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“Ottoman Architect” D`Aronco
D`Aronco
Projects for İstanbul 1893 - 1909
Restorations, projects, books
Exhibition: 18 September 2006 - 15 December 2006
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The exhibition focuses on the projects and constructions of Raimondo D'Aronco (Gemona del Friuli 1857 - Sanremo 1932) relating to his time in Istanbul, the cosmopolitan capital of the Ottoman Empire, where he lived and worked from 1893 to 1909. From this privileged viewpoint, for centuries a crossroads of culture still visible today in its grandiose architectural monuments, D'Aronco participated in the development of European and international Art Nouveau, contributing to it with his reflections on Islamic-Ottoman art.
His contribution is much more significant as it is part of a theme which characterises the architectural research in Vienna, that is the rediscovery of popular art as the genius loci to bring new life to the expressive form which defined the national identity in terms of a weaving together of languages and culture. In this highly articulated context, D'Aronco's work functions as a bridge between the current cultural discussion in central Europe and Islamic art in the wake of an interest in the weaving together of east and west which had followers in Hungary and also in Vienna.
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His proposals do not limit themselves to decorative aspects but involve the spatial structure. As such, we are able to identify certain principal themes of his research by looking at the numerous villas built on the Bosphorus between 1903 and 1906 for a selected clientele (often connected to the court), as well as buildings for the city (fountain, tomb and library on the Yıldız slope, room for collections and library for Memduh Paşa in Arnavutköy, the Cemil Bey House in Kireçburnu, the small mosque in Galata and the Italian Embassy in Tarabya). This research was directed towards the ambitions aim of renewing Turkish architectural culture.
D'Aronco showed that it was possible to recapture the spirit of “turkishness” beginning a comparison with European art in terms of modernisation, which meant the acceptance of new construction techniques and new materials without disregarding tradition, which was looked to free of nostalgia.
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His knowledge of history and the techniques of Ottoman Architecture were developed over the course of his career, which saw him spend a considerable amount of his time in the field of restoration- after the earthquake in 1894 he was employed by the Sultan to repair the many monuments of the capital, including Santa Sofia and the Mihrimah Mosque designed by Sinan.
His operational experience was matched with the theoretical support of critical-historical studies, as is documented in the volumes of Islamic and western art and architecture which D'Aronco acquired for his library, together with other books with western themes. This precious material, important for deepening the understanding of the cultural context in which the architect worked, was donated to the civic library of Udine in accordance with D'Aronco's last will and testament. The drawings and sketches, conserved in the civic gallery of modern art in Udine, are an architectural archive which has international relevance in both scientific and cultural terms.
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Over the course of his career he managed to perceive the evolutions which occurred, both when this meant using the forms of the Ottoman revival (Janissary museum and the ministry for agriculture in the square of the hippodrome, the imperial school of medicine) up to the Secession of the central European area, without abandoning a personal approach to the interpretation, a sign of the “expressive restlessness”, which never let him stop.
His fervid creative imagination was supported by his sure skill as a draughtsman and his experience of working on building sites, which came from his time spent in the family construction business.
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His work as an imperial architect for the Sublime Port can be seen in his project drawings, his sketches and books, which are shown in the exhibition in a constant relationship made up of intersections and delays, just as must happen in the work of study and planning. The materials shown are part of the artistic heritage of the cultural institutions of Udine, which, thanks to this exhibition, have found an important promotional opportunity at an international level.
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A Selection from the Millet Manuscript Library
ALİ EMÎRÎ EFENDİ and His World
Fermans, berats, calligraphies, books
Exhibition: 24 January 2007 - 1 July 2007
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If the cultural inheritance of past, particularly the fragile and perishable pieces of the inheritance - such as books,
documents, manuscripts or photographs - miraculously manage to survive until the present day, it is mostly trough the efforts of a
number of nameless heroes, who dedicate their entire lives to the collection, preservation and transmission of these objects to future
generations. Thanks to these men, who recognize and appreciate their value, many priceless works of the past have withstood wars,
destructions or natural disasters, transcending centuries to assume their places in today's contemporary museums and library collections.
Ali Emîrî Efendi and his world exhibition we are hosting in two sections, in the halss of Pera Museum and İstanbul Research Institute today,
sheds light to the unconventional adventure of such a man. Through the imperial edicts, books and calligraphic works he excavated from the debris of
a deteriorating empire, and subsequently preserved and donated to the Millet Library he established, as well as a selection of his personel
belongings and documents, we encounter the persona of Ali Emîrî Efendi as a "culture man" and journey into a world he was passionately connected to.
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Ali Emîrî Efendi (1854 Diyarbakır - 1924 İstanbul)
Ali Emîrî Efendi was born in Diyarbakır, one of the most significant areas among the Ottoman provinces. He was not exposed
to a conventional education. Much like all Tanzimat period employees, his life was spent traversing the empire's geography
from one end to the other. He collected rare books in the course of his travels. The ones he could not acquire, he copied by
hand to save them being forever lost. For Ali Emîrî Efendi, books were not a collection item but rather a tool for discovery
through reading. He was not interested in the movements of modernization during the period in which he lived. His greatest
passion was to familiarize new generations with the Ottoman-Turkish heritage. To accomplish this, he established the Millet
Library and donated his books to his “nation.”
Ali Emîrî Efendi was a poet, a historian, a biographer and a publisher. He was particularly recognized as the book connoisseur
who rediscovered Dîvânu Lugâti't-Türk. He was never married, never had his photograph taken and never set foot in Beyoğlu.
He spent his life reading and writing, in the company of his books and cats.
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Hosted by Pera Museum (3rd floor) and Istanbul Research Institute, Ali Emîrî Efendi and his World exhibition is
compartmentalized into three major sections. The first section is comprised of 49 fermans and berats, extending
over 500 years, from Sultan Süleyman, the Magnificent, to Sultan Reşad. These 49 spectacular works of tuğra
(imperial monogram), hat (calligraphy and tezhip (decoration) are being brought to light for the first time.
The second section includes 31 kıt'as (rectangular calligraphic works) and levhas (large-scale panels) by the
greatest masters of calligraphic art. Penned by Şeyh Hamdullah, Hâfız Osman, Yedikuleli Seyyid Abdullah, Şeyhülislâm
Veliyüddin Efendi, İsmail Zühdi, Mahmud Celaleddin and Kadıasker Mustafa İzzet Efendi, these calligraphies reveal the
quintessence of Ottoman aesthetics. The third and final section is a selection from the rare and precious books Ali
Emîrî Efendi collected in a lifetime. This wide spectrum consists of 69 books, ranging from the Ottoman sultans'
collective poetry to medicine, from geography to history and Sufism. Discovered by Ali Emîrî Efendi in 1914, the sole
copy of the legendary Dîvânu Lugâti't-Türk, which was written by Mahmud of Kashgar in the 11th century, is revealed to
the public for the first time in this exhibition.
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The Dervishes of Sovereignty
The Sovereignty of Dervishes
The Mevlevi Order in İstanbul
Exhibition: 15 November 2007 - 30 March 2008
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Due to Unesco's designation of 2007 as the 800th anniversary of Mevlânâ Celâleddîn-i Rûmî's (1207 - 1273) birth, Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation İstanbul Research Institute has prepared the exhibition “The Dervishes of Sovereignty, The Sovereignty of Dervishes: The Mevlevî Order in İstanbul”, in order to shed light upon the Sufi history of İstanbul and to commemorate once again Mevlânâ.
A mystical institution of medieval Islam at the end of 13th century with respect to its social and cultural roots, the Mevlevî Order, assumes its unique place in the world due to İstanbul's close interaction with the Renaissance in Europe and embarks upon a journey that leads from Konya to İstanbul, upon Sultan Mehmed II's conquest of the latter. As part of the historical continuum that lasts for centuries, the Mevlevî Order is transformed from an Eastern mentality to becoming the epitome of an intellectual and spiritual bridge between the East and the West. Following the inauguration of the Galata Mevlevî Lodge in 1491, although the Order finds the opportunity to expand into the Balkan and Mediterranean geography, the Mevlevî sheikh families of İstanbul lay the foundations of the İstanbul Mevlevî Order as of the mid-17th century.
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Representing the chivalry of word, the universality of heart, and the sanctity of spirit, the Mevlevîs of İstanbul weave the Mevlevî symbolism, which has been shaped in the medieval mystical culture of Islam, into the texture of daily life. In an effort to give spirit to matter, these unique men are the architects of a vast cultural spectrum that ranges from clothing to ordinary objects and from works of art to colloquial language,
İstanbul Research Institute brings to life “The Dervishes of Sovereignty, The Sovereignty of Dervishes: The Mevlevî Order in İstanbul” through the collaborative efforts of the exhibition curator Ekren Işın and exhibition consultant Prof. M. Baha Tanman. Comprised of levhas (panels), engravings, photographs, and daily objects, which constitute an important part of the visual archives of the Ottoman Empire, the sights and sounds from life of İstanbul Mevlevîs capture the visitors' imagination and carry them into the depths of a mystical universe.
The Mevlevî Order in İstanbul assumes a significant political role in history, in the extent to which it shapes the cultural realm of the Ottoman world. The Order's cultural production, which ranges from music to calligraphy and from literature to architecture, is not only an intellectual and a spiritual bridge between the East and the West, but also entails a profound and elaborate philosophy that requires careful study and research.
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Long Stories
Istanbul in the Panoramans of Melling and Dunn
Exhibition: 29 May 2008 - 23 July 2008
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İstanbul Research Institute opens a visual window to the city of emperors and sultans with the exhibition entitled, Long Stories: İstanbul in the Panoramas of Melling and Dunn. A micro-level study of history focusing on the historical topography of the city, the exhibition is curated by Ekrem Işın, with M. Baha Tanman acting as the project consultant.
Panoramas constitute the visual narratives of a city. Emperors and sultans cast their shadows in the images stretching before our eyes; the symbols of power piercing the sky are surrounded by the cultural texture of daily life, as well as the city's architectural composition and nature. The raison d'être of a panorama is to bear witness to the urban image that appears as a protagonist on the stage of history, set against the civilizational décor that the eye perceives at first sight.
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Panoramic images of the city came in view during the Renaissance period. Cities, which emerge as the new lebensraum in the Middle Ages, provoke the transformation of the old cartography techniques as the boundaries of cultural geography expand. As of the 15th century, panoramic maps reflect the ways in which the Renaissance men perceive the city. In this perception, the city and the political authority that builds it are closely intertwined. The concepts of “The City of the Pope”, “The City of the Caliph”, and “The City of the Sultan” implement diverse civilizational designs in the minds of people through the new visual possibilities that panoramic engravings provide.
The İstanbul panoramas of Antoine-Ignace Melling and Montagu B. Dunn, which constitute the exhibition, are spectacular documents that shed light to the city's history of modernization. Melling demonstrates his dedication to the ideals of the Enlightenment through his realistic approach to the historic topography of the late-18th century İstanbul. Dunn, on the other hand, reflects the new visage of a post-Tanzimat İstanbul he arrives in during the Crimean War (1853-1856). Both panoramas remain as scientific testimonies to the changing urban image of an İstanbul in the process of modernization.
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Antoine-Ignace Melling (1763-1831) was a leading figure among the creative individuals that the Age of Enlightenment presented to İstanbul. Born into a family of artists, he undertook an expedition to the East in 1782. He arrived in İstanbul in 1784 as part of the Russian Ambassador Bulgakov's retinue. His close circle of acquaintances included renowned figures of the period such as Choiseul-Gouffier and Mouradgea D'Ohsson. He was introduced to Sultan Selim III's (1789-1807) sister Hatice Sultan and subsequently designed the interior as well as the garden of her Waterfront Palace in Defterdarburnu. His accomplishments were noticed by Selim III, who in turn, appointed Melling as the imperial architect. Beşiktaş Palace, Top Kapısı Waterfront Palace project, Çırağan Palace and Şerifler Yalı all feature his signature style.
Melling's panorama occupies perhaps the most important place among the last testimonials to the images of İstanbul depicted before the emergence of photography. The work in this exhibition is the sketch upon which his famed İstanbul engraving is based. Combining his training in architecture and engineering with his artistic talent, Melling adroitly penetrates the soul of the city and becomes one of the leading architects of modernism that the period of Selim III introduced to daily life. The panorama stands out with its realistic approach to depiction. It is possible to observe in complete detail the new structural developments along the seaboard of Topkapı Palace. Şevkiye Pavillion, the New Garden and Top Kapısı Waterfront Palace stand as part of this development.
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On the other hand, when Montagu B. Dunn arrives in İstanbul as a young naval lieutenant, the city he encounters for the first time is transformed into a military base as a consequence of the Crimean War (1853-1856). In a sense, İstanbul is being reborn in the project designs of European engineers and architects. It is thus possible to observe in Dunn's panorama, the striking images of modernization in a wide spectrum that extends from architectural structures such as the Fire Tower of the Offices of the War Ministry, the Russian Embassy, Nusretiye Mosque, Mecidiye Barracks and Dolmabahçe Palace, which assume their places in the city's skyline, to the ever-evolving cosmopolitan texture of daily life.
Long Stories: İstanbul in the Panoramas of Melling and Dunn is not only a visual feast, but also a historical survey, which compels viewers to reconsider the identity of a city that left its mark on the art of panoramic engraving.
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CITIES OF THE THREE BOOKS
Jerusalem and the Holy Land in 19th Century Photographs
Exhibition: 09 Sept 2008 - 19 Oct 2008
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The Album of Grand Vizier Kâmil Pasha and Local Photographers
The photograph album presented to Grand Vizier Kâmil Pasha encompasses 111 images of the Holy Land. A portion of these photographs was taken by Garabed Krikorian of the Jerusalem Armenian community. The person who introduced Krikorian to the art of photography was none other than Yessayi Garabedian, the first local photographer of Jerusalem. He established his own photographic studio in 1859 within the Jerusalem Armenian Monastery. Mendel John Diness, Peter Bergheim, Davud Sabunci, Leon Katz, Khalil Raad and Yeshayahu Raffalovich are recognized as outstanding masters of local photography in late-19th century.
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Jerusalem: The City of Faith and Passion
Prophets and kings constructed hand in hand the mythology of Jerusalem. The thrones of the heavens and earth were set in this city. From David to Solomon, and from Jesus Christ to Muhammad, it was the singular pole in a geography of faith. In the Middle Ages, it replaced Rome, which regarded itself as the navel of the earth. Jerusalem was the dream of those who embraced the Cross and the indispensable, holy land of Umayyad, Abbasid, Ayyubid, Fatimid caliphs, as well as Mamluk and Seljukid sultans. The city found peace under Ottoman rule from 1516 until 1917. Yet, before and after that time, the tears of humanity did not subside.
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First Photographers in the Holy Land
In 1833, British explorer Frederick Catherwood used the camera lucida in the Holy Land and produced the very first images of the Noble Sanctuary (Haram al-Sharif). Catherwood, who unveiled the Sacred, was followed by Scottish minister Alexander Keith. Keith's goal was to corroborate the text of the Holy Bible with images. This concept set the groundwork for British picturesque photography, which was particular to the Orient. In 1844, Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey experimented with a different style and focused on Islamic architecture in the Holy Land. Thus came along the first products of French documentary photography vis-à-vis the British picturesque. The photographers who convey to us today the history of the Holy Land have, to a large extent, emerged out of this school.
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Jaffa, Ramleh, Gaza
Jaffa, Ramleh and Gaza, which orbit the Holy Jerusalem, seem to share a common fate with the city. Whenever the Holy City changed hands, the others followed suit. Jaffa was the commercial port of Jerusalem. Once Umayyad caliph Suleiman bin Abdul Malik established Ramleh, Jaffa gained further importance. Gaza, on the other hand, was the primary place of accommodation for merchants travelling from Mecca and served as a bridge between Akabe and the route of the Hajj (Pilgrimage). In terms of administration, Gaza was a “Sancak”, or a sub-province that included Ramleh. All three settlements remained under Ottoman rule between 1516 and 1917.
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WOODEN İSTANBUL
Examples from House Architecture
Exhibition: 31 October 2008 - 26 April 2009
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Traces of Lost Wooden İstanbul…
Until the middle of the 20th century the cityscape of İstanbul was dominated by wooden houses, which then vanished in a dramatic process. The German Archaeological Institute in İstanbul (DAI) has researched the wooden buildings of İstanbul in many investigations, reaching as far back as the 1960's. The summary of these investigations gives an overall picture, which chronologically begins from the Amcazade Yalısı of the late 17th century to the house of the early 20th century on Büyükada. The whole variety of the old wooden houses is typologically presented, from the magnificent yalıs on the shores of the Bosporus to the wooden houses of the petty bourgeoisie in Zeyrek. The documentation of this important city quarter covers its total area and takes up its own section in this exhibition. Special attention is given to the construction techniques of the wooden houses, with the tools of craftsmanship and with a detailed construction model of the Amcazade Yalısı. The exhibition is supplemented with numerous historical photographs from archives of the German Archaeological Institute.
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Amcazade Hüseyin Paşa Yalısı
Perhaps the oldest wooden house in Istanbul is the Amcazade Hüseyin Paşa Yalısı, which is thought to be from the 17th century. It is situated on the Asian shore of the Bosporus north of Anadolu Hisarı. It basically concerns only the reception hall (divanhane) of a large group of buildings, which otherwise have been lost. With its rich interior decoration the Amcazade Yalısı belongs to the most important examples of Ottoman architecture and art. In 2007 an exact building registration was possible for the first time, into which the construction was also incorporated. Even though it is in a very bad structural condition, the beauty of this fragile building is still a revelation.
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Sadullah Paşa Yalısı
The Sadullah Paşa Yalısı in Çengelköy was built at the end of the 18thcentury. It is the harem of a much larger, lost group of buildings. With its magnificent space conceptions, it represents one of the most significant buildings of this important epoch of Ottoman architecture and art. The building survey of 2004 is directed especially onto the constructive aspects of the building, but also onto its rich structural decoration.
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Halet Çambel Yalısı
The residential building of Prof. Halet Çambel in Arnavutköy was most probably erected in the first quarter of the 19th century. In 1978 it underwent a detailed building survey. Large parts of this simple and noble building, which was originally situated directly on the shores of the Bosporus, have been preserved until today, as well as its extensive terraced gardens.
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Kıbrıslı Yalısı
The Kıbrıslı Yalısı in Küçüksu / Kandilli has already been investigated in 1962 by the DAI Istanbul. The extensive building is one of the largest documented layouts. It was constructed in the three-sofa-scheme (three large distribution areas), which became fashionable in the middle of the 19th century. Its present condition is the result of several phases of reconstruction, to which belong especially a large garden room and a limonluk (orangery) in the western aspect of the building. The modest classical façade towards the Bosphorus relates largely to the original appearance.
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Mazlum Ağa Köşkü
The Mazlum Ağa Köşkü in Altunizade represents the type of pavillion-like-summerhouse surrounded by extensive gardens, which used to define the suburbs of Istanbul. The building was erected as a shooting lodge around 1860 and was documented in 1978. Today it is the headquarters of the İstanbul Tarihi Türk Müziği Topluluğu and is in a well-kept condition, but is totally bereft of its original interaction with the surrounding landscape.
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Summer Residence of the German Embassy
The historical summer residence of the German Embassy in Tarabya consists of a group of wooden houses, which were built in the 1880's in the location of an older villa on the shores of the Bosphorus. The extensive plot of parkland was presented in 1880 as a gift to the German Reich by Sultan Abdulhamid II.. Especially in the main building - the ambassador's residence - there is a noticeable endeavour to get a rich facade effect through additional orientalised decorations.
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Kayserili Ahmed Paşa Konağı
With the Kayserili Ahmed Paşa Konağı in the area of Süleymaniye we are confronted with an example of a large urban residence. Such konaks originally defined the urban scape of many districts of the old city of Istanbul, but have become a rarity today. The building was constructed in 1890 and was documented in 1978. At that time it was awaiting demolition, but today it is maintained in a restored condition with its remarkable rich interior.
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Altın Ordu Caddesi 20, Büyükada
The largest stock of historical wooden houses of the extended city area of Istanbul are located on the Prince's Islands. The house Altın Ordu Caddesi 20, Büyükada can be attributed to this, which was probably built shortly after 1900. Even on a small building plot, it was attempted to give this modest middle-class building a representative air with elements like its overhanging bay. The building Altın Ordu Caddesi 20 represents the last generation of wooden houses in Istanbul, which were replaced with concrete ones from around 1920 onwards.
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Zeyrek
The old city quarter of Zeyrek around the Church of the Pantokrator Monastery (Zeyrek Camii) belongs to the few areas of the peninsula, which were kept in the original condition after the large-scale fires of the early 20th century and the city modernizations afterwards. Accordingly, large inter-connecting stocks of wooden houses were still preserved in the 1970's. This was the occasion for a singularly large-scale documentation project, which was started by the director at the time of the department Wolfgang Müller-Wiener and mainly carried out by Johannes Cramer (TU Darmstadt). Also participating were the University of Karlsruhe und the University of Istanbul. In the years 1977-1978 approximately fifty wooden houses were recorded in their present condition, but in the end the whole quarter was mapped and documented. It became evident that only a very small amount of the buildings were erected before 1900, but the way of building and the structure of the quarter mirrored a much older tradition. Unfortunately, many of the buildings recorded in the years of 1977-1978 do not exist any more.
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From the Capital of the Empire to the Modern City of the Republic:
Henri Prost's Istanbul Plans (1936-1951)
Exhibition:3 May 2010 - 18 July 2010
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One of the leading urban planners of his time, Henri Prost was invited to Istanbul in 1936 to draw up the city's master plan; the exhibition covers the work he did for Istanbul's planning, and includes original documents and photographs of the period taken from the 20th Century Architectural archives of the French Architectural Institute.
Prost's plans spanned a period of 15 years, from 1936 to 1951, and the exhibition sheds light on debates that still concern these plans, on a relatively obscure period in Henri Prost's career and on the urban planning history of Istanbul. The exhibition is curated by Pierre Pinon, who is known for his work on Istanbul's urban fabric and architecture, and Cânâ Bilsel, whose work focuses on the history of urban planning, urban design and urban architecture.
Prost was an extremely important figure in the history of urban planning of the 20th century; since his days as a student he had visited Istanbul and was deeply impressed by it, and in working on its planning, he attempted to preserve the unique topography, the fabric and the historical monuments of the city, while at the same time he tried to find consistent solutions to a variety of problems like constructing a modern infrastructure, providing sanitary conditions, easing transportation, refurbishing recreational areas and uncovering historically - culturally important buildings.
Some of Prost's proposals, especially those regarding the Historical Peninsula, Galata-Beyoğlu and Eyüp were executed, while some were shelved; some, like constructing a subway line between Beyoğlu and the historical peninsula that passes over Haliç on a bridge, and joining sea, subway and land traffic in Yenikapı remain valid even today.
It is impossible to deny that in the fifty years that have passed, Prost remains the leading architect-urban planner in shaping the Istanbul of the 20th century and has left his mark on today's Istanbul, despite the fact that various approaches in the modern planning of a historical metropolis like Istanbul have come to the fore.
From the Capital of the Empire to the Modern City of the Republic: Henri Prost's Istanbul Plans 1936-1951 will remain open between 3 May and 18 July 2010 at Istanbul Research Institute.
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Ankara: the City of the Black Calpak, 1923-1938
Exhibition: 29 November 2009 - 28 March 2010
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Suna and Inan Kiraç Foundation Istanbul Research Institute presents a new and meaningful exhibition looking at Ankara, the capital city, from another city and from a different perspective on the 86th anniversary of the Republic: "Ankara: City of the Black Calpak, 1923-1938."
The exhibition tells the story of Ankara, the capital that became the image of the Republic with the "Parliament" at its center and the exemplary lifeworld of the national idea; in doing so, it focuses on Ankara's architecture, its social life and its modernized look that were shaped by and around Atatürk.
Through photographs, documents and objects, the exhibition showcases Ankara, a city founded on the clashing symbols of the Ottoman Empire and the Republic, and its architectural elements ranging from the Ottoman residential fabric to the modern urban sprawl of the Early Republic; it recreates the exhilaration that accompanied the founding of the Republic and the daily life that was shaped around Atatürk himself.
The Republic Ball invitations; photographs and menus bearing witness to the good times in Ankara Palas with the Gazi; hats worn with great eagerness; letters written in a shaky hand using the Latin alphabet; the yellowed tickets of Çiftlik and Baraj buses; the candy boxes with pictures of the Victory Monument and the Parliament on them; the Red Crescent handkerchiefs; invoices of furniture bought from Koçzadeler and the journals that published the first poems of the Garip poets: as the souvenir archive of the Early Republic, "Ankara: the City of the Black Calpak, 1923-1938" narrates the story of the founding days of the Republic and the construction of Ankara, the new capital, as an exemplary city.
"Ankara, the Heart of Turkey," a film created by the Russian director Sergei Yutkeviç, who visited Ankara on the 10th anniversary of the Republic, is also included in this exhibition, courtesy of the Presidency Archives of the Republic of Turkey. Re?at Nuri Güntekin and Fikret collaborated on the making of this film, which presented striking images of the Ottoman Ankara and the modern Ankara built by the Republic. The film was shown in movie theaters, schools and squares in 1934.
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The Logbook of the Ottoman Navy
Ships, Legends, Sailors
Exhibition: 15 May 2009 - 4 September 2009
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FROM THE GALLEY TO THE BATTLESHIP:
OTTOMAN SEA POWER
Ottoman Principality was introduced to the dark sea of the Middle Ages in early 14th century, the. The battles with the Venetians and the Genoese, conquests in Rumelia, and the establishment of the first shipyards all took place during this period. As the conquest of İstanbul marked the end of the period of transition from Principality to Empire, the foundations of a strong navy that would unite the Mediterranean and the Black Sea over a political geography were laid. The power of the corsairs diminished by the end of the Renaissance; Barbaros Hayreddîn Pasha personified the golden age of Ottoman sea power. The discovery of the New World had instigated a revolution in the maritime world. Traditional Venetian galleys gave way to Spanish galleons; manpower was replaced by the force of wind. The Ottoman navy assumed a pioneering role in the process of modernization that extended from the 18th to the 20th century. Naval education in the Western sense, the implementation of new technologies and the organization of a modern fleet were all consequences of this period. Advancing from the galley to the battlecruiser, Ottoman sea power had the final say in the affairs of the Empire. 2
The Logbook of the Ottoman Navy: Ships, Legends, Men exhibition intertwines three distinct, yet integrated mythologies of the sea. The imprint of the ships in Ottoman seafaring history, the battles they were engaged in and the heroes who became legendary in these battles assume their places on the stage of civilization in their historic magnitude. At the center of the construct lies the extraordinary adventure of the transition from traditional to modern seafaring methods. The quest for power, the demolished thrones and man's identification of his fate with the sea is perhaps the oldest story behind this adventure. The cornerstones of a long history that extends from the legacy of a 16th-century Ottoman galley to the battlecruiser Yavuz, is once again brought to the light of day through the memories of seamen.
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WOODEN İSTANBUL
Examples from House Architecture
Exhibition: 31 October 2008 - 15 March 2009
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Traces of Lost Wooden İstanbul…
Until the middle of the 20th century the cityscape of İstanbul was dominated by wooden houses, which then vanished in a dramatic process. The German Archaeological Institute in İstanbul (DAI) has researched the wooden buildings of İstanbul in many investigations, reaching as far back as the 1960's. The summary of these investigations gives an overall picture, which chronologically begins from the Amcazade Yalısı of the late 17th century to the house of the early 20th century on Büyükada. The whole variety of the old wooden houses is typologically presented, from the magnificent yalıs on the shores of the Bosporus to the wooden houses of the petty bourgeoisie in Zeyrek. The documentation of this important city quarter covers its total area and takes up its own section in this exhibition. Special attention is given to the construction techniques of the wooden houses, with the tools of craftsmanship and with a detailed construction model of the Amcazade Yalısı. The exhibition is supplemented with numerous historical photographs from archives of the German Archaeological Institute.
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Amcazade Hüseyin Paşa Yalısı
Perhaps the oldest wooden house in Istanbul is the Amcazade Hüseyin Paşa Yalısı, which is thought to be from the 17th century. It is situated on the Asian shore of the Bosporus north of Anadolu Hisarı. It basically concerns only the reception hall (divanhane) of a large group of buildings, which otherwise have been lost. With its rich interior decoration the Amcazade Yalısı belongs to the most important examples of Ottoman architecture and art. In 2007 an exact building registration was possible for the first time, into which the construction was also incorporated. Even though it is in a very bad structural condition, the beauty of this fragile building is still a revelation.
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Sadullah Paşa Yalısı
The Sadullah Paşa Yalısı in Çengelköy was built at the end of the 18thcentury. It is the harem of a much larger, lost group of buildings. With its magnificent space conceptions, it represents one of the most significant buildings of this important epoch of Ottoman architecture and art. The building survey of 2004 is directed especially onto the constructive aspects of the building, but also onto its rich structural decoration.
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Halet Çambel Yalısı
The residential building of Prof. Halet Çambel in Arnavutköy was most probably erected in the first quarter of the 19th century. In 1978 it underwent a detailed building survey. Large parts of this simple and noble building, which was originally situated directly on the shores of the Bosporus, have been preserved until today, as well as its extensive terraced gardens.
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Kıbrıslı Yalısı
The Kıbrıslı Yalısı in Küçüksu / Kandilli has already been investigated in 1962 by the DAI Istanbul. The extensive building is one of the largest documented layouts. It was constructed in the three-sofa-scheme (three large distribution areas), which became fashionable in the middle of the 19th century. Its present condition is the result of several phases of reconstruction, to which belong especially a large garden room and a limonluk (orangery) in the western aspect of the building. The modest classical façade towards the Bosphorus relates largely to the original appearance.
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Mazlum Ağa Köşkü
The Mazlum Ağa Köşkü in Altunizade represents the type of pavillion-like-summerhouse surrounded by extensive gardens, which used to define the suburbs of Istanbul. The building was erected as a shooting lodge around 1860 and was documented in 1978. Today it is the headquarters of the İstanbul Tarihi Türk Müziği Topluluğu and is in a well-kept condition, but is totally bereft of its original interaction with the surrounding landscape.
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Summer Residence of the German Embassy
The historical summer residence of the German Embassy in Tarabya consists of a group of wooden houses, which were built in the 1880's in the location of an older villa on the shores of the Bosphorus. The extensive plot of parkland was presented in 1880 as a gift to the German Reich by Sultan Abdulhamid II.. Especially in the main building - the ambassador's residence - there is a noticeable endeavour to get a rich facade effect through additional orientalised decorations.
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Kayserili Ahmed Paşa Konağı
With the Kayserili Ahmed Paşa Konağı in the area of Süleymaniye we are confronted with an example of a large urban residence. Such konaks originally defined the urban scape of many districts of the old city of Istanbul, but have become a rarity today. The building was constructed in 1890 and was documented in 1978. At that time it was awaiting demolition, but today it is maintained in a restored condition with its remarkable rich interior.
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Altın Ordu Caddesi 20, Büyükada
The largest stock of historical wooden houses of the extended city area of Istanbul are located on the Prince's Islands. The house Altın Ordu Caddesi 20, Büyükada can be attributed to this, which was probably built shortly after 1900. Even on a small building plot, it was attempted to give this modest middle-class building a representative air with elements like its overhanging bay. The building Altın Ordu Caddesi 20 represents the last generation of wooden houses in Istanbul, which were replaced with concrete ones from around 1920 onwards.
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Zeyrek
The old city quarter of Zeyrek around the Church of the Pantokrator Monastery (Zeyrek Camii) belongs to the few areas of the peninsula, which were kept in the original condition after the large-scale fires of the early 20th century and the city modernizations afterwards. Accordingly, large inter-connecting stocks of wooden houses were still preserved in the 1970's. This was the occasion for a singularly large-scale documentation project, which was started by the director at the time of the department Wolfgang Müller-Wiener and mainly carried out by Johannes Cramer (TU Darmstadt). Also participating were the University of Karlsruhe und the University of Istanbul. In the years 1977-1978 approximately fifty wooden houses were recorded in their present condition, but in the end the whole quarter was mapped and documented. It became evident that only a very small amount of the buildings were erected before 1900, but the way of building and the structure of the quarter mirrored a much older tradition. Unfortunately, many of the buildings recorded in the years of 1977-1978 do not exist any more.
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