Management Planning of a Rock-Cut Settlement: The Case of the Taşkale Heritage Site in Turkey

The multi-layered cultural and archaeological rock-cut settlement of Taskale in Turkey is a large and complex site to manage. It includes various tangible and intangible values such as historic rock-cut granaries, traditional houses, Manazan Caves, and volcanic formations. Although the settlement largely preserves its historic fabric and has the potential to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List (WHL), it does not yet have a sustainable, holistic management plan. Therefore, this paper reflects the results of field studies and individual collaboration with various stakeholders to develop a management plan proposal for the settlement that will ensure its sustainable conservation, strengthen 'communities of practice' and 'identity', and be a starting point for its inclusion in the WHL. The resulting management plan proposal includes condition surveys, analyses, interviews, and action plans. It is an example of sustainable management decisions and future developments of the site that faced the problem of abandonment.