Ethnic Appropriation of Folk Narratives and Architecture in the Post-Ottoman Balkans

Abstract

Folk narratives about a master builder who falls or flies from the structure he built, similar to the myth of Icarus, are widespread in the Balkans. One such narrative, involving the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne, was first recorded in Bulgaria at the end of the 19th century. This narrative became a focal point of transnational debate between Turkish and Bulgarian nationalist rhetoric during a period of interstate tension in Thrace in the 1930s and 1940s. It intersected with the appropriation of Ottoman architectural heritage and the formation of national identity within a transnational context during the first half of the 20th century. After revealing the diversity of these folk narratives, this article explores how nationalist movements engage with modern reinterpretations of these narratives in the context of Ottoman architectural appropriation. While exploring this debate, the article highlights the tension between the syncretism of the narratives and the processes of national identity formation.