Tag: Ottoman architecture

Turkey increases its cultural footprint in the Balkans

The restoration works are galvanising Turkey’s esteem and influence throughout the Balkan region.

By Menekse Tokyay for SES Turkiye in Istanbul — 05/09/12

The Drina Bridge in BiH was one of the structures that was restored. [Reuters]

Turkey has been taking a multidimensional foreign policy approach in the Balkan region, with one of its focuses on the preservation of history.

The Turkish International Co-operation and Development Agency (TIKA) has been conducting important restoration projects throughout the Balkan countries, which were under Ottoman rule from the 15th to the 19th century, to preserve cultural and historical heritage.

During the Ottoman reign, 15,787 structures were built, including tombs, mosques, medreses, hamams (Turkish baths), bridges and fountains. However, due to the wars in the region, most of them have been seriously damaged.

András Riedlmayer, an art documentation specialist at Harvard University, said that the Ottoman heritage of the Balkans is the common heritage of all the Balkan peoples, and the preservation of it is something that concerns not only ethnic Turks or the Republic of Turkey.

“Turkey is the largest and most prosperous of the successor states of the Ottoman Empire in Southeast Europe. As such, Turkey is to be commended for assisting in the preservation of this long-neglected Ottoman, and European, heritage,” he told SETimes, adding that cultural diplomacy can contribute to the building of good neighborly relations and has other potential long-term benefits.

The restoration works have been inevitably galvanising Turkey’s esteem and influence over the host countries. According to the experts, the presence of Turkey’s footprint in each Balkan country under the restoration of historical monuments and other artifacts shows once again the deeply-rooted bonds between Turkey and the Balkan geography, as well as a common historical memory.

While in Albania, the restoration of the Parruce Mosque gave the Muslim community a place for daily prayers. In BiH, the restoration of the Drina Bridge served as the preservation of a bridge on UNESCO’s world heritage list through a protocol signed between TIKA and Visegrad Municipality. Accordingly, TIKA restored a number of Ottoman mosques in Macedonia.

In Kosovo, where there are a considerable proportion of ethnic Turks, TIKA has been focusing on the protection of cultural heritage in collaboration of the country’s Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry and Kosovo Islamic Community.

Since 2004, when it was established in Kosovo, TIKA realised the restoration, reparation and maintenance of seven buildings throughout the country, ranging from mosques to the building of the peripheral wall of the Ottoman cemetery, which accommodates important tombs of sheikhs of Ottoman times.

“As the other countries in the Balkans, there is a significant number of historical artifacts remaining from the Ottoman times,” Adem Urfa, coordinator of TIKA Pristine Programme, told SETimes. “Unfortunately these artifacts couldn’t be preserved adequately up to now due to the indifference and economic insufficiencies. So, our aim is to support those buildings which are in fact a common heritage of all humanity.”

To ensure the sustainability of its initiatives, TIKA has been also conducting educational programmes in order to raise the capacity of Kosovan authorities over the protection of cultural heritage as well as the exchange of field experiences.

Last month, Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag paid a visit to Kosovo to declare the upcoming projects’ timetable.

“We are planning to realise five projects [in 2012-2013], with 3.7 million euros,” Urfa told SETimes, adding that the projects involve the restoration of Ottoman mosques, hamams and landscape planning in Pristina, Prizren, Janjeva and Vushtrria.

The preservation of Ottoman heritage in the Balkans, and mosques in particular, also means the protection of the Muslim population in the region.

Isuf Gashi, 69, from Pristina, prays daily at the mosques. “For a long time mosques only witnessed destruction, making an uncomfortable place to visit and to practice religious beliefs. It was necessary to finally restore them, and I’m very pleased,” Gashi told SETimes.

The restoration projects carried out by TIKA have been also contributing to increase those countries’ attractiveness both in cultural and historical terms, while significantly contributing to the national economy by the means of cultural tourism. “For instance, Sultan Murat tomb, which was restored and maintained by TIKA, attracted almost 10,000 tourists just in 2011, having a real contribution to the urban economy,” Urfa said. Shasivar Haxhijaj, senior advisor to the Kosovo minister for Culture, Youth and Sports, told SETimes that the preservation of cultural heritage is one of the top priorities for the ministry to boost the tourism pillar.

“Thus we have a number of important international partners supporting our efforts in this area, such as TIKA, the Council of Europe, western embassies,” Haxhijaj said.

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In Romania, with whom Turkey has 134 years of history, the repair and restoration works of Turkish-Islamic monuments are conducted in partnership with state institutions, Turkish businessmen and the local community. The significant proportion of country’s mosques and tombs needs urgent restoration, experts say.

However, an expression of interest and generosity does not confer entitlement, Riedlmayer said, adding that the best way to build good relations is to demonstrate respect for the real owners of this precious heritage: the peoples of the Balkan countries.

“Donor countries and their aid agencies must resist the temptation to assert ‘ownership’ over the restoration projects and monuments that they sponsor. Technical and financial assistance has to be accompanied by respect for local laws and regulations and cooperation with the local preservation authorities in the Balkan countries.”

SETimes correspondents Gabriel Petrescu in Bucharest and Safet Kabashaj in Pristina contributed to this report.

This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.

September 6, 2012
Simply Sofia

GO CITYBREAK : A city of extremes, Sofia offers something for everyone – skiing, cultural and architectural gems and food to delight, writes LORRAINE COURTNEY

IF ASIA AND EUROPE hadn’t already met in Istanbul, they might have chosen Sofia. Sofia is a place of extremes, with a fast-track, new-money elite on the one hand and a struggling lower class on the other. The mafiya is everywhere, making its presence known with expensive German cars and Versace-clad girlfriends, but you’ll still stumble across gaggles of old men playing chess in city parks. Marauding Ottomans filled the city with mosques and hammams. Red Army monuments jostle with bling shopping centres. Oh, and there is some surprisingly good skiing to be had just out of town.

The foothills of Mount Vitosha are a short trek out of town and, in season, the slopes around Aleko are jammed with snow bunnies. And while Sofia might not be a destination for the gnarly off-pister, the resort of Aleko is ideal for the curious beginner, wary intermediate or those with young children in tow. There are six runs and the Aleko chalet has a gaggle of ski instructors available for tuition. Access is via a 6km gondola lift from the Sofia suburb of Simeonovo, so the piste is easily reached by the city-breaker. Equipment hire is very reasonable and skiing is possible on the snow-dolloped peak from late December through to mid-March.

Sofia itself is something of a palimpsest: a manuscript used over and over so many times that it has become a historical layer cake. Consider the 4th-century frescoes at St George’s Rotunda – it began life as a pagan temple when Sofia was ancient Roman Serdica. Later, it was converted to a baptistery by Emperor Justinian. It then spent a few centuries as a mosque during Ottoman rule before being reconverted to a place of Christian worship once more. The church stands in a little rotunda that is closely framed by a square of hulking Stalinist blocks, bringing the tale up to the 20th century.

Sofia’s centre is cosy, compact and very walkable. Many of the buildings are made of yellow bricks, but no you haven’t entered Oz – the bricks were a rather odd wedding gift from an Austro-Hungarian emperor to a Bulgarian tsar.

Notable sights to tick off your list include the colonnaded Party House, an arresting testament to the Communist legacy. Legend has it that Bulgaria applied to be the 16th Soviet republic. There’s a fascinating second World War monument that got an especially colourful makeover in June 2011 when fresh paint transformed the soldiers into Superman and other icons from pop culture. People flocked to check out the makeover, but the Bulgarian culture minister Vezhdi Rashidov was not amused and the soldiers have since been scrubbed to their original lacklustre socialist-realist state.

There’s also the Banya Bashi mosque replete with red brick minaret. It is the result of 500 years of Turkish rule and the city’s only working mosque. Out in the backyard is the spot where locals fill up their bottles with free streaming mineral water. The gorgeous onion-domed Russian church dedicated to Nikolai, the miracle worker, provides the city’s best Kodak moment.

You’ll discover lots of funky ethnographic and archaeological museums, and attractive art galleries in Sofia. Of these, the Museum of Archaeology is one of the best. It houses an extensive collection of artefacts from the Roman, the Greek and the Thracian periods, but the star attractions is the original 4th- century mosaic floor from the apse of the Church of Sveta Sofia.

The Borisova Gradina gardens provide some bucolic bliss in the city and are a pleasant place to catch your breath.

Sofia’s standout showpiece is the green and golden-domed Aleksandar Nevski Cathedral. The structure is just one century old, a monument to Russian soldiers who died fighting for Bulgaria’s independence during the Russo-Turkish war.

Through its heavy bronze doors, you enter an incense-fragranced world illuminated by tapered candles. It’s all Italian marble and exquisite wood carvings, and down in the crypt there are lots of medieval icons.

Zhenski Pazar or the “Women’s Market” is a bustling bazaar jammed with fruit and vegetable stalls as well, as stalls peddling souvenirs such as Bulgarian embroidery, rose-oil products, Troyan pottery and colourful icons.

Other good souvenirs to take home are watercolours from the street artists on Maria Luiza Boulevard or CDs of national folk songs. TZUM, or the Central Department Store, has gone upscale since Communist days and is a veritable feast of the usual high street and luxury shops.

Homer used to wax lyrical about the glories of Thracian viticulture, describing in The Iliad how sweet, red liquid was shipped from Thrace to Greece. Mavrud and Wide Melnik Vine are two of the indigenous grape varieties that make superb red wines. Otherwise, opt for a hoppy Zagorka lager. Food is a heady fusion of Balkan, European and Middle Eastern. Try it in a traditional tavern – called mehana.

Sofia’s boulevards are lined with Linden trees and one of the best restaurants in town is called Under the Linden Tree or Pod Lipite in Bulgarian. This old Bulgaria institution has been dishing up food since 1926 and the interior is decked out in the classic wood-beamed mehana style, with patterned rugs, agricultural tools and traditional musical instruments garnishing the walls.

Bunches of garlic and onions hang from the ceiling. Start off with a warming broth and then move on to a hearty meat dish, such as knuckle of pork.

Other local delights include the traditional pastry banitsa, filled with spinach and cheese, delicately spiced lamb kebabs, explosively fresh salads and the ubiquitous the yoghurt, cucumber and garlic dip the Greeks call tzatziki.

Rakia, the local white brandy is a distinctive firewater not unlike grappa – down a shot as you toast, “Nazdrave”.

Nightlife here is boisterous and many nightclubs can verge on seedy, so take advice on the best places to frequent.

Take in a performance at the National Opera and Ballet, based in an imposing building. The Ivan Vazov National Theatre is also worth checking out and the high standard of the performances of works by eminent Bulgarian writers mean that all is not lost in translation.

If you fancy a nightcap, Urban on Vitosha Street has a extensive selection of ritzy cocktails and is one of the glitziest places in town to flash your feathers.

My Mojito, on Ivan Vazov Street, is one of the more upmarket clubs.

And before you go, take note: Bulgarians mean “no” when they nod their heads, “yes” when they shake them. Distinct, intriguing and unique, this Balkan beauty is that kind of place.

SOFIA: Where to . . .

STAY

Value : Sofia Guesthouse, 27 Patriarh Evtimii Blvd, 00-359-240-30100, sofiaguest.com. This is actually a hostel and, as a relative new addition to the town, it has spanking clean dorms and comfy private rooms. It’s also very central. Rates from €28.

Midmarket : Crystal Palace, 1 Shipka Street, 00-359-2948-9489, crystalpalace-sofia.com. A hip boutique hotel with an ultra modern glass canopy topping the elegant classical facade. It perfectly sums up Bulgaria’s bold modern approach to architecture and has top notch service and facilities. Rooms from €100.

Upmarket: Grand Hotel Sofia, 1 Gurko Street, 00-359-2811-0811, grandhotelsofia.bg. Expect five-star pampering in Sofia’s beating heart. Views are stupendous – it’s right across from the red-and-white Ivan Vazov theatre – and the in-house spa is excellent. Doubles from €140.

EAT

Value : Sofia has a lively cafe culture for quick snacking and street food is of high quality too. Try a banitsa, a cheese and spinach filled pie, on the hoof. Fun and filling.

Midmarket: Under the Linden Tree, 1 Elin Pelin Street, 00-359-286-65053, podlipitebg.com. This is a Sofia institution dishing up hearty traditional fare. The wild boar stewed with juicy plums is hearty and satisfying.

Upmarket : Beyond the Alley, Behind the Cupboard, 31 Budapeshta Street, 00-359-2983-5545. This high-end diningroom has fed Bill Clinton and Madeleine Albright. The art nouveau interior is stunning and the menu is a mouth-watering blend of Bulgarian and international styles.

SHOP

Zhenski Pazar is an enormous bazaar in the old quarter. You can buy anything from honey to Troyan pottery and religious icons, and good quality linen. TZUM, Sofia’s answer to Moscow’s GUM, is mighty cathedral of consumerism, with high-street staples, a scattering of independents and luxury brands.

PARTY

The Red House on Karavelov Street (redhouse-sofia.org), a quirky cultural space, hosts political and cultural debates and avant-garde performances. For your nightcap, try Upstairs on 18 Vitosha, a bar that attracts Sofia’s beautiful people.

GO THERE

There are no direct flights to Sofia from Ireland. Bulgaria Air (air.bg) flies London Heathrow to Sofia, Wizzair.com flies to Sofia from Luton and easyjet.com flies to Sofia from London Gatwick

January 8, 2012
Ottoman architecture not just from Armenians and Greeks, says historian

ISTANBUL – Anatolia News Agency

Two recent exhibitions on Istanbul’s Armenian and Greek architects have caused a debate among experts on Ottoman architecture. While some say there is an attempt to show that Istanbul’s recent architectural heritage belongs to Armenians and Greeks only, others think that such a prejudiced approach goes against academic objectivity

Selman Can has studied Ottoman architecture extensively.

Turkish architects have been ignored in architectural exhibits opened as part of the 2010 European Capital of Culture, and curators have tried to show that Istanbul’s architectural heritage solely belongs to Armenians and Greeks, according to an art historian.

“There are attempts to show Istanbul’s architectural heritage is merely the preserve of Armenians and Greeks. There are already many events on the same issue,” said Atatürk University Fine Arts Faculty member Associate Professor Selman Can, who researches Ottoman architecture and art and is due to soon publish a book on the issue. “Isn’t there any structure built by Turks in the city? I want the supporters of these exhibition projects to ask themselves this question.”

Can made the comments in response to two exhibitions about Istanbul’s Greek and Armenian architects that recently opened as part of the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture events.

Speaking to the Anatolia news agency, Can said he had spent years sifting through the thousands of archive documents regarding Ottoman architecture. He said because few Turkish art historians can speak or read Ottoman Turkish, very few of the documents have been evaluated.

He said one of the exhibitions recently opened as part of the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture events, titled “Armenian Architects of Istanbul in the Era of Westernization” that features 100 photos of buildings reportedly built by 40 Armenian architects, who lived in Istanbul at the end of 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century.

Can said the archive documents showed that the real architects of the structures, most of which are claimed to belong to the Balyan family, were different.

“A similar exhibition titled ‘Greek Architects of Istanbul in the Era of Westernization’ was opened for Greeks,” Can said. “Why is the third step of these projects not Istanbul’s Turkish architects?”

Arguing that the exhibitions did not show the truth, Can said the most radical change in the 19th century in Ottoman architecture was that construction projects were put up for tender.

“In this period, Armenians and Greeks won a big part of these tenders because they had financial power. Particularly, the Balyan family carried out a contracting business for three generations. The Balyans owned the first official construction company in the era worth more than 1 million Ottoman gold coins.”

Can said the Balyans were the biggest contractor family at the end of 19th century and most of their projects were built in collaboration with different architects.

Touching on the Armenians, Can said: “By exaggerating their works, they succeeded in promoting their community very well. They had international support and architecture was used as a tool to form an identity and a nation.”

Imperial architecture

Art Historian Süleyman Faruk Göncüoğlu said the structures built at the turn of the last century were in the empire’s style of architecture at the time.

Ottoman architecture was a reflection of the civilization, he said, adding that the last civilization in the world was the Ottomans and that all those following it were merely cultural hegemonies.

He said Istanbul architecture included many structures built under the coordination of Seyyit İsmail Zühtü Altunizade.

“Most of the buildings claimed to be built by Armenian architects were built under the coordination of Altunizade. When we look at 19th century Ottoman structures, the Düyunu-i Umumiye [Istanbul Men’s School], Haydarpaşa Hospital, Şişli Etfal Hospital, Cibali Tekel Building [currently Kadir Has University] are all from the Sultan Abdülhamit II period,” Göncüoğlu said.

“I agree with [Can] because he expresses his ideas about archival documents,” he said.

He said such exhibitions showed the richness of Turkish architecture but should not be limited to a certain community. “This is to deny the architectural understanding of the Ottoman civilization and will cause unnecessary debates,” Göncüoğlu said.

Archive documents should be primary source

Marmara University Faculty of Literature member Professor Selçuk Mülayim said some members of the Balyan family were contractors and others were master builders.

“Some did not have an architectural education. Archive documents should be based on this issue. The architectural style of a structure is not important; they all reflect Ottoman identity. But art historians search for the architecture of a building. As a result, all of the 19th century buildings show us the Ottoman identity,” he said.

Speaking about the debates, Mimar Sinan University Architectural Restoration Department member Professor Suphi Saatçi said regardless of their identity, Balyans or others, all of those architects served the same empire.

“The Balyans were not the architects; they were contractors. Regardless, they served on this land as Ottoman citizens,” Saatçi said, adding that such debates were not dangerous. “Discussing whether the Balyans were real architects or not is not a problem. A scientific debate is always useful.”

A prejudiced approach

Bosphorus University History Department member Associate Professor Ahmet Ersoy said it would be prejudiced to attempt to exclude Ottoman Greeks and Armenians from the heritage of Ottoman architecture and culture. He said such an approach would go against academic objectivity.

“No one can deny that Greeks and Armenians had a central role in the Ottoman construction sector. The Balyans were the most effective and productive family as contractors and investors in this field. The main problem is how the archives are used. Raw information in an archive can be manipulated by prejudiced researchers,” he said.

Real architects according to archives

A number of buildings that have been attributed to the Armenian Balyan family actually belong to others, according to Atatürk University Fine Arts Faculty member Associate Professor Selman Can, who studies the issue.

– The Sultan Mahmut II Tomb does not belong to Garabed Balyan, but to engineer Abdülhalim Efendi.

– The Bayezit Fire Tower, Rami Barracks and Ortaköy Mosque do not belong to Senekerim Balyan, Kirkor Balyan and Nikoğos Balyan, but to Seyyit Abdülhalim Efendi.

– The Mecidiye Barracks (Taşkışla) and Harbiye Military Museum do not belong to Serkis Balyan, but to British architect William James Smith.

– The Yıldız Hamidiye Mosque does not belong to Serkis Balyan, but to the Greek Nikolaki Kalfa.

– The Sarayburnu storehouses do not belong to Simon Balyan, but to German August Jasmund.

– The Baltalimanı Palace (Büyük Reşit Paşa Palace) does not belong to Sarkis Balyan, but to Italian Gaspare Fossati.

December 23, 2010