January 7th, 2010 |
Published in
Historical Landmark, Lale Devri - Tulip
The Neo-classical Enderûn Library (Enderûn Kütüphanesi), also known as “Library of Sultan Ahmed III” (III. Ahmed Kütüphanesi), is located directly behind the Audience Chamber (Arz Odası) in the centre of the Third Court. It was built on the foundations of the earlier Havuzlu kiosk by the royal architect Mimar Beşir Ağa in 1719 on orders of Ahmed III for use by officials of the royal household. The colonnade of this earlier kiosk now probably stands in front of the present Treasury.
The library is a beautiful example of Ottoman architecture of the 18th century.[citation needed] The exterior of the building is faced with marble. The library has the form of a Greek cross with a domed central hall and three rectangular bays. The fourth arm of the cross consists of the porch, which can be approached by a flight of stairs on either side. Beneath the central arch of the portico is an elaborate drinking fountain with niches on each side. The building is set on a low basement to protect the precious books of the library against moisture.
The walls above the windows are decorated with 16th and 17th century İznik tiles of variegated design. The central dome and the vaults of the rectangular bays have been painted. The decoration inside the dome and vaults are typical of the so-called Tulip period, which lasted from 1703 to 1730. The books were stored in cupboards built into the walls. The niche opposite the entrance was the private reading corner of the sultan.
The library contained books on theology, Islamic law and similar works of scholarship in Ottoman Turkish, Arabic and Persian. The library collection consisted of more than 3,500 manuscripts. Some are fine examples of inlay work with nacre and ivory. Today these books are kept in the Mosque of the Ağas (Ağalar Camii), which is located to the west of the library. One of the most important items there is the so-called Topkapi manuscript, a copy of the Qur’an from the time of the third Caliph Uthman Ibn Affan.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topkap%C4%B1_Palace
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January 7th, 2010 |
Published in
Historical Landmark, Lale Devri - Tulip
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AYNALIKAVAK PAVILION
 At Kasimpasa on the north shore of the Golden Horn stands Aynalikavak Kasir, the only surviving building of a palace that was once one of the largest in Istanbul. Known as Tersane or Naval Arsenal Palace, its construction commenced in 1613 during the reign of Sultan Ahmed I, and additions continued to be made until the reign of Sultan Selim III (1789-1807). In the 15th and early 16th centuries this area was a forest which was one of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror’s favourite excursion places. He would have his royal tent erected here and practise archery on the great archery field on the hilltop known as Okmeydani. When the Ottoman naval arsenal was established on the shore of the Golden Horn by Sultan Selim I (1512-1520) the forest became known as Tersane Park. The palace built here in the early 17th century was surrounded by a beautiful flower garden, to which eminent courtiers of the time made gifts of bulbs and plants.
Aynalıkavak Pavilion is the sole remaining building from a large Ottoman palace known as Aynalıkavak Palace or Tersane palace, dating back to the 17th century. This pretty building on the shore or the Golden Horn is a reminder that this now built-up area was for centuries a place parks, meadows and streams where the Ottoman sultans and before them the Byzantines came for country excursions.
After the Turkish conquest of İstanbul this attractive stretch of countryside stretching inland from the Golden Horn became an imperial park known as the Tersane Hasbahçe after the naval arsenal at neabry Kasımpaşa.
 The earliest known building here dates from the reign of Sultan Ahmed I (1603-1617), and his successors added new country lodges over the centuries, until the entire complex became so large that is was referred to as Tersane or Aynalıkavak Palace.
Aynalıkavak Pavilion is one of these buildings, thought to date originally from the reign of Sultan Ahmed III (1703-1730), although extensive alterations under Selim III (1789-1807) transformed its appearance radically.The principal rooms are a reception room known as the Divanhane and the smaller Music Room. Bands of exquisite calligraphic decoration around the windows of these two rooms consist of verses by two famous poets, Şeyh Galib and Enderûni Fâzıl, in praise of the pavilion and Selim III. These talik inscriptions were designed by the calligrapher Yesari.
In terms of its architecture and decoration Aynalıkavak Pavilion is a rare and outstanding example of classical Ottoman architecture. This small building is only one storey, with a basement under the section facing the sea. The pavilion is of additional interest because of its strong associations with Sultan Selim III, a respected composer. The traditional fitted seats or sedir along the walls and settees resembling sedir, braziers, lamps and other contemporary furnishings reflect a way of life which has disappeared entirely today.
Today as an appropriate tribute to Sultan Selim III, who is a major figure of Turkish classical music, the basement of Aynalıkavak Pavilion houses an exhibition of Turkish musical instruments donated by various individuals and institutions, together with photographs of antique instruments at Topkapı Palace Museum. In summer the pretty gardens and cafeteria attract many visitors, as do the Aynalıkavak Concerts of classical Turkish art music. Private receptions are held in the gardens here. |
Aynalıkavak Palace is a former Ottoman palace located in the Hasköy neighborhood in Istanbul, Turkey. It was constructed during the reign of Sultan Ahmed I (1603-1617), with various additions and changes over time. It is under the administration of the Turkish Department of National Palaces.
The importance of the shipyards on the Golden Horn meant that there was a need for somewhere close at hand where the sultans could stay while visiting them. The answer lay in the early 17th century Tersane Sarayı (Shipyard Palace), originally built for Sultan Ahmed I, who liked to practice his archery in the Okmeydanı on nearby Hasköy Hill. Today all that survives of the waterside palace is the Aynalıkavak Kasrı (Pavilion of the Mirrored Poplars), a pavilion added to the site by Sultan Ahmed III, who wanted a pied à terre within easy reach of the Kağıthane and Alibey streams (then the pleasure grounds known as the Sweet Waters of Europe), where he could throw his famous tulip-peeping parties.
In 1730 the palace lost its raison d’être with the overthrow of the sultan and his powerful grand vizier, although it received a new lease of life in the late 18th century when the music-loving Sultan Selim III had it restored as a venue for private concerts.
It was restored again during the reign of Sultan Mahmud II (r. 1808-39). In theory, it’s once again under restoration, although the signs stating that fact have now been in place for so long that they’re growing rusty with age. For the time being, you’ll have to content yourself with inspecting the tiles at the base of the Eyüp funicular, which depict the pavilion in its heyday, with the sultan watching acrobatics taking place on the Golden Horn right in front of it.
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 The Aynalıkavak Pavilion is located in the Hasköy neighborhood in Kasımpaşa, Istanbul. It is not exactly known as to when it was built, but Evliya Çelebi, the famous 17th century Ottoman traveler and writer, states that it was built during the period of Sultan Mehmed II. Another source says that the pavilion was been built by Admiral Halil Paşa in 1613.
The name, Aynalıkavak Pavilion, comes from the mirrors which were a gift to Sultan Ahmed III after the Treaty of Passarowitz was signed and during which the Republic of Venice was left the Mora Peninsula to the Turks. The pavillion was built on a slope and its garden was decorated with different kinds of trees. One enters the pavillon through the porch and then passes into a wide hall. There are couches covered with silk located at the three corners of the wide hall, and a poem written by Sultan Selim III in gold print is located on the blue painted wall. The land façade sits on two floors and the sea-side façade on three. The pavilion has a divan room and an audience hall (Arz Odası) decorated with several works of calligraphy, nice windows, and mirrors. Its ceiling is covered by a dome.
In the beginning of the 19th century, the Aynalıkavak Pavilion was called the Has Bahçe. During the rule of Sultan Mahmut II it was restored by the architect Kirkor Balyan. It took its present shape during the Reign of Sultan Selim III.
During the Tulip Era, (or Lâle Devri in Turkish), the pavilion hosted many entertainment venues. In addition, it hosted the Aynalıkavak Agreement signed by Sultan Abdülhamid I on January 9, 1784 between the Ottoman Empire and Russia.
The Aynalıkavak Pavilion is presently a palace-museum and houses the Turkish Music Research Center and the Museum of Instruments in its basement.
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December 23rd, 2009 |
Published in
Shopping, Tours, Whereist Beyoglu
Thronged by thousands daily, Istiklal Caddesi is chock full of buildings that reflect the cultural changes of the recent period and the dynamism of the times. With their cinemas, theaters, restaurants, cafes and art galleries, the famous arcades of Beyoğlu preserve their original vitality even as their owners and regulars come and go.
‘Passage Oriental’ – Passage Markiz
Finally, after the Suriye Pasaj and almost at the Tünel appears the ‘Passage Oriental’, which stood vacant for years until it reopened recently as the Passage Markiz. Known as the Lebon Patisserie until 1940 when it became Markiz Patisserie, this café and pastry shop is located right at the entrance to the arcade. An important center of cultural and social activity in its day, it was also a meeting place of artists, writers and intellectuals for years.
With its ever changing face, Beyoğlu has undergone many transformations in the last two hundred years but has always preserved a special place in the memory. The sole unchanged witness of that change and dynamism are the buildings that line the avenue from end to end.
December 23rd, 2009 |
Published in
Shopping, Tours, Whereist Beyoglu
Thronged by thousands daily, Istiklal Caddesi is chock full of buildings that reflect the cultural changes of the recent period and the dynamism of the times. With their cinemas, theaters, restaurants, cafes and art galleries, the famous arcades of Beyoğlu preserve their original vitality even as their owners and regulars come and go.
Suriye (Syria) Pasaj –
ISTANBUL’S MOST RESPLENDENT ARCADE
At the lower end of İstiklal Caddesi another arcade rises before us which distinguishes itself from all the others. Built by Suriye Paşa in the 1880′s, the Suriye (Syria) Pasaj is the most resplendent of them all on the interior. The original building was designed with a shopping area on the lower level and dwellings on the upper levels and is said to be the first building after the imperial palace to be supplied with electricity and city gas. Turkey’s first movie theater was also opened in this arcade which boasts two elevators. Silent films began to be shown here in 1910 in a cinema called the Ciné Central, which later took the names Şafak and then Cumhuriyet before unfortunately closing after it was renamed the Zafer Cinema. The French-language Istanbul daily Stamboul was printed here from 1875 to 1964, as is today the Greek-language Apoyevmatini, which has been published since 1925 in the old-fashioned way in black and white and without photographs.
December 23rd, 2009 |
Published in
Shopping, Tours, Whereist Beyoglu
Thronged by thousands daily, Istiklal Caddesi is chock full of buildings that reflect the cultural changes of the recent period and the dynamism of the times. With their cinemas, theaters, restaurants, cafes and art galleries, the famous arcades of Beyoğlu preserve their original vitality even as their owners and regulars come and go.
El-Hamra Pasaj
Directly opposite the Church of St. Antoine, conspicuous for its magnificent architecture, the El-Hamra Pasaj, built in the first half of the 19th century, is quieter than the others.
At first an entertainment center with a French Theater and Billur Saray (Crystal Palace), this arcade was subsequently razed and rebuilt to accommodate the most opulent theater of its time, built by the famous architects Ekrem Hakkı Ayverdi and Kiryadis. Interest in the El-Hamra waned as new movie theaters went up around the city, and a new one has now been erected in its place after a recent fire.
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December 23rd, 2009 |
Published in
Shopping, Tours, Whereist Beyoglu
Thronged by thousands daily, Istiklal Caddesi is chock full of buildings that reflect the cultural changes of the recent period and the dynamism of the times. With their cinemas, theaters, restaurants, cafes and art galleries, the famous arcades of Beyoğlu preserve their original vitality even as their owners and regulars come and go.
Hacopulo (Hazzopulo) Pasaj
Built by the Istanbul Greek Hacopulo Family but better known today as the ‘Danışman Geçidi’, the Hacopulo Pasaj housed some of the most fashionable shops of its day. Home to vendors of thread, buttons and headgear, this arcade at the same time had a political mission. The Young Turks met here and their newspaper, ‘İbret’, published by Ahmet Mithat Efendi and Namık Kemal, was also printed on the premises. A venue mainly of small cafeteria-type restaurants today, the arcade also has a few book dealers and old-fashioned artisans’ establishments.
December 23rd, 2009 |
Published in
Shopping, Tours, Whereist Beyoglu
Thronged by thousands daily, Istiklal Caddesi is chock full of buildings that reflect the cultural changes of the recent period and the dynamism of the times. With their cinemas, theaters, restaurants, cafes and art galleries, the famous arcades of Beyoğlu preserve their original vitality even as their owners and regulars come and go.
Aznavur Pasaj
Built in 1883, the Aznavur Pasaj subsequently underwent several renovations. Its shops sell a host of gift items ranging from miniatures, mother-of-pearl inlaid boxes and water pipes to clothing that appeals to the young people.
December 23rd, 2009 |
Published in
Shopping, Tours, Whereist Beyoglu
Thronged by thousands daily, Istiklal Caddesi is chock full of buildings that reflect the cultural changes of the recent period and the dynamism of the times. With their cinemas, theaters, restaurants, cafes and art galleries, the famous arcades of Beyoğlu preserve their original vitality even as their owners and regulars come and go.
THE HISTORIC FLOWER PASSAGE
When you reach the square in front of Galatasaray Lycée at the heart of Beyoğlu, if it’s evening the melodies beginning to rise in the distance and the voices of the people singing along will lure you into the famous Çiçek Pasaj or ‘Flower Passage’. Aka ‘Cité de Pera’, Çiçek Pasaj boasts a plethora of traditional restaurants where you can quench your thirst and sample the tasty Turkish appetizers known as ‘meze’. Çiçek Pasaj, which opens at one end onto the avenue and at the other onto the old Istanbul Balık Pazarı or Fish Market, plays host to some very old denizens indeed. Maruni Naum Efendi’s wooden theater and a hotel called ‘Palais des Fleurs’ once stood in the area where the Çiçek Pasaj and Avrupa Pasaj, both built following the Pera fire of 1870, stand today. The Avrupa Pasaj in particular presents a sharp contrast to the other arcades with its unique architecture and ornamentation. The statues in the arches of the upper level of this long, corridor-like arcade and the unusual items sold in the shops give this pasaj a different air. Colorful ceramic tiles, embroidered silk covers and Turkish fabrics and kilims dazzle the eye in this pasaj which is known as the mirrored arcade for the mirror-encased columns separating the shops. Continuing along the avenue we come to the Aznavur and Hacopulo (Hazzopulo) arcades, where Italian architecture reigns supreme.
December 23rd, 2009 |
Published in
Shopping, Tours, Whereist Beyoglu
Thronged by thousands daily, Istiklal Caddesi is chock full of buildings that reflect the cultural changes of the recent period and the dynamism of the times. With their cinemas, theaters, restaurants, cafes and art galleries, the famous arcades of Beyoğlu preserve their original vitality even as their owners and regulars come and go.
Atlas Pasaj
Directly opposite the Halep Pasaj is the Atlas Pasaj, at whose entrance are the Atlas Cinema and the Sadri Alışık Theater. The two buildings at the back of this arcade, which consists of three large structures, has the appearance of a mall with numerous shops.
December 23rd, 2009 |
Published in
Shopping, Tours, Whereist Beyoglu
Thronged by thousands daily, Istiklal Caddesi is chock full of buildings that reflect the cultural changes of the recent period and the dynamism of the times. With their cinemas, theaters, restaurants, cafes and art galleries, the famous arcades of Beyoğlu preserve their original vitality even as their owners and regulars come and go.
Rumeli Pasaj
When you stroll from Taksim Square down to Tünel, the Rumeli Pasaj (arcade) appears on your right just after the French Consulate. Built
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