Causes of deterioration of Ottoman mosques

Abstract

The existence of few Ottoman mosques out of the many existing a few decades ago in the region of Macedonia, northern Greece, makes them an important piece of historic and cultural heritage and strengthens the need to preserve them. This paper focuses on mapping the pathology of five mosques with similar typological characteristics, in relation to their environment, building materials and the different uses that these structures served through history. The current situation of these monuments is the result of the effect of aging, the environmental and human interventions. As a result of these factors, the monuments present structural problems of geometric form, i.e. loss of material and movements and also mechanical problems as cracks, coating loss, disintegration. The main causes of these damages are the abandonment and the aging of construction materials, as well as the lack of systematic maintenance. The biological factor, the humidity coming from the roof which, in most cases has been destroyed, or rising from the ground, are important factors for disintegration.