Mersin, which is one of the Eastern Mediterranean port cities, is also located in the ancient Cilician Region. Although there is less information about this city, which was known as Zephriuma (Zefirium) in ancient times, then surrounding ares, archaeological studies show that the city was in contact with Anatolian and Mesopotamian cultures. The city, which lost its importance during the Middle Ages, was known as a fishing village where the Turkmen tribes lived in the beginning of the 19th century, and it re-gained its value in the middle of the 19th century. During this period, the port of Tarsus lost its importance due the silting up of the Tarsus river and the Mersin port had started to grow. It is not possible to evaluate the development of Mersin and its transformation into a residential area independently from the port and port trade. The most distinctive feature of the Eastern Mediterranean Port cities, is a multicultural society and the presence of European merchants called "levantine". In this century, apart from the Levantines, there was an also Maronites coming from the vicinity of Aleppo, Arabs, Greeks and Armenians, as well as Jews, Chaldeans, Syrians and other non-Muslim communities.

Within the scope of this study, the current status of Levantine architectural heritage in Mersin city center and the preservation problems of them will be investigated. The aim of the study is to contribute to the preservation, introduction and transfer of the cultural heritage to the future. Literature review and on- site examinations are envisioned as the working method. Then, the obtained data will be evaluated and presented.