The Maglova Aqueduct built by Mimar Sinan is 260 m long and 36 m high, decked with two-storeyed arches. It also functioned as a pedestrian bridge, thanks to a passage running through the piers of the arches. Sinan managed to blend the bearing and functional elements into a work of art. The first aqueduct was destroyed by violent floods (1563) so Sinan obviously went to greater lenghts in his second attempt.  The reconstruction of the Maglova aqueduct in 1563 was even more expensive, over 50 million akçe. The Maglova Aqueduct, a thing of exceptional strength and beauty that is sadly no longer accessible to casual visitors.

The Palace Cistern (Yerebatan Saray): Basilica Cistern cistern’s water was provided from the Belgrade Woods which lie 19km (12 miles) north of the city via aqueducts such as the 971m long Valens Aqueduct, which was built by the Emperor Valens in 368 AD and the 115m long Maglova Aqueduct, which was built by the Emperor Justinianus.

The aqueducts of both Roman and Byzantine origin were usually of equal widths at both the bottom and the top. For this reason, only very thick ones survived. Valens being one of these. The aqueducts built by Sinan demonstrate more engineering calcula-tions. Unlike a normal aqueduct, over which water is transported via an enclosed conduit that consists of a series of arches supported on massive piers. the system used in the Mağlova Aqueduct shows further technical solutions. Sinan designed the width of the arches to he even smaller, and he enlarged the piers erpendicular to the arches and extended them in pyramidal shape. like buttresses, toward the ground. thereby forming three-dimensional rather than two-dimensional forms. For this reason. these aqueducts are more durable against the horizontal friction forces, and they retain the equilibrium force 1.0 remain at a I :3 ratio. In addition. on each of these piers Sinan constructed three discharging arches to prevent any damage during flooding: these, when incorporated into the main piers, gave a sense of streamlined unity. The structure is uniquely sutassful and almost expressionist in nature; vertical. horizontal, and diag-onal stresses are uniformly absorbed. The expressionist effect is most obvious in the way in which the static forces are distributed throughout the structure and visibly expressed on that structure. This work of Sinan represents the most important departure from the traditional fonn of the aqueduct. %Ouch had shown little change up to that point since classical Rome. There are several aqueducts in Balkan and African countries that were under the Ottoman sovereignty. some of which are at to the Roman times. There is an aqueduct that is located two kilometers northwest of Skopje (Yugoslavia) that is built of stone and bricks and that has fifty-live arches sup-ported on massive pillars: this structure used to be attributed to Romans or Brantines. but it as re-cently discovered that it had in fact been built by ha Bey during the sixteenth century. Several aqueducts were built in Cyprus during the Ottoman period, the most notable being the Bekir Pasha Aqueduct in Larnaca, the harbor town in which the holy shrine of Hula Sultan ( ()min ul Ha rain bint Sultan) is also located. It has become clear through written records inher-ited from medieval nines and through manuscripts and inscribed stone tablets that water systems of the Islamic societies were built by local people as charitable works of waqf. Three important sources about the aqueducts constructed by Sinan during the reign of %Heyman the Magnificent and others are the books n’thirClill Bunyan I1583-1.SS4). i:-kirnul (1586-87 ). and mogul Manarin (1590). Several inscription tablets still attached to the tnonuments, in addition to manuscripts about deeds performed by pious foundations, mention the aqueducts.

In post-medieval times, Roman structures like the Pont du Gard continued to provided the usual model where a roadway. canal, aqueduct or railway had to be carried, as nearly on the level as possible. over a deep valley. Semicircular arches were usually preferred and the chief changes were various expedients to lighten the structure. Usually this was again done by intro-ducing voids, commonly by supporting a road or railway on a series of parallel walls over the arches rather than on a solid till.’ An unusually elegant alternative was adopted in the Maglova Aqueduct 114.41. Here Sinan tapered the piers as they rose. diminished the widths of the suc-cessive tiers of arches accordingly. and pene-trated the piers with smaller arches both longi-tudinally and transversely.’ Where there were no steep banks and it was again desired to keep the roadway as level as possible while still causing the least possible obstruction to the waterway. arches with a small rise in relation to the span became the usual

Historical Landmark Aqueduct, istanbul, ottoman, ottoman Aqueduct, Roman, roman Aqueduct

These piece of art, also known as Cebeci Köy Aqueduct, was contructed by Mimar Sinan during Kanuni Sultan Süleyman’s period, and lies 1500m east of the village of Cebeci, south of Kemerburgaz.

Historical Landmark Aqueduct, istanbul, ottoman, ottoman Aqueduct, Roman, roman Aqueduct

 

WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS: AQUEDUCTS BUILT IN ISTANBUL After the Forth Crusade’s sack of Constantinople and the establishment of the Latin Empire in 1204, water supply systems, which were built during the Roman period, inside and outside the city walls were totally blasted. After the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul, one of the matters to be dealt with first by Sultan Mehmed II. the Conqueror was to meet the city’s running water requirements. Sultan Mehmed II. (Fatih) ordered a thorough repair of all water supply systems. In the course of time increasing population let to water shortages. Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent commissioned Sinan, his engineer and architect-in-chief, to solve this problem. Sinan undertook important works for the supply of water to the cities of Istanbul and Edirne. The Kırkçeşme System was rebuilt and redesigned by Sinan in 1555 – 1563/4. The preliminary studies were made under the constant supervision of Sultan Süleyman, and Sinan adopted a scientific approach in this task where mathematics held an important place. Istanbul’s water was stored in the large number of reservoirs in the Belgrade Forest and conveyed to the city over aqueducts; this water then passed through distribution chambers located at various points in the city and thence was distributed to buildings and fountains within the city. Water from the Alibey and Kâğıthane streams was collected in pools and channeled to Eğrikapı and from there to the inner city. Due to the fact that there were no pipes about to withstand the excessive pressure, aqueducts were built to carry the water over the valleys. It can be observed that the precise measurements and calculations made in establishing waterways and in construction of the water supply lines, aqueducts and accumulation pools were just as reliable as those made today by means of modern instruments. It incorporates 33 large and small aqueducts, five of which are known to have been built by Sinan. There are four aqueducts in the Kırkçeşme supply system, completed in 1563: Uzun Kemer, Eğri (Kovuk) Kemer, Güzelce (Gözlüce) Kemer and Mağlova Kemer. Even in the driest months of the year the Kırkçeşme system, with a discharge of 4,200 m3 per day, was able to supply 158 different locations (94 public drinking fountains, 19 wells, 15 watering troughs, 13 public baths and 7 palaces among others.) The Halkalı water distribution system was also built by Sinan and provided water to Istanbul. It included the 50 km long Süleymaniye waterduct, which provided water to the Süleymaniye Complex and its neighborhood. In order to maintain pressure, water towers were built in a number of locations; one of these can be seen in Ayasofia Square. There is another stone water tower next to the Şehzade Mosque, which, judging by its Baroque profile must be l8th century. Works started in the reign of Sultan Mehmed II. the Conqueror were intensified when Süleyman the Magnificent was on the throne, continued throughout the reign of Mahmud I and, finally, of Abdülhamid II; this was a scheme that continued over a period of 500 years to satisfy Istanbul’s demand for water with a system of reservoirs, aqueducts and supply lines, together with the fountains connected to them.

Kemerburgaz’ın 1.5 km kuzeybatısındaki Uzun Kemer’in çok az bir bölümünün Roma temelleri üzerine kurulduğu biliniyor.Kemerburgaz’da bugün görülebilecek diğer su kemerleri ise şöyle: Kemerburgaz’ın 5 km. kuzeybatısındaki Manglava çayırında bulunan Mağlova kemeri, 1,5 km güneydoğusunda yer alan Eğri Kemer (Hasdal Askeri Kışlası yanından geçen yolla Kemerburgaz’a gelindiğinde yolun altından geçtiği kemer), 7 km güneyinde ve Cebeciköy’ün 1,5 km doğusundaki Cebeciköy ya da Güzelce Kemeri. Su kemerleri, Terkos gölünün çevresindeki kaynak sularının İstanbul’a taşınmasında kullanılmış. Kemerburgaz’da Hamidiye, Kum suyu, Binbaşı suyu, Kemer suyu gibi kaynak sularının şişelendiği tesisler halen hizmet veriyor. Kemerburgaza geldiğinizde evinize su götürmek istiyorsanız,yanınıza su bidonu almayı unutmayın.

Paşadere Aqueduct, Kovuk (Eğri) Aqueduct, Uzun Aqueduct, Güzelce Aqueduct, Mağlova Aqueduct

You are about to try perhaps the most challenging, yet the most adventurous, of the excursion routes that take you to the architectural works of Sinan.  If you wish to see all of the aqueducts, you may need a 4 by 4 drive or a vehicle with a high frame.  On a shorter trip that we recommend, you will be able to see four of the more significant aqueducts that belong to the Kırkçeşme Water Works, which were all built by Sinan, with the order of Sultan Kanuni Süleyman, in nine years.  These are not all of the aqueducts in the water system, yet they are the more impressive ones.

Follow the lush, green road that leads from Sarıyer Bahçeköy towards Kemerburgaz.  The first aqueduct you will see that is Sinan’s work, is the Pashadere Kemeri (Pashadere Aqueduct).  If you have set upon this journey during summer months, you will be able to view only a small portion of this structure through the greenery.  Passing underneath the aqueduct, the road will take you to the center of Kemerburgaz.  Driving on the asphalt road from Kemerburgaz, you can easily reach two other aqueducts:  Uzun Aqueduct and Kovuk (Bent) Kemer.  You can find the Kovuk Kemer by taking a left turn from central Kemerburgaz.  It is on the Kemerburgaz-Hasdal road.

Kovuk Aqueduct

One end of the aqueduct has been covered over by a factory that belongs to the Municipality and at the other end, there are beehives.  You can climb the aqueduct and view the structure where it makes an almost ninety degree turn. The bold but old and fatigued walls of the old aqueduct have been retired and water is now carried over to Istanbul by pipes laid down according to new technologies.

From this point, you should return on the same road in the direction of your starting point to see the Uzun Aqueduct (Long Aqueduct).  Continue for about 2 km more towards the town of Göktürk.  When you catch the first glimpse of the next aqueduct, you will understand the reason for its name.

Güzelce Aqueduct.

Exit to TEM from the Kemerburgaz-Hasdal road, then take the Alibeyköy exit and drive towards Gazi Neighborhood.  Within a short while, you will drive through uneven dirt roads to two more 16th century aqueducts built by Sinan which are perhaps the most significant ones among structures that deal with water systems.
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We may start with the more modest of the two.  This is the Güzelce (also called Gözlüce or Cebeciköy) Aqueduct, one of the most significant aqueducts in the Kırkçeşme Water Works System.  The structure now remains in the Alibeyköy Dam Lake.  There are two different routes that take us to the aqueduct, one leading to its east, the other to its west side.  The one that passes through Cebeci village is better than the one that goes through Gazi Neighborhood.  If you have time, try both of these routes to have a full view and perception of the aqueduct from different angles.

If you have chosen the Cebeci road, trace your route back to the village center, pass by the stone quarry that is beyond the village, and go down to the lake bank across the valley.  The villagers who live here are well familiar with these surroundings.  In case you feel that you may be lost, you can easily get instructions from the people who live in Cebeci village.  Going past the stone quarry and upon reaching the bank of the dam lake, you will not be able to see the Mağlova Aqueduct, immediately.  As you walk for about 200 m under the high-tension wires, following the valley on the right hand side, this grandiose structure will appear before you.  The forest road that starts at Kemerburgaz can also take you to Mağlova.  This alluring aqueduct, that has been baffling people throughout the ages with its aesthetic charm, still continues to carry its water to Istanbul, just as back in the 16th century.

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Ottoman Period Waterworks and Water Administration System

In the wake of his conquest of Istanbul, Sultan Mehmed II commanded that urgent repairs be made to the existing water system. In addition four new water supply lines were constructed: the Fatih Waterway, the Turunclu Waterway, the Sadirvan Waterway, and the Mahmutpasa Waterway. The Kirkcesme system dating from the late Roman period was renovated at the same time.

The problem of supplying sufficient water to a growing urban population was one with which Istanbul had contended throughout its history. The Ottomans, too, enlarged Istanbul’s water system at various times over the centuries, but above all it was the waterworks carried out by Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent which dealt with the water problem most effectively.

During the reign of Sultan Mehmed II (The Conqueror) a water department was established, illustrating the importance which the Ottomans attached to the water supply, as other civilisations had done before them.

During the reign of  Mehmet II’s son Sultan Bayezid II (1481-1512) Bayezid Waterway was built,and during the reign of his son Selim I (1512-1520) diverse waterworks were constructed. Yet water supply continued to fall short of demand. To find a more far-reaching solution to the shortage, Suleyman the Magnificent called in Chief Imperial Architect Mimar Sinan. It seems probable that Mimar Sinan worked on this project in cooperation with the Director of Water Hasan Aða. He studied the existing waterways dating from the Roman-Byzantine period and those built since the Turkish conquest, and invenstigated new sources of water. In 1554 he commenced major reconstruction and enlargemend of the Kirkcesme system, making use of surviving aqueducts and dams following the former Roman supply line and using the ancient Valens aqueduct. Completed in 1560, this was the most comprehensive water supply project undertaken by the Ottomans in Istanbul.

There is a diagram of this system in the Ahmed III Library at Topkapi Palace, ref H. 1815, which is thought to date from before 1620. It shows the Kovuk (also known as the Kirik) Aqueduct, the Uzun Aqueduct, the head basin and Cebecikoy Aqueduct, giving their measurements and diverse other information about the system.

Most of the water transmission lines built in Ottoman times are still in use today.

• Halkali Water System (formerly the Cev’mi-i Serife) consisting of 16 independent transmission lines running into the city from the northwest. Part of this system probably dates from the Roman era.
• Taksim Water System (1731-1839)
• Other water supply lines, and the Hamidiye and Kayisdaði water systems

These supply lines carried water into Istanbul from springs and dams via aqueducts and conduits first to water towers known as maslak, and from there to water balances or su terazisi. From there it was finally piped to public fountains and to individual buildings. The various water structures which made up the Ottoman water system were as follows:

Dams
Dams known as bend were built across ravines to collect spring and rainwater in reservoirs behind them. To each side of the dam walls were sluices over which the water flowed into basins and distrubution chambers. Three types of dam wall were built in the Ottoman period: straight walls, as at Karanlik Bend, Buyuk Bend and Kirazli Bend; angled walls, as at Topuzlu Bend, Ayvat Bend, and Valide Bend; and curved walls, as at Yeni Bend.

Aqueducts
Aqueducts (sukemeri) in the form of arched bridges had been used since Roman times to carry water across valleys and streams dividing two areas of high ground so that it did not lose height. During the reign of Suleyman the Magnificent thi defunct Roman water system which carried water from the Belgrad Forest to Istanbul was rebuilt with additions and extensions by Mimar Sinan, and became known as the Kirkcesme water system. He built 33 aqueducts to carry water to the Kirkcesme distribution network, which was one of the most important in Ottoman Istanbul. Some of these aqueducts were monumental in scale, such as the Kovuk Kemer, Pasa Kemeri, Uzunkemer, Maðlova Kemeri and Guzelce Kemer.

Basins
These mainly circular basins (havuz) ranging in diameter from 2 to 30 metres and 2 to 20 metres in depth served as intermediary collection points for the water. Some had two section, and some two levels.

Water Tanks
These maslaks, as they were called, were placed at points where the main supply line branched. They consisted of a tank with a discharge measuring system consisting of numerous spouts for adjusting and determining the quantity of water which flowed in each direction. The presence of a discharge measuring tank has led some sources to confuse these with maksems. They were always located outside the city.

Distribution Chambers
Known as maksem were domed or vaulted buildings containing large water tanks with spillways and distribution chambers divided into compartments and fed by nozzles called lule. Some of these maksem were above ground, such as those in Taksim, Eyup, and Harbiye, while others were below the ground, like the Haci Osman Bayiri maksem.

Water Balances
Known as su terazisi, these tower-like structures maintained water pressure when conveying water to neighbourhoods at a high-level. Varying from 3 to 10 m in height, they had a cistern at the summit from which the water flowed into distribution pipes.

Precipitation Tanks
Known as tersip or cokertme tanks, these were a series of connected tanks where the water rested so that any gravel or sand was precipitated before being piped to the maksem and distributed to the various city mains.

The water measuring system was crucial for controlling the amount of water supplied to each fountain. The amounts were specified for each fountain, whose water sources could vary. As well as state supplied water known as miri or hassa, there were water sources in the form of pious endowments or vakif for the public benefit, and private water sources known as mulk allocated to individuals by the sultan (in deeds known as temlikname). The water was measured by means of dividing the water among numerous spouts set 96mm beneath the surface of the water in a long rectangular sluice. The spouts were in a number of different standard diameters and hence discharge rates, enabling the amount of water passing through them over a specific time to be measured precisely. The most common standard was the lule, others being the kamis, masura, cuvaldiz and hilal. The inside diameter of the lule pipe was defined as that through which a lead sphere weighing 30 dirhem (approximately 96.5 g) would pass, ie 73.58 mm. The term lule was also used in a general sense to refer to such water measuring spouts.

The Ottoman water administration system dated back to the reign of Mehmed II, who as already said, established a department of water under a director of waterworks. The department was in charge of a vast organisation which included waterway maintenance men (suyolcu), surveyors, watchmen who guarded the waterways and dams, carpenters, men who made and applied a waterproof plaster (lokun) to water pipes and tanks, and saka who distributed water in skins. The primary duty of the water director was to supervise the water supply for the palace, but in addition he ensured a regular supply of water to mosques, hamams (public baths), and public fountains, and the maintenance and protection of the water system as a whole. He also cooperated with the chief imperial architect over new water supply projects. The waterway maintenance men repaired the pipelines, water tanks and other mains waterworks, and received a monthly fee from hamams, houses with their own private fountains, and other regular users of water. They had their own guild, and were housed in barracks at various locations around the city. Out of ordinary working hours there were always waterway maintenance men on duty who could be called out in emergencies. The lokun plaster with which the joins of water pipes were coated to prevent leakage was made by mixing lime with olive oil.

Saka is a word derived from Arabic, used in Turkish to mean water carrier. In particular the sakas provided a vital service in times when the mains supply proved inadequate, by carrying large skins of drinking water to houses and establishments in need of water. In addition to public sakas, there were palace sakas whose barracks were situated next to Sakalar Cesmesi (Fountain of Sakas) facing Sekerci Gate at Haghia Sophia and janissary sakas who served the Janissary Corps.

The public sakas consisted of two groups, those who had horses to carry their water skins, and those who went on foot and carried the skins on their backs. The skins were made out of leather known as saka meski, and called kirba. Foot saka carried kirba containing 45-50 litres of water, and some distributed water in bowls made of rock crystal. Beside the front door of each house stood small stone tanks known as saka deliði, into which the sakas could empty the water they had brought without entering the house. Pipes from these tanks carried the water to jars standing in the courtyard or inside the house. Water was then scooped out as required using tankard-like water cups known as masrapa. Some houses were equipped with tiny tanks in the form of pots set into the walls from which water flowed to taps in the living rooms and lavatories. These were filled in the same way by pipes from the tank at the entrance door.

Sakas were only permitted to take water from particular fountains, and no more than the allotted number were permitted to fill their skins at any one fountain. Only when a saka retired or died could another take his place.Philanthropists who endowed fountains sometimes specified in the endowment deed or in the inscription that they did not allow sakas to use the water at all. Fountains where sakas collected water were known as saka fountain. As well as sakas, some dervishes distributed water free as a charitable exercise, either carrying the water themselves or using a horse, and who were not part of the official water distribution organisation.

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Egri Kemer Aqueduct

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Eğri Kemer delikleri
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Büyüleyici Kemerin içindeki delikler sayesinde bir ucundan bir ucuna geçiş gayet rahat Sinan Doğan İletişim Mail: foto.sinandogan[at]gmail.com Web Sayfası Facebook Fan Sayfası

Kovuk (Eğri) Kemer, Mimar Sinan
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Kovuk Kemer, Bizans Dönemi altyapıları kullanılarak 1554-1564 yıllarında Mimar Sinan tarafından inşa edilmiştir. Eğri kemer adını bu fotoğrafta görülen yaptığı 90 derecelik dönüşten almaktadır.

Eğri Kemer
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Eğri Kemer – Mimar Sinan Su Kemeri fotoğraflarım

Kovuk (Eğri) Kemer, Mimar Sinan
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Eğri Kemer
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İstanbul – Kemerburgaz

Eğri Kemer
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Kovuk (Eğri) Kemer, Mimar Sinan
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Kovuk Kemer, Bizans Dönemi altyapıları kullanılarak 1554-1564 yıllarında Mimar Sinan tarafından inşa edilmiştir-

THE WORLD’S MOST BEAUTIFUL AQUEDUCT
At 102 meters in length and 16.4 meters in height, the two-story Pasha Aqueduct (Balıkzade)  on the road from Kemerburgaz to the Belgrade Forest is only partially visible through a dense growth of trees. The network’s longest aqueduct, the 711-meter long, 25-meter high Uzunkemer, again two-story, and the 408-meter long, 35-meter high Kovuk Aqueduct (Kırık) are located in the center of Kemerburgaz. The latter, whose first section is one-story and second section three-story, is noteworthy for its shape which curves at a 90-degree angle. Another two-story aqueduct is the lovely 65-meter long, 34.5-meter high Güzelce Aqueduct (Gözlüce) near the village of Cebeci. But the most praiseworthy aqueduct of all is the Mağlova aqueduct, a testimony to Sinan’s finest period. Two-story like its counterparts, this colossal 258-meter-long, 36-meter-high structure is acknowledged to be the world’s most beautiful aqueduct. Situated at one end of the Alibeyköy Dam Reservoir with its eight large and eight small arches, Mağlova virtually poses for photographers half submerged by water in the wet winter months. Other noteworthy aqueducts are Balıklıkemer (125 meters), Karakemer (63 meters), Ayvad (195 meters),  Kurt (305 meters) and the Valide Aqueduct (39 meters).

Historical Landmark Aqueduct, istanbul, ottoman, ottoman Aqueduct, Roman, roman Aqueduct

Housing the oldest surviving institution of learning in Istanbul, the crowning jewel of Fener is the principle school for the small Greek population. The building was erected in 1881 but served as the Patriarchate School during the Byzantine era. After the conquest, the Patriarchate was granted special rights and the school was allowed to reopen.

Under the sultanate, Greeks called the school the Megali Scholio (Great School), and some of the more prominent names of the Byzantine Empire were educated here, including Palaeologus, Cantacuzejnus, and Cantemir. The soaring dome sits on a thick drum whose upper floor houses an observatory for instruction in astronomy. The best view of the school is from down below (or halfway down the steeply sloping Sancaktar Yokusu); you can’t get in unless you’re up for some aerobics, so just admire it from the base of the hill.

Read more: www.frommers.com/destinations/istanbul/A42189.html#ixzz0fPPlO5Jp

Historical Landmark, Whereist Eyup and Fatih architecture, building, fener, greek, school

The Caferağa Medresseh is a former medresseh, located in Istanbul, Turkey, next to the Hagia Sophia. It was built in 1559 by Mimar Sinan by orders of Cafer Agha, a eunuch during the reign of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent (1520-1566). The medresseh, listed within the independent medressehs and having had a number of restorations until today, was changed by the Turkish Cultural Service Foundation in 1989 into a touristic centre with 15 classrooms/exhibition rooms, a big salon and a garden where traditional Turkish handicrafts such as calligraphy, ceramics, jewelry and so forth are taught, made and sold.

The medresseh is located very close to the Hagia Sophia, stairs lead down to it from the small street. The structure is entered through the main gate which leads into the inner courtyard, around which the former learning rooms are located. There is a restaurant inside that offers a variety of Turkish dishes

Cultural & Museums, Food, Historical Landmark architecture, caferaga, medrese, medresseh

 

 

One of the smallest of the restoration projects was undertaken in the Fatih area in 2005 by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, a year after Topbaş took over. This was the Kıztaşı (Girl’s Stone) or to be accurate, the Column of Marcian, one of four columns remaining from the Roman era in Constantinople / Istanbul.

The Marcian Column, which is a few streets to the right of the Aqueduct of Valens (You can find it on Google Earth.), and consists of a single red-grey granite column topped with a marble column head on it and a square marble plinth block seated on a three-stepped platform. It is noted for the three Greek crosses inside stone medallions, which also include two faces of angels or genii or possibly the Greek goddess of victory, Nike.

We know that it was dedicated to the Emperor Marcian because of the extant inscription on it that reads, “This statue of the princes Marcian / because Tatianus vowed the work.” Tatianus was governor of the city of Constantinople and it is not surprising that he erected such a commemorative item because Marcian was one of the most successful emperors the Roman Empire had the good fortune to produce, even as it was nearing decline. It is likely that his statue was on top of the column.

[Some think that the column acquired its name from the two faces on it while others suggest that it got its name from the Slave Market located here in Ottoman times. We know little about the slave market other than, if you had to be sold for whatever reason, this one in Istanbul was considered a good place, relatively speaking, to be put on the auction block. There were wealthy buyers and beautiful women could have found themselves living in the sultan's harem with the chance of bearing a son and future sultan. The market was closed in 1846 as a result of pressure brought to bear by the British and it is very doubtful that anyone these days would propose resurrecting it, even for tourism. Quite a few novelists over the years though have thought they could depict it accurately.]

The column actually disappeared from public view as it was located in the garden of a private house. It wasn’t rediscovered until after a fire at the beginning of the 20th century. The column suffered in the fire and has been damaged further, most recently in 1999, by earthquake. It began to lean and the metal bands circling it had separated from the stone. Increased traffic had also hastened the destruction as had the air pollution.

Restoration attempts had already started in the 1970s after the top of the column was noticeably cracked and in danger of falling. The 2005 restoration was to be a complete one that would take all aspects into account including revealing the column drums that remain underground.  Ayten Erdem and Rabia Ozakin, experts in architectural restoration at Yildiz Technical University have been particularly critical of what was done and believe that many of the details escaped the attention of those carrying out the latest restoration.

Historical Landmark Marcian Column, Marcianus Column

The Valens Aqueduct (Turkish: Bozdoğan Kemeri, meaning “Aqueduct of the grey falcon”; Greek: Άγωγός του ὔδατος, Agōgós tou hýdatos, meaning simply “aqueduct“) was the major water-providing system of medieval Constantinople (modern Istanbul, in Turkey). Restored by several Ottoman Sultans, it is one of the most important landmarks of the city.

Location

The aqueduct stands in Istanbul, in the quarter of Fatih, and spans the valley between the hills occupied today by the Istanbul University and the Fatih Mosque. The surviving section is 921 meters long, about 50 meters less than the original length.^[1] The Atatürk Bulvarı boulevard passes under its arches.

Today it is usually called the Aqueduct of Valens, since it was finished in 368, during Valens’s reign, but there is reason to assume that it was already planned and begun in Constantine’s time.39 As mentioned above, the aqueduct runs parallel to one of the streets in the old part of Byzantium. Also, its southeastern
prolongation would exactly meet the main entrance of the courtyard in the Great Palace that is now the Mosaic Museum. It is obvious that the aqueduct  was planned in a clear relationship to the street system of the old town of Byzantium. Arches 26/27 and 52 are wider than the others in the aqueduct and were certainly
intended to serve as passages for streets.40 At other points where we would expect similar wider arches, the original construction is lost, for example, at the northwestern end close to the church of the Holy Apostles, where the aqueduct was completely rebuilt in Ottoman times.

History

Roman period

The construction of a water supply system for the city (then still called Byzantium) had begun already under the Roman emperor Hadrian.^[2] Under Constantine I, when the city was rebuilt and increased in size, the system needed to be greatly expanded to meet the needs of the rapidly growing population.^[3]

The Valens aqueduct, which originally got its water from the slopes of the hills between Kağıthane and the Sea of Marmara,^[4] was merely one of the terminal points of this new wide system of aqueducts and canals – which eventually reached over 250 kilometers in total length, the longest such system of Antiquity – that stretched throughout the hill-country of Thrace and provided the capital with water. Once in the city, the water was stored in three open reservoirs and over a hundred underground cisterns, such as the Basilica Cistern, with a total capacity of over 1 million cubic meters.^[5]

“Aqueduct of Valens (in the City)” (Istanbul) engraved by J.C.Bentley after a picture by W.H.Bartlett, published in The Beauties of the Bosphorus, 1838. Steel engraved print with recent hand colour. Good condition. Size 18 x 14.5 cms including title, plus margins. Ref G3331

The exact date that construction on the aqueduct began is uncertain, but it was completed in the year 368 during the reign of Roman Emperor Valens, whose name it bears. It lay along the valley between the third and fourth hills of Constantinople, occupied respectively at that time by the Capitolium and the Church of the Holy Apostles.^[6] According to tradition, the aqueduct was built using the stones of the walls of Chalcedon, pulled down as punishment in 366 after the revolt of Procopius.^[6] The structure was inaugurated in the year 373 by the urban prefect Klearchos, who commissioned a Nymphaeum Maius in the Forum of Theodosius, that was supplied with water from the aqueduct.^[6]a[›]

After a severe drought in 382, Theodosius I built a new line (the Aquaeductus Theodosiacus), which took water from the northeastern region known today as the “Belgrade Forest”.^[3]

East Roman (Byzantine) period

Other works were executed under Theodosius II, who decided to distribute the water of the aqueduct exclusively to the Nymphaeum, the Baths of Zeuxippus and the Great Palace of Constantinople.^[3] The aqueduct, possibly damaged by an earthquake, was restored under Emperor Justinian I, who connected it with the Cistern of the Basilica of Illus^b[›] (identified today either with the Yerebatan or with the Binbirdirek (Turkish: Turkish): “thousand and one columns”) cistern, and was repaired in 576 by Justin II, who built a separate pipe.^[6][7]

The aqueduct was cut by the Avars during the siege of 626, and the water supply was reestablished only after the great drought of 758 by Emperor Constantine V.^[6] The Emperor had the whole water supply system repaired by a certain Patrikios, who used a large labour force coming from the whole of Greece and Anatolia.^[6]

Other maintenance works were accomplished under Emperors Basil II (in 1019) and Romanos III Argyros.^[4][8]

The last Byzantine Emperor who took care of the aqueduct was Andronikos I Komnenos.^[7] Neither during the Latin Empire nor during the Palaiologan period were any repair works executed, but by that time the population of the city had shrunk to about 40,000 – 50,000 inhabitants, so that the water supply was no longer a very important issue.^[4] Nevertheless, according to Ruy Gonzáles de Clavijo, a Castilian diplomat who traveled to Constantinople en route to an embassy to Timur in 1403, the aqueduct was still functioning.^[6]

Ottoman period

After the Fall of Constantinople (1453), Sultan Mehmet II repaired the whole water supply, which was then used to bring water to the imperial palaces of Eski Sarayi (the first palace, built on the third hill) and Topkapı Sarayi, and connected it with a new line coming from the northeast. The great earthquake of 1509 destroyed the arches near the Mosque of Şehzade, which was erected some time later. This gave rise to the popular legend that they were cut, in order to allow a better view from the nearby mosque. The repairs to the water-supplying net continued under Beyazid II, who added a new line.^[8]

Around the middle of the 16th century, Suleyman I rebuilt arches (now ogival) 47 up to 51 (counted from the west) near the Şehzade Mosque, and commissioned the Imperial Architect Sinan to add two more lines, coming from the Forest of Belgrade (Belgrad Ormanı).^[4] The increased flow allowed the distribution of water to the Kιrkçeşme (“Forty Fountains”) quarter, situated along the aqueduct on the Golden Horn side, and so called after the many fountains built there under Suleyman.^[4]

Under Sultan Mustafa II, five arches (41-45) were restored, respecting the ancient form. An inscription in situ, dated 1696/97, commemorates the event.^[8] His successor Ahmed III repaired again the distribution net.^[8]

In 1912, a 50-meter-long part of the aqueduct near the Fatih Mosque was pulled down.^[4] In the same period, a new modern Taksim (“distribution plant”, lit. ‘division’) at the east end was erected.^[4]

Description

The Aqueduct of Valens had a length of 971 meters and a maximum height of ca. 29 meters (63 meters above sea level) with a constant slope of 1:1000.^[6] Arches 1-40 and 46-51 belong to the time of Valens, arches 41-45 to Mustafa II, and those between 52 and 56 to Suleyman I.^[9] Arches 18-73 have a double order, the others a single order.^[6][9]

Originally the structure ran perfectly straight, but during the construction of the Fatih Mosque – for unknown reasons – it was bent in that section.^[10] The masonry is not regular, and uses a combination of ashlar blocks and bricks.^[6] The first row of arches is built with well-squared stone blocks, the upper row is built with four to seven courses of stones alternated with a bed of smaller material (opus caementitium) clamped with iron cramps.^[10] The width of the aqueduct varies from 7.75 meters to 8.24 meters.^[6] The pillars are 3.70 meters thick, and the arches of the lower order are four meters wide.^[10]

The water comes from two lines from the northeast and one coming from the northwest, which join together outside the walls, near the Adrianople Gate (Edirne Kapı).^[1] Near the east end of the aqueduct there is a distribution plant, and another lies near Hagia Sophia. The water feeds the zone of the imperial palace.^[10] The daily discharge in the 1950s amounted to 6,120 cubic meters.^[10] During Byzantine times, two roads important for the topography of medieval Constantinople crossed under the eastern section of the aqueduct.^[10]

CISTERN of AETIOS

This open cistern in the northwest of the city was built in 421 and filled with water from the supply line leading to the Aqueduct of Valens. In the middle byzantine time, it was probably already used as a garden.

Historical Landmark, Istanbul Top 30 Tourist Attractions, Whereist Eyup and Fatih Aqueduct, Arch, byzantine times, byzantium, constantine, Fatih, Golden Horn, hadrian, Justinian, passage, water

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.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topkap%C4%B1_Palace

Historical Landmark, Lale Devri - Tulip Ahmed III, central dome, Islamic, lale, lale devri, mosque, Neo-classical, ottoman architecture, ottoman turkish, Period, style, sultan ahmed, tulip, tulip period

Hasköy Jewish cemetery is a higgledy piggledy site on top of a hill. The gravestones are horizontal as in the Sephardic tradition. The views are great even if it is all somewhat melancholy. But then İstanbul, as you may have already discovered, has a very pervasive melancholy side.

Abraham Kamondo Mausoleum: Abraham Kamondo was a banker, a
leader of the Jewish community in Istanbul in the 19th century and also
one of the founders of the municipality. His mausoleum will restored to its
past glory and to highlight the cohtribution of the Jewish community in the
cultural life of Istanbul.

Dying at Paris at the age of eighty-eight, Camondo, according to his last wishes, was buried in his family vault in the Jewish cemetery at Hasköy, İstanbul. The Ottoman government held memorial services in his honor.

www.onderkaya.net/arsiv/2007/03/19

To view the Kamondo Mausoleum you must take a ride on the Birinci Çevreyolu, the expressway which skirts the central area of the city to the north of Hasköy. Tragically, the path of the expressway passes directly through the midst of the large Hasköy Jewish Cemetery.

A birdseye view of the Jewish cemetery of Haskoy (Istanbul), 1583 onwards.
Picture taken by Minna Rozen, August 1995.

A typical view at Haskoy Jewish cemetery; Tonbstones from the mid 17th century and 2nd half of the 18th century.
Pictures taken by Laurence Salzman, August 1987.

Burial caves of the Jewish cemetery of Haskoy in Istanbul, mid 17th century.
Picture taken by Mehmet Ali Cida , August1988.

The Kamondo mausoleum is set prominently on a hill just to the north of the roadway, a short distance northeast of the Golden Horn, especially when travelling westbound.

www.turkeytravelplanner.com/special/jewish/JewishHaskoy.html

Historical Landmark Cemetery, Golden Horn, gravestones, istanbul, Jewish, jewish cemetery, jewish community, Kamondo, kamondo family, mausoleum, ottoman government, sephardic tradition

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.

Aynalikavak Pavilion

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.

Historical Landmark, Lale Devri - Tulip Ahmed III, Aynalikavak, Calligraphic, Golden Horn, kasir, music, ottoman architecture, Palace, Pavilion, style, sultan ahmed, Sultan Mahmud