Surp Pırgiç Church (1898) / Kazlıçeşme: Hovsep Aznavur: Beylerbeyi Palace: The Türbe (Maosuoleum) of Mahmud II:

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1 21 Surp Pırgiç Church (1898) / Kazlıçeşme: The church in the garden of the Surp Pırgiç Armenian Hospital was commissioned as a place of spiritual support for the patients to Imperial Architect Garabed Amira Balyan by Kazaz Artin Amira Bezciyan, who also served as the superintendent of the Royal Mint. Initially a wooden building, the present building was constructed in Upon the request of one of the major Armenian families of Istanbul, the Tahtaburunyans, the church was rebuilt in the memory of Tiokine Tahtaburunyan who had died at a young age, by architect Kevork Aslanyan with a mandate provided by the imperial edict of Abdülhamid II. The family vault of the Gulbenkians, who are an important donor to the Surp Pırgiç Hospital, is in the courtyard of this church and an annual mass is held in the memory of the Gulbenkian Family. 22 Hovsep Aznavur: Hovsep Aznavur was born in 1854 in London. His family returned to Istanbul in 1867, however he was sent in the same year to Vienna, to continue his education at the Murad-Rafaelyan College. He later studied architecture at the Rome Fine Arts Academy. A project for a villa he designed in his second year won first place in a competition and he was awarded by Victor Emmanuel II, King of Italy. In 1879 he graduated and returned to Istanbul. His important buildings include buildings for the khedive and his family during the period of Khedives of Egypt Tevfik Paşa and Abbas Hilmi Paşa. He built the Mısır Apartımanı on İstiklal Caddesi. Hovsep Aznavur is also the architect of the Aznavur Arcade opposite the Mısır Apartımanı. Aznavur was an active figure within the Istanbul Armenian community, he settled in Cairo after the First World War, where he realized many important building projects, and he died in this city in Beylerbeyi Palace: In Boğazköy, known previously as Istavroz Bahçesi (Cross Garden) since there was a large Byzantine Cross at the highest point of the neighbourhood, there was a wooden palace built during the reign of Murad IV. Murad IV often used this palace, however it gradually became dilapidated after his death. The palace was rebuilt in the 1820 s upon the order of Mahmud II and used actively during his reign as well, and in addition to its function as the residency of the padişah, it also hosted events such as exhibitions and circumcision ceremonies of şehzades (princes). The Beylerbeyi Palace burnt down in a fire in 1851, and having escaped alive, Sultan Abdülmecid abandoned it on the pretext of its inauspiciousness, however the palace was rebuilt upon the order of Abdülaziz in 1864 by the brothers Agop and Sarkis Balyan. 24 The Türbe (Maosuoleum) of Mahmud II: The türbe (mausoleum) built over the burial place of Mahmud II who died in 1839 was completed in This large estate belonged to the Imperial Treasury, and members of the royal family were interred within the türbe; in addition to Mahmud II, the final resting places of many important figures such as Abdülaziz, Abdülhamid II, Şehzade Yusuf İzzeddin Efendi and Pertevniyal Valide Sultan are here. Notable figures of the late Ottoman period are buried in the enclosed graveyard, and contemporary ancestors of the Ottoman dynasty are also buried here. 25 1

2 Iron and Steel Plant / Zeytinburnu: Mahmud II appointed Hovhannes Amira Dadyan with the management of the area that extended from Zeytinburnu to Florya. Considered as a pioneer of Ottoman industrialization, Dadyan built a gunpowder factory and also weapon, textiles and felt factories in the area. Hovhannes Amira organized regular research trips to Europe and on these trips showed particular attention to cast iron-steel plants and for many years worked for the establishment of such a plant in Istanbul. Built by Garabed Amira Balyan and opened in 1845, this plant is where the first Ottoman battleship Eser-i Hadid was cast in All that remains from the plant today is the chimney seen in the photograph. 26 The Bezm-i Alem Valide Mosque, Dolmabahçe: The mosque built by Garabed Amira Balyan upon the order of Abdülmecit s mother Bezm-i Alem Valide Sultan is located within the gardens of the Dolmabahçe Palace. During the reigns of Abdülmecit and Abdülaziz who both resided in the palace, the Dolmabahçe Mosque was the most commonly used mosque for the Friday public procession of the Sultan. The mosque today hosts the offices of the Beyoğlu Mufti. 27 Dolmabahçe Palace: The land on which today the Dolmabahçe Palace is located was used as imperial gardens in the Byzantine period, and an excursion area in the Ottoman period. The inlet on the sea was landfilled in the 17th century and a number of large and small wooden kiosks and mansions were built. These kiosks and mansions, many of which were destroyed by fires, were also used at different times as summer residences of sultans and pashas that had married into the royal family. In 1795 Selim III had architect Melling reorganize the gardens and transformed the area into a complex including kiosks, mansions and mosques. During his 31-year reign, Mahmud II often preferred this wooden palace known as the Beşiktaş Palace to the Topkapı Palace. Under the influence of Westernization brought on by the Tanzimat period, Mahmud II s son Abdülmecit, who ascended to the throne upon his father s death in 1839, ordered the construction of a stone imperial palace in place of the wooden palace. It was built by Garabed Balian and took its final shape in Military College (Military Museum): Built in 1835 upon the order of Mahmud II, the Military College was rebuilt in 1864 by Garabed Balyan upon the order of Abdülaziz. The school was extended to its current dimensions during the reign of Abdülhamid II. The legend over the entrance describes the school as the greatest work of Abdülhamid. Military officers and princes studied at the school. The school remained at its building in the Harbiye neighbourhood until 1936, and after the school was moved to Ankara the building was used for many years as army command headquarters. In 1973 the Military Museum that previously used the Aya İrini Church moved to this building. 29 2

3 Kuleli Cavalry Barracks: The foundations of the building today used as the Kuleli Military High School were laid in After the abolition of the Janissary Force in 1826, Mahmud II commissioned the building of a wooden barracks to Krikor Amira Balyan for the newly formed army called Asker-i Mansure-i Muhammeddiye. When these barracks burned down, Garabed Amira Balyan constructed a half-timbered building upon the order of Abdülmecit. The new building was completed in 1843, renovated in 1857 and has since been used as barracks, hospital, school and also as an Armenian orphanage. 30 Surp Asdvadzadzin Church: Reputedly, after having built the annexes of the Beşiktaş Palace, Garabed Amira Balyan asked for permission from Mahmud II to build a domed stone church in place of the wooden Armenian church in Beşiktaş using left over materials from the construction. Since the construction of domes as part of church buildings was prohibited during that period and Amira s request met with certain opposition from other quarters, Mahmud II granted permission by saying, do whatever you will, as long as I don t see it. So Garabed Amira Balyan built a secret dome within the church that from the exterior appeared as a classic-hipped roof. Another interestinf detail is that the church is located at a position that it is not visible from the palace, however the palace is visible from all the windows of the church. 31 Surp Pırgiç Hospital: Until 1834, Istanbul Armenians had two hospitals, one along Sıraselviler, and the other in Narlıkapı. Kazaz Artin Amira Bezciyan saw that these hospitals were inadequate and with the support of the charitable Armenians of the time, commissioned the building of the Surp Pırgiç Armenian Hospital in Kazlıçeşme. A position in the hospital administration was a sign of status among Armenians during the Ottoman period. 32 Nusretiye Mosque: Considered the last example of the Ottoman baroque style, this mosque was built by Krikor Amira Balyan upon the order of Mahmud II. Opened on a Ramadan day, rumour has it that the Padişah, who came to the mosque from the sea with the imperial caique, realized that the mahya (lights strung between minarets during Ramadan to form words or pictures) were not visible from the sea, and had the minarets rebuilt. When the janissary force was abolished shortly after the construction of the mosque, Mahmud II named the mosque Nusretiye, meaning victory. 33 Selimiye Barracks: The largest historical barracks building in the world, the Kavak Palace commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent stood in the place of the Selimiye Barracks before its construction. Selim III had the Kavak Palace demolished in order to have a wooden barracks building constructed for the newly formed Nizam-ı Cedid army and commissioned the project to Krikor Amira Balyan. The building was set on fire during the janissary mutiny in 1807, and after the abolition of the Janissary Force in 1826, Mahmud II had Krikor Amira Balyan build the present-day stone barracks. 34 3

4 Ihlamur Pavilion: Abdülmecit hosted many domestic and international guests at this hunting pavilion he commissioned to Nigoğos Balyan. Neglected during the reign of Abdülhamid, it was used actively again during the reign of Mehmed Reşad. When Enver Paşa inaugurated obligatory military training for all şehzades, this building was used as the Şehzadegan School. 35 Akaretler: Built by Sarkis Balyan as lodgings for the employees of the Dolmabahçe Palace, the terraced buildings in Akaretler have been used as school, home and offce in the past, and today they are used as hotels and open shopping centres. 36 Çırağan Palace: Before it was built, a waterfront mansion that belonged to Murad IV s daughter Kaya Sultan and her husband Melek Ahmet Paşa stood in the place of this palace. The mansion was known as Çerağan, meaning Illuminated, since Kaya Sultan illuminated the mansion and organized evening parties here. The name of the mansion changed in time to the more easily pronounceable Çırağan. The wooden palace that was built in its place was then demolished upon Abdülaziz s order and the new palace, designed by Nigoğos Balyan and constructed by his brothers Agop and Sarkis Balyan was built. Not used frequently during Abdülaziz s reign, the palace was used as a prison for his brother Murad V and his family following Abdülhamid s ascension to the throne. The building began to be used as parliament following the declaration in 1908 of the Second Constitutional Period, however it was almost completely destroyed following the great fire it suffered in Renovation began in 1987 to transform the palace into a hotel. The hotel opened in 1990, followed in 1992 by the opening of the renovated Palace. 37 Ministry of War: Following the abolition of the Janissary Force in 1826, the Ağa Kapısı in Süleymaniye, which was both the military headquarters and offices of the Janissary Force, was transformed into the seat of the Şeyhülislam. The administrative unit of the army, now called the Seraskerlik, was transferred to Beyazıt and a wooden building was built here. In 1864, Abdülaziz had this building demolished and commissioned the building of the Ministry of War to Sarkis Balyan. The building is today used as the Rector s Office of Istanbul University. 38 Beyazıt Fire Tower: Senekerim Balyan is the brother of Krikor Amira Bayan, the first Imperial Architect. He went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem at a young age and died there. The janissaries burnt down the wooden fire tower built by Krikor Amira Balyan, and Senekerim Balyan built this stone tower in place of it. First used as a fire tower, it was later used as the tower of the Seraskerlik (Commander-in-Chief). A flag would be flown from the tower at wartime. In the Republican period it has been used as a weather tower. 39 4

5 Surp Takavor Church: Since the Council of Chalcedon, the teachings of which were refused by Armenians, had assembled in Kadıköy, Armenians preferred to settle in Üsküdar instead of this neighbourhood until the declaration of the Tanzimat Edict in Still, there was always a small Armenian community in Kadıköy, and a wooden chapel had been built in the marketplace. With the idea of a summer residence becoming increasingly fashionable in Istanbul during the process of Westernization inaugurated by Tanzimat, Kadıköy began to be used as a summer village; and with the increase of the Armenian population in the neighbourhood, the wooden chapel proved inadequate. In 1840, a moneylender called Garabed Ağa Muradyan commissioned architect Hacı Mıgırdiç Çarkyan with the building of the present day church. 40 Surp Asdvadzadzin Patriarchate Church: In 1641, the Aya Thosios Church in Kumkapı was granted to the Armenians as patriarchate church, and the patriarchate has been seated here since. The church burned down in the great Gedikpaşa Fire of 1718, and was rebuilt by imperial architects Hacı Melidon Araboğlu and Sarkis Kalfa and opened in When the church burned down again during the great Hocapaşa Fire of 1826, the building of the present day church was designed by Krikor Amira Balyan and Garabed Devletyan and opened in Surp Boğos Church: At a time when the Catholic denomination was not recognized officially by the Ottoman State, a secret Catholic Church was revealed underneath the waterside mansion of the Düzyan family that had for two centuries served as Superintendents of the Royal Mint, the family fell from grace and seven members of the family were executed. Kazaz Artin Amira Bezciyan was appointed Superintendent of the Royal Mint in the aftermath of this incident in Following Kazaz Artin s exile to the Island of Lemnos, the administration of the Royal Mint was assigned to Boğos Amira Bilezikçi, a Catholic Armenian. Following the recognition of Catholic Armenians as a distinct community in 1830, Boğos Amira Bilezikçi had a small wooden family church built for his personal worship next to his waterside mansion in Büyükdere, and requested that upon his death the church be placed under the administration of the Catholic Armenian Community. With the increase of the Catholic Armenian population in the neighbourhood, the wooden church no longer met the needs of the community and the present day church was built in 1882 upon the edict of Abdülhamid II. 42 Gedikpaşa Armenian Protestant Church: American Protestant missonaries carried out missionary work within the Ottoman Empire from 1820 on, and played an active role within the Armenian nation. The missionaries established colleges in various provinces of Anatolia, communicated with the Armenians in the neighbourhood of Beyoğlu, and facilitated the change in denomination of many families in this neighbourhood. In a short period of time, a Protestant Armenian community of considerable size emerged in Beyoğlu. The first Armenian Protestant Church, a wooden building, was constructed in the Aynalıçeşme neighbourhood of Beyoğlu in The recognition of Protestant Armenians as a distinct community in 1850 enabled the rebuilding of the chapel in Aynalıçeşme as a stone building in Permission was then sought for the construction of a second, similar Protestant Armenian church, however this was granted only in 1911 during the reign 5

6 of Mehmed Reşad. Architect Isdepan İzmirliyan began the construction of the Gedikpaşa Armenian Church immediately, however World War I brought on an enforced hiatus, and the church was finally completed and opened to worship in The Gedikpaşa Church is the last Armenian Church built in the Ottoman period. 43 The Armenian Patriarchate Building: Following the conquest of Istanbul, Mehmed II declared Hovagim, the Archbishop of Bursa Armenians, as patriarch, brought him to Istanbul and granted the Sulu Manastır/Monastery in Samatya to Armenians as Patriarchate. The patriarchate was later moved to Kumkapı, however in 1718 the patriarchate burned down completely with its church in a fire that lasted 34 hours. The Patriarchate was rebuilt shortly after, however following another fire, the third building was constructed by Imperial Architect Ohannes Amira Serveryan and opened in Following a new fire in 1826, the patriarchate was rebuilt on the basis of the designs of Imperial Architects Krikor Amira Balyan and Garabed Devletyan. The patriarchate building reminiscent of the classical Ottoman mansion was demolished in 1913 in order to be rebuilt in its contemporary form by architect Krikor Melidosyan. 44 The Entrance of the Armenian Cemetery: The Armenian population concentrated around the Galata neighbourhood during the Byzantine period and it was here that they built their first church in Istanbul. In the Ottoman period, the neighbourhood was home mostly to wealthy Armenians who worked as millers and bakers. The expansive area stretching from Taksim Square to Harbiye was used for many years as a cemetery by the Armenian inhabitants of the neighbourhood, however it was largely expropriated in 1865 upon the order of Abdülaziz, and interment was prohibited. The only remaining part is today s Şişli cemetery used by Istanbul Armenians today. 45 Surp Kevork Church: Following the conquest of Istanbul, Mehmed II ordered the settlement in the city of communities from various regions of the Ottoman State in order to increase the population and invigorate trade. The Bursa Armenians led by the Armenian Bishop (?) of Bursa who settled in Istanbul 7 years after the conquest were such a community. Upon the settlement in Samatya of Armenian families brought in by Mehmed II from various parts of Anatolia, the Greek Peribletos Church (The Sublime Church) was allocated to the Armenian community and with the establishment of the Istanbul Patriarchate here, it became the seat of the patriarchate. The church is no longer used as the seat of the patriarchate. The church was destroyed three times in history by fires, and it was rebuilt in 1866 upon the edict of Abdülaziz by architect Bedros Nemtze with the adjacent Sahakyan-Nunyan School. 46 Ohannes (Hovhannes) Amira Serveryan: Ohannes Amira was born in 1879 in Kayseri as the son of a tailor named Kevork. He began work at 13 as an apprentice of his maternal uncle who worked in the timber trade, and his diligence and honesty attracted the attention of Imperial Architect Krikor Amira 6

7 Balyan, an influential figure of the period. Krikor Amira took Ohannes Serveryan into his service, trained him as an architect and later married him to his daughter. After the death of his father-in-law, Kazaz Artin Amira Bezciyan used his influence to have Ohannes Amira appointed imperial architect in the place of Krikor Amira. However, Ohannes Amira refused the position thinking it would be unjust towards Krikor Amira s son Garabed Amira Balyan. Kazaz Artin then ensured that the two were jointly appointed Imperial Architects. From that date on, Garabed Amira Balyan and Ohannes Amira worked together on numerous buildings including the Dolmabahçe Palace and the Kuleli Barracks. Ohannes Amira attached great importance to education, he had specialists brought from Italy for the training of imperial architects, he founded the Cemaran School in Üsküdar that is considered to be the first senior-level educational institution of the Armenian community and by introducing education in Italian and French at this institution he was influential in the development of the cultural life of Istanbul Armenians. 7