Zehra Kaya was born in Istanbul in 1978. She completed her undergraduate education in the Department of Art History at Istanbul University. She received her master's degree from Marmara University, Institute of Social Sciences, in the Program of Global Cities and Istanbul Studies, where she completed her thesis entitled "City--Civilization Interaction: A Spatial Analysis Case Study of Anadoluhisarı. "Since 2022, she has been working as a Lecturer at Beykoz University Vocational School, where she teaches both undergraduate and associate degree courses in urban culture and aesthetics, space and memory, mythology, Istanbul studies, art and design culture, cultural heritage, and visual culture. Her academic research focuses on urban culture, cultural memory, mythology, art history, local identity, spatial studies, and cultural heritage. She has published book chapters and conference papers at the national level and has taken part as a researcher in various scientific research projects and field studies. She is currently continuing her academic work with a particular focus on the urban fabric of Istanbul, urban aesthetics, and the continuity of urban space.