Recreational Assessment of Physical Landscape Assets of Van Fortress

Abstract

The stress caused by the daily and monotonous urban life increases the recreational needs of societies. These recreational activities are shaped in relation to the social, economic, and cultural opportunities of the individuals within the society. In relation to these opportunities, the preference for these recreational areas is based on various factors like their accessibility and utilization, and the services they provide. Based on this fact, whether a recreational area is comparatively preferable for masses can be revealed beforehand, using a method known as "recreational potential analysis". According to this method, either the area itself or and its immediate vicinity -or sometimes, both-are attributed with recreational functions based on their qualities. Presenting a cultural landscape area composed of natural and cultural elements, the Van Fortress and its nearby areas are visited by quite a substantial amount of domestic and foreign tourists every year, perhaps due to the number and quality of the recreational opportunities the location provides. This study was conducted in order to evaluate Van Fortress and its immediate vicinity, the shining archaeological and historic treasures of the city of Van, from a recreational standpoint. For this purpose, personal observations were made in the study area and the outdoor recreational potential of the area was evaluated using the Gulez method, the results of which are presented in the paper. The scoring chart used for this purpose revealed the recreational potential score of the area to be 70%, which is categorized as "high recreational potential" in the scoring scales of the method. As a result, it was concluded that the Van Fortress and its immediate vicinity achieved this high recreational score due to its numerous vistas formed of natural elements, availability of stable and sustainable transportation methods, and capability of presenting a high variety of touristic opportunities. The final sections of the study also present suggestions regarding the improvement of various elements in the area and comments for the future recreational potential of the site.