﺦﻳﺭﺎﺗ ﻉﻭﺮﺸﻤﻟﺍ ﻝﻮﺣ
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ﺓﺪﻴﻔﻣ ﻂﺑﺍﻭﺭ ﻞﻤﻌﻟﺍ ﻖﻳﺮﻓ ﺔﻴﺛﺍﺮﺘﻟﺍ ﺭﻭﺪﻟﺍ ﺕﺎﻳﺮﺼﻴﻘﻟ ﺎﻏﺃ ﺩﻮﻤﺤﻣ ﻥﺎﺧ ﻪﻳﻮﻛ ﺦﻳﺭﺎﺗ ﻉﻭﺮﺸﻤﻟﺍ ﻝﻮﺣ
