Grand Synagogue of Edirne, aka Edirne Synagogue (Hebrew: Kal Kadosh ha Gadol, Turkish: Edirne Büyük Sinagogu) is a historic Sephardi synagogue located in Maarif Street of Edirne, Turkey. It was designed in the Moorish Revival style and restored in 2015.

HISTORY

The 1905 Great Fire of Edirne destroyed more than 1,500 houses and also damaged several synagogues in the city. The twenty-thousand strong Jewish community urgently needed a place of worship. Following the permission of the Ottoman Government and the edict of Sultan Abdul Hamid II, the construction of a new synagogue began on January 6, 1906 at the site of the ruined synagogues Mayor and Pulya in Suriçi (Citadel) neighborhood. It was designed by the French architect France Depré in the architectural style of the Sephardi Leopoldstädter Tempel in Vienna, Austria. Costing 1,200 gold coins, it was opened to service on the eve of Pesach (Passover) in April 1909. Capable of accommodating up to 1,200 worshipers, 900 men and 300 women, it was Europe’s third largest temple and the largest in Turkey.

Големият пожар в Одрин през 1905 г. разрушава над 1500 къщи и поврежда няколко синагоги в града. В резултат, силното еврейско общество от над 20 хиляди спешно се нуждае от място за богослужение. След разрешението на османското правителство и  указа на султан Абдул Хамид II, строителството на нова синагога започва на 6 януари 1906 г. на мястото на разрушените синагоги Мейър и Пулия в квартал Сурици. Проектирана е от френския архитект Франц Депре в архитектурния стил на Сефардския площад “Темпъл” във Виена, Австрия. Строежът струва 1 200 златни монети и новата синагога е отворена за служба в навечерието на Песач (Пасха) през април 1909 г. Възможно е да се настанят до 1200 поклонници, 900 мъже и 300 жени, което прави синагогата третият по големина храм в Европа и най-големият в Турция.

 

In 1983, the synagogue was abandoned after most of the Jewish community left the city, emigrating to Israel, Europe, or North America. In 1995, the temple by law came under the control of the governmentalTurkish Foundations Institution.

През 1983 г. синагогата е изоставена, след като повечето еврейски общности са напуснали града, емигрирайки в Израел, Европа или Северна Америка. През 1995 г. храмът по закон попада под контрола на правителствената институция на турските фондации.

RESTORATION

The abandoned and ruined synagogue as well as its outbuilding were restored by the Turkish Foundations Institution in five years spending 5,750,000 (approximately US$2.5 million). On March 26, 2015, the synagogue was reopened with a celebration and a Shacharit, morning prayer service, attended by a large number of Jews including Ishak Ibrahimzadeh, leader of the Jewish Community in Turkey, Rav Naftali Haleva, deputy to Hakham Bashi (Chief Rabbi) Ishak Haleva, Bülent Arınç, Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey, and some other Turkish high officials. The worship was overseen by Rabbi David Azuz, who had led the service on the closing day 36 years before. The Municipality of Edirne greeted the guests on a banner hang in the street of the synagogue with the words “Welcome home, our old neighbors”

Saray-ı Cedid-i Amire – the Ottoman palace

The construction of the palace in Edirne started in 1450 by order of Sultan Murad II. The hunting grounds on the west bank of the Tunca River were selected as its location. It was further from the centre of Edirne than the Old Palace (Saray-i Atik) that had stood in the spot where Selimiye Mosque was later erected.

When Murad II died one year later, the work was suspended for some time and then resumed as ordered by Sultan Mehmet II, the conqueror of Constantinople. Admittedly, with the downfall of Byzantium and the relocation of the Ottoman capital to Constantinople in 1453, Edirne lost its significance which it had for the previous century, but the construction of the palace was finished in 1475.

Строежът на двореца в Одрин започва през 1450 г. по заповед на султан Мурад II. За неговото местоположение са избрани ловните зали на западния бряг на река Tunca. Новият дворец е разположен по-далеч от центъра на Одрин, от Стария (Сарай-и Атик), който е бил на мястото, където по-късно е построена джамията Selimiye.

Когато Муурд II умира една година по-късно, работата е прекратена за известно време и след това възобновена по заповед на султан Мехмед II, завоевател на Константинопол. Несъмнено, с падането на Византия и преместването на османската столица в Константинопол през 1453 г., Одрин губи значението, което е държал предишния век, но строителството на двореца приключва чак през 1475 г.

The palace was called Saray-ı Cedid-i Amire (i.e. New Imperial Palace), and it was systematically expanded. The decoration and enlargement of the palace were due to the engagement of the successive sultans, including Suleiman the Magnificent and Mehmet IV.

Suleiman the Magnificent ordered the construction of waterways to the palace, bridges and other buildings. The palace was surrounded by a garden of fruit trees and flowers. Wild and domestic animals, as well as flocks of birds, lived there. This private garden of the sultan was rearranged in 1552 by the chief gardener Sinan Ağa. The detailed description of the palace gardens was provided by Evliya Çelebi who referred to it as Hünkar Bahçesi Sarayı — the Palace of the Emperor’s Garden. Evliya Çelebi relates that the area extending from the palace to Şahabeddin Paşa Bridge was forested and there were meadows to the south of the palace. The garden was covered with tulips, and the groove was full of the ornamental trees such as willows, plane trees, cypress, poplars, and elm trees, with all kinds of wild animals and birds. The garden complex was supervised all the time by the chief gardener and three thousand assistants.

The palace was abandoned in 1718 when Sultan Ahmed III decided to rule only from Istanbul. During the period of vacancy, the palace fell into a state of dilapidation, caused by the earthquake in 1752 and the fire in 1776. In 1768, Sultan Mustafa III returned to Edirne. Interestingly, by moving back to Edirne Palace, he came back to the place where he was born in 1717.

Parts of the palace were repaired during the reign of Sultan Mahmud II, in 1825. Unfortunately, soon afterwards the palace was heavily damaged during the Russian occupation of Edirne in 1829. The Russian army used the palace area as a military camp. Many buildings of the palace complex underwent restoration between 1868 and 1873.

Unfortunately, in time the significance of this place diminished and this resulted in using the palatial buildings as an arsenal in the second half of the 19th century. During the Russo-Turkish War, in 1878 the palace was blasted on the order of Cemil Paşa, the Edirne governor. This decision was motivated as the means of prevention against the seizure of the arsenal by the closing Russian army. The demolition was completed during the Balkan wars at the beginning of the 20th century. As a result, the whole palatial complex practically vanished. The structures preserved, entirely or partly, include Justice Pavilion, Panorama Pavilion, Sand Pavilion Bathhouse, Felicity Gate and the Imperial Kitchens.

In 2009 the restoration works in the palace area started. The excavation and reconstruction work has been directed by Professor Mustafa Özer from Bahçeşehir University in Istanbul. The restoration project began from the palace kitchens, and in 2011 the Sand Pavilion Bathhouse was renovated.

In July 2013, the news portal Hürriyet Daily News informed about the important archaeological finds from the area of Matbah-ı Amire. Among the excavated objects were kitchen utensils and vessels that will enable the scholars to study the secrets of the Ottoman cuisine.

Life in Edirne Palace

There are numerous stories and anecdotes related to the Edirne Palace. For a period of time, these were the main living quarters of Ottoman sultans and their families. Undoubtedly the most famous sultan born in the palace was Mehmed, the third son of Murad II, who was born in 1432. His mother was a young woman known as Hatice Âlime Hüma Hatun and her baby was to become the conqueror of Constantinople – Mehmed II Fatih. Future sultan spent in Edirne the first three years of his life, until he was delegated to Amasya. Another notable event that took place in f was the circumcision of young Mehmed and his older brother – Alaaddin Ali.

Also the wedding of Mehmet with a daughter of emir Ibrahim from eastern Anatolia, Sitti Hatun, was organised in Edirne. The celebration lasted for four days. Unfortunately for Sitti, she did not become Mehmed’s favourite wife, and when he moved to Constantinople after the conquest, she was left behind in Edirne Palace. She died there lonely and forgotten, in 1467.

When Mehmet became the Sultan after his father’s death in 1451, one of his first moves was the visit to Edirne Palace. When he was accepting condolences because of his father’s death and congratulations on becoming the ruler of the empire from Halime Hatun, Murad’s wife, his younгеst brother and Halime’s son – Kücük Ahmet, was being strangled in the palace’s baths.

Mehmed the Conqueror did not move to Constantinople immediately after the conquest, as the city required much reconstruction and rebuilding after the siege. It was in Edirne Palace where Mehmed hosted numerous foreign embassies that arrived to congratulate him and negotiate friendly relations between the Ottoman Empire and their countries.

According to Aşıkpaşazade, an Ottoman historian, claims that the ceremonies organised for the occasion of circumcision of Mehemed’s two sons – Bayezid and Mustafa – lasted four days. The island on the Tunca River where the palace is situated was covered with tents of dignitaries who arrived from all the corners of the Ottoman Empire.

Another Sultan who spent much time in Edirne Palace was Mehmed IV. He was known as Avcı Mehmed, Mehmed the Hunter, because of his passion for hunting. There were two reasons why he preferred the palace in Edirne to Topkapı Palace in Istanbul. Firstly, he had traumatic memories from his early childhood when his parents – Sultan Ibrahim and Turhan Hatice – had a violent quarrel. Ibrahim tore Mehmed from his mother’s arms and flung the infant into a cistern. Mehmed was rescued by servants, but this incident left him with a lifelong scar on his head. The second reason for spending much time in Edirne was Mehmed’s hunting obsession. His long hunting trips around the city virtually devastated the forests while thousands of wild animals were killed.

In 1661, a terrible plague decimated the population of Istanbul. Sultan Mehmed IV had evacuated his whole court to Edirne where he spent the winter, mainly on hunting expeditions. His passion for hunting was not matched with his political and military abilities. When the Grand Vizier Fazıl Ahmed started a military expedition against the Habsburgs, Sultan Mehmed IV accompanied the troops from Istanbul only to Edirne where he stayed in the palace. His first son – future Sultan Mustafa II – was born there in June 1664 and the celebrations lasted over a week. Another feast, eleven-days long, was organised in Edirne Palace in 1675, to celebrate the circumcision of the sultan’s son. Again, the Sarayiçi Island was covered with colourful tents for the dignitaries.

The palace in Edirne was also frequently visited by Sultan Suleiman II who died there in June 1691. His successor and younger brother, Ahmed II, was enthroned as the ruler of the Ottoman Empire in Edirne Palace. It was an unusual event as traditionally the enthronement ceremony (tr. Kılıç alayı) of the sultans had taken place at the tomb complex at Eyüp, on the Golden Horn waterway in the capital Constantinople. His children, including the twins Selim and Ibrahim, were born in Edirne. Suleiman II was the sultan less than five years as he died in Edirne Palace at the age of 51.

His nephew was also enthroned in Edirne as Mustafa IV. Before becoming the sultan, Mustafa had spent most of his life in Edirne Palace. Like his father, Mehmed IV, Mustafa also spent much time hunting in the forests near Edirne. His absence from the capital was one of the reasons of the so-called Edirne event (Ottoman Turkish Edirne Vaḳʿası). It was a janissary revolt that began in Istanbul in 1703 as the consequence of the Treaty of Karlowitz. This treaty marked the end of Ottoman control in much of Central Europe and stopped the centuries of the empire’s territorial expansion.

After the signing of the treaty, Sultan Mustafa II retreated to Edirne and left political and administrative affairs to Seyhulislam Feyzullah Efendi. His move to Edirne in 1701 was an attempt to shield the effects of the treaty from the public. The Sultan’s absence and the leadership of Seyhulislam Feyzullah Efendi were not supported by the janissaries. As a result of the Edirne Event, Seyhulislam Feyzullah Efendi was killed, and Sultan Mustafa II was ousted from power on the 22nd of August 1703. The sultan was replaced by his younger brother, Sultan Ahmet III.

Ahmet III was the last of the Ottoman sultans to be enthroned in Edirne. The beginning of his rule marks the end of the splendour of Saray-ı Cedid-i Amire – the Ottoman palace in this city. He moved back to Constantinople just three weeks after the girding of the sword of Osman – an important ceremony that marked a sultan’s ascension to the throne. All his successors were enthroned in Constantinople, at the traditional location at Eyüp. Ahmet III was not happy in Constantinople as he complained about the lack of freedom he remembered from Edirne.

 

Sightseeing

It the times of its splendour the palatial complex consisted of 72 buildings, including 18 baths and eight mosques. Approximately 34 thousand people lived in the palace area in its heydey. These inhabitants were served by six thousand members of palace staff. It these times the Edirne Palace competed with Topkapı Palace in Istanbul with its size and luxurious furnishings.

If you start sightseeing from the area of the car park, the first structure you can see is the Felicity Gate (Bab’üs Sa’ade), also called the Gate of White Eunuchs (Ak Ağalar Kapısı). It was reconstructed in the years 2001-2004. It used to lead to the main building of the palace, known as the Panoramic Pavilion (Cihannüma Kasrı) or the Imperial Throne (Taht-ı Hümayun). Now heavily damaged, it once consisted of the Sultan’s room, a flag room, a library, a small mosque, and other rooms. It was built between 1450 and 1451, as a seven-storey structure with an octagonal room on the top floor. Initial archaeological excavations of this monument took place in 1956, but it has not been reconstructed yet.

To the south of the Panoramic Pavilion, there were three adjacent pavilions, constructed for Mehmed IV, Mustafa II, and Ahmed III. There were also harem rooms for the sultan’s mother, his four wives, consorts, princes. All these buildings have been destroyed. Walking further to the north of the Panoramic Pavilion and crossing a small stream, you will reach another heavily damaged but visible structure of Water Depot (Su Maksemi). This building, which is rarely mentioned in the publications about Edirne New Palace, has a rectangular plan. The building has three floors and a basement. The first floor, rising on the two-partition basement floor, is divided into two sections. The third floor consists of a single room, located in the east-west direction. No known inscriptions provide the date of its construction, but on the basis of its architecture and building materials, the researchers attribute it to the 15th century. The interior walls of two rooms with cradle vaults, situated on the first floor of the building, were plastered with cement mortar, probably during the military use of the palace in the 20th century.

Sand Pavilion Bathhouse (Kum Kasrı Hamamı) lies to the east of the Panoramic Pavilion. This simple bathhouse, built by Mehmed the Conqueror, consists of three main sections, known as sıcaklık (caldarium – hot water room), ılıklık (tepidarium warm water room), and soğukluk (frigidarium – cold water room). These three sections are covered with three small domes. The bathhouse used to be connected to the main palace with a walkway. These baths were once used by the favourite concubine of Suleiman the Magnificient, the famous Hürrem Sultan (Roxolane). Archaeological excavations were undertaken there in 2000, revealing the existence of water supply system. The current appearance of the Sand Pavilion Bathhouse results from heavy restoration works, finished in 2011.

Imperial Kitchen (Matbah-ı Amire) is located to the south of the Panoramic Pavilion, on the other side of the modern road. It is a long, rectangular-plan building covered with eight domes. The western part of the structure is divided into four square spaces, and two equally large sections on the east side are divided into two square spaces. Each space is covered with a dome. There are four rectangular hearth furnaces made of bricks in the interior of the building and cut-stone chimneys on the roof. The building has been heavily renovated. Extensive excavations were carried out around the Imperial Kitchen in 2013, as can be seen to the south of the structure.

More historical structures stand close to the palace ruins, next to the oil-wresting stadium. The first of these is the so-called Justice Hall (Kasr-ı Adalet). It is a stone rectangular tower with a pointed metal roof, erected in 1561 by order of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificient. It is the only structure of the palace complex that remained intact. It is located next to the tiny Mehmet the Conqueror Bridge.

Just next to this tower, two stone columns with square bases still stand. The column on the right side was called the Respect Stone (Seng-i Hürmet) where the subjects could place their petitions to the sultan. The left column was called the Warning Stone (Seng-i İbret). Its name perfectly reflects its function was to display the capitated heads of criminals or the palace officials who fell out of the sultan’s favour.

Other structures from the Ottoman times in the area of the palace are the bridges that lead to the Sarayiçi Island: Şahabeddin Paşa Bridge from 1451, Mehmet the Conqueror Bridge from 1452, and Suleiman the Magnificient bridge from 1553-1554. They are discussed in a separate text.

Northeast to the Sand Pavilion Bathhouse, a prayer platform (namazgah) is situated which was built in the second half of the 16th century. Behind its marble mihrab, there is a fountain (Namazgâhli Çeşme).

Finally, as the palace was built near extensive hunting ground, there is the Hunting Lodge (Bülbül Kasrı or Av Köşkü), hidden the forest to the north-east of the palace comlex and the olive oil wrestling stadium (41.693987, 26.564407). It was built in 1671 by Mehmed IV, not surprisingly known as Mehmed the Hunter. It remained partly intact but underwent a restoration in 2002, funded by the municipality of Edirne. According to an existing drawing, the mansion, rising on a square-shaped pedestal, was built with regularly cut stones and had a folding roof.

Edirne Palace

The palace was built on an area of ​​300-355.000 m2 on the bank of the Tunca River in the north of the city. It was started in 1450 at the 2nd Murat time. The palace construction, which had stopped for a while after the death of the monarchs, was completed by Fatih Sultan Mehmet in 1475. Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent, 1st Ahmet, Avcı Mehmet, 2nd Ahmet, 3. During the time of Ahmet the palace was constantly repaired and new constructions were added. 3. After Ahmet’s visit to Istanbul in 1718, no sultan came to Edirne until the 3rd Mustafa in 1768, and this half-century process between them was the beginning of the destruction. The great earthquake in 1752 and the fire in 1776 continued the destruction process. A part of the palace was repaired during the reign of Mahmut II in 1827. The Russians, who occupied Edirne in 1829, they used the palace as a camp and they suffered great damage. Many buildings were rescued during the repair period which started with Governor Hurşit Pasha in 1868 and continued until the governorship of Hacı İzzet Pasha in 1873.
1876-77 Due to the approach of the enemy in the Russian War, the governor Cemil Pasha and the commander of Edirne Ahmet Eyup Pasha, on the disagreement of Bab’üs Sa’âde, the explosion of the ammunition collapsed and the structure of the palace was destroyed. After that, looting began and the remains of the sarcophagus were used in other structures.
Cihannüma Kasrı (Taht-i Hümayun) built by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror forms the main structure in the palace. (Hunter) Mehmet, 2. Mustafa and 3 (Sultan) in the south of the Cihannüma Kasrı, as well as the mosque and the palace library, In the continuation of these sultan apartments, the headquarters, second and third and fourth women, princesses, concubines, vestibles, patient wards, agendas, and the court of the Supply Chamber of the Cihannüma Kasrı have been formed. is located at the base of the Sa’ad (Ak Agalar Kapısı).
The construction of the Edirne New Palace, which started in the 2.Murat period, continued to be continued over time. 2.Beyazıt Tunca covered the bed with stone and built high retaining walls beside it. During the period of Kanuni Sultan Süleyman and Hassa Mimarbaşı Mimar Sinan, the second building process of Edirne Palace was almost entered. In this period, the palace was rescheduled, the topography was arranged, and the water related problems were solved. Mimar Sinan, Edirne’te brought to the palace of a piece of stone water is connected to Sarıyer. In order to protect the palace constructions from water floods, an important part of this water coming to the Tunca bed was removed from the palace area with the channel opened in the form of an arc and connected to Tunca through the Saraçhane bridge. This turned the palace area through a second water in the east-south-west direction so that the area between the river and the canal bed was preserved without the fortification wall of the palace that formed the Hasbahçe. On this channel, he built a bridge law on the axis of Fatih Bridge on Tunca and re-determined the main entrance of the palace. At the time of Murad IV, Imadiye Kasrı 4th Mehmet time, Alay Mansion, Iftar Mansion, Hunting Pavilion, Bulbul and Bostancı Kasrı were built in Hasbahçe.

 

GAZI MIHAL MOSQUE

Gazi Mihal Mosque (tr. Gazi Mihal Cami) is just one of countlesshistoric buildings of the former capital of the Ottoman Empire, Edirne. The mosque was built on the order of Gazi Mihal in 1422, as is stated on an inscription.

Originally, the mosque was part of a larger complex of buildings, which also included a soup kitchen and baths. The kitchen has not been preserved to our times, and the ruined remains of the baths are visible in the neighbourhood of the mosque. On the adjacent cemetery, there is the tomb of the founder of the mosque complex – Gazi Mihal Bey, a son or a grandson of the famous warrior Köse Mihal. According to some sources, this is the grave of Köse Mihal himself. However, it is highly improbable as he would have to live until the Ottoman conquest of Adrianople, living to a very old age. Therefore, we should presume that it is the grave of his grandson, who erected the mosque complex.

Mehmed Bey was born in a prominent Mihaloğlu family in the second half of the 14th century. He is best-known from his military achievements during the Ottoman Interregnum of 1402-1413, the stormy period of the Turkish history after the defeat of Sultan Bayezid I by the Central Asian warlord Timur the Lame at the Battle of Ankara. Bayezid’s failure and subsequent death as the prisoner of Timur, left the young Ottoman Empire torn between his sons – Mehmed, İsa, Musa, Süleyman, and Mustafa, all of them bearing the nickname Çelebi.

Mihaloğlu Mehmed Bey first supported the Musa’s claim to the Ottoman throne. He helped him capture Edirne from Süleyman and was granted the position of the Beylerbey of Rumelia as the reward. Apparently, he was not that grateful to provide Musa with further support as he defected to another brother, Mehmed, who controlled the territories of Asia Minor. The reasons for this surprising move remain unknown but he left Edirne rather suddenly with the best of his troops and was ferried over to Anatolia from Constantinople.

As the domestic war was coming to an end, Mihaloğlu Mehmed Bey helped Mehmed Çelebi by commanding his vanguard forces into battles. Musa was finally defeated and tried to flee, but he was taken prisoner by Mihaloğlu and his companions and promptly executed. In another surprising turn of action, Mihaloğlu Mehmed Bey was not rewarded by the victorious Ottoman prince who became Sultan Mehmed I. Instead, he was imprisoned in Tokat as a potential troublemaker and well-known traitor of Musa’s cause.

When Sultan Mehmed died in 1421, his son and successor Murad II faced the rebellion of his one surviving uncle, Mustafa Çelebi. Mustafa had gathered a group of supporters from Rumelia, including Turahan Bey, who would later play an essential role in the campaign against the Crusade of Varna. Sultan Murad II needed to counterbalance the Rumelian beys and released Mihaloğlu Mehmed Bey from the prison. The armies of Mustafa and Murad finally met at Ulubad near Bursa. During a night attack on Mustafa’s camp, the contender to the Ottoman throne fled across the Dardanelle. He wanted to get to Wallachia but only got as far as Edirne when he was recognised, arrested, and executed.

When his position as the sultan was secured, or so he thought at that time, Murad decided to turn against the Byzantine Empire or what was left of it. The siege of the city began on the 10th of June, 1422. The Ottoman forces were led in joint command by the sultan and Mihaloğlu Mehmed Bey. The vanguard under Mihaloğlu’s command ravaged the suburbs, and then Murad himself arrived on the 20th of June, beginning the siege in earnest.

To defend the city, the Byzantines sponsored the rebellion of Küçük Mustafa – Murad’s younger brother, supported by the Anatolian beys of Karaman and Germiyan. When Küçük Mustafa besieged Bursa, Murad had to lift off the siege of Constantinople. Mihaloğlu led the army against Küçük Mustafa and was killed during the fighting in Iznik in 1423. The mosque bearing his name is the most important memorial of Mihaloğlu Mehmed Bey in Edirne.

There is also the historic Gazi Mihal Bridge over the Tunca River that connected the mosque with the centre of Edirne, situated to the east of the river. Standing very close to the river, Gazi Mihal Mosque was seriously damaged by the flooding of Tunca in 1953. As a result, it was closed for worship for 45 years, until its restoration in 1998.

 

The cemetery of Gazi Mihal Mosque in Edirne

The mosque was erected from cut stones and bricks. There are no visible ornamentations on its outside walls, but the interchanging layers of light grey stones and red bricks create a pleasant decorative effect. There are faint traces of a painted blue and yellow ornamentation on the inside of the dome over the entrance. The wooden doors are set in a marble frame, surmounted by a pointed arch. There is an inscription in Arabic script over the doors.

Architecturally, the building is an illustration of an axial-eyvan mosque kind. An eyvan is a characteristic element of the Islamic architecture. It is a rectangular room that has three walls and is open into the courtyard on one side. An eyvan usually serves as a monumental entrance to the sacred building.

The front of the Gazi Mihal Mosque there is a five-bayed porch. Its central and higher bay is covered with a large oval dome, and other bays have flat-topped cross vaults. The main prayer room has a square plan. It is covered with a larger semi-circular dome supported on pendentives.

Two flanking rooms, which used to serve as dervish bedrooms, are covered with smaller ribbed domes. Originally, these chambers could be accessed from the central hall but now it is only possible to access them from the outside. The mosque has a single minaret with one balcony, located on its eastern side.

At the mosque, there is an extensive external courtyard adorned with a wooden ablution fountain. The whole complex is surrounded by a stone wall, and the entrance to the mosque is through a gate. The mosque is located below the current ground level, so to get to the gate, it is necessary to go down the stairs.

There is a fascinating cemetery at the back of the building. It contains almost 400 tombstones, dating back to the period from the 15th to early 20th century, some of them unique in Edirne area. There is also a rich collection of Janisarry gravestones with börk headgears. Börk was an Ottoman-era military hat, very high, with a holding place in front, called the kaşıklık, for a spoon. It symbolised the “brotherhood of the spoon” – a sense of comradeship among the Janissaries who ate, slept, fought and died together.

The tombstones from Gazi Mihal Mosque cemetery can be divided into two main categories: female and male. The female gravestones are mainly decorated with floral motifs: roses, life trees, date fruit, and grapes. The male gravestones are adorned with the symbols referring to the job of the person buried, and thus they provide the detailed information about occupations in Ottoman empire for about 400 years.

Gazi Mihal Baths (tr. Gazi Mihal Hamam) is also known as Old Dilapidated Baths (tr. Eski Harap Hamam). It is situated on the opposite bank of the Tunca River, next to Şahmelek Mosque. It is the oldest Turkish bath in the city, but, unfortunately, it has been abandoned and is now falling into ruins. There is an inscription giving the date of its construction – 1406. The founder was Gazi Mihal, the same nobleman who ordered the construction of the mosque and the bridge nearby.

RUSTEM PASHA CARAVANSERAI

Rüstem Pasha Caravanserai is located in the historical centre of Edirne, on the mainland route between Asia Minor and Europe. Even after losing the status of the capital of the Ottoman Empire, Edirne continued to be the critical military and commercial centre of the Empire’s European provinces. In the 1560s, the Grand Vezir Rüstem Pasha commissioned the eminent architect Mimar Sinan to build a caravanserai in Edirne for the travellers and merchants to stay. Even today, the caravanserai still serves as a hotel, although its adaptation to modern standards has been questioned by visitors and architects alike.

Before we take a closer look at the building, let us introduce Rüstem Pasha, its sponsor. Born in the area of modern Croatia, he was taken to Istanbul as a small boy, in the devshirme practice. Like many other Christian-born boys, he was converted to Islam and trained at the palace school. He raised through the ranks of the courtiers, advancing to the position of the chief supervisor of the sultan’s stables and the stirrup holder when the sultan got on the horse. These posts made it necessary for him to accompany the Sultan during his travels, so Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent knew Rüstem a long time before he appointed him the tutor of his sons.

Despite being a generous sponsor of many public buildings throughout the Ottoman Empire, Rüstem Pasha is remembered as an unpleasant or even loathsome character. His contemporaries called him Kehle-i-ikbâl (the Fortunate Louse) because he had been found to be infected with lice the day before he married Mihrimah, Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent’s favourite daughter. He was lucky indeed as the earlier suspicions had stated that he had been a leper. These rumours were spread by his enemies who wanted to prevent Rüstem Pasha from marrying the princes. When the court doctors examined him and found lice, they cleared him of the leprosy accusation. According to medical knowledge of these days, lice kept away from the lepers. Thus, on the 26th of November 1539, at the age of seventeen, Mihrimah was married to Rüstem, who then held the post of the Governor of Diyarbakır. From this moment he was known as Damat Rüstem Pasha, the epithet damat meaning “son-in-law” to the Ottoman dynasty. He was soon promoted to the position of the Second Vezir by his new father-in-law, the sultan. After five years, he became the Grand Vezir, the position he was to hold twice.

If this story does not make you unsympathetic to Rüstem Pasha, there’s more to his career. He was one of those lucky husbands that are on friendly terms with their mothers-in-law. Rüstem was maybe even too friendly to his, the infamous Roxelana, also known as Hürrem Sultan. She was the favourite and later the legal wife of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent and they had six children together. Unfortunately for Roxelana, Suleyman also had an older son – Mustafa – with another wife, called Mahidevran. This fact did not sit well with Roxelana who wanted to see one of her sons on the Ottoman throne. Although there is no proof of Hürrem or Mihrimah’s direct involvement in the plot, it is widely believed that they cooperated with Rüstem to eliminate Mustafa to ensure the throne to Hürrem’s son and Mihrimah’s full-brother, Bayezid.

The occasion arose in spring 1553 when Sultan Suleyman started a military campaign against Persia,at that time ruled by the Safavid dynasty. When he was still stationed in Central Anatolia, Rüstem Pasha managed to convince him that Mustafa was plotting together with the Janissaries and the Safavids to kill his father. At the same time, Rüstem suggested Mustafa join his father’s army. Mustafa assembled his forces to join his father’s. Suleyman saw this as a confirmation of the plot and ordered the execution of his son. When Mustafa entered his father’s tent to meet him, Suleyman’s guards attacked Mustafa and killed him using a bow-string. This execution caused a great discontent among the Janissaries, so Rüstem paid for his participation in the plot and lost the post of the Grand Vezir. He regained it two years later and then held it until his death in 1561. Surprisingly for such a controversial figure, he died of natural causes, after a long illness. He was buried in Sehzade Mosque, because his dream project, the Rüstem Paşa Mosque, was not yet built. His wife, Mihrimah, who flourished as a patroness of the arts, completed the construction of the Rüstem Pasha Mosque, as a memorial of Rüstem Pasha.

As the Grand Vezir, Rüstem Pasha became fabulously wealthy. At the time of his death, his personal property included 815 plots of land, 476 mills, 1700 slaves, 2,900 war horses, 1,106 camels, and 800 Qur’ans. On his lands, he ordered the construction of bridges, roads, bazaars, granaries, baths, hospices, caravanserais, convents, schools and various other public institutions. Many of these monumental architectural projects were executed by Mimar Sinan, even before he reached the pinnacle of his career as the most prominent architect of the Ottoman Empire. One of these commisions was the erection of a caravanserai in Edirne, now known as Rüstem Pasha Caravanserai, around the year 1554.

Sinan created a design where the building surrounded a grand rectangular courtyard with a marble basin in the centre. The second, smaller courtyard of irregular shape was added later, and the name of its architect remains unknown. This smaller yard was initially used as camel stables and a soup kitchen. The front facade of the building had an arcade with a row of shops. More than 100 rooms awaited the visitors.

The walls of the caravanserai were erected of alternating courses of cut stones and bricks. The lower level of the building is supported by circular arches and covered with vaults while the upper level is supported by the pointed arches and domed. A small mosque, located in the larger courtyard, was destroyed during the Ottoman – Russian War of 1877-1878. The destruction, which began during this war, was aggravated by the Bulgarian occupation of Edirne in the years 1912-13. As a result, many walls, vaults and domes collapsed.

The restoration project of Rüstem Pasha Caravanserai was initiated and sponsored by the Department of Pious Foundations. The work began in 1960, and in 1964 the conversion to a hotel was agreed upon. The work was completed in 1972. As a result, there are 35 rooms with cradle vault behind the lower floor porches and 38 rooms behind the domed gallery on the upper floor. The rooms on the lower side have shops in front, facing the street, while the upper rooms extend over these shops.

In 1980, the restored caravanserai was granted the Aga Khan Award (AKA) for Architecture. It is an architectural prize that wants, as it mission statement expalains: “to identify and reward architectural concepts that successfully address the needs and aspirations of Islamic societies in the fields of contemporary design, social housing, community development and improvement, restoration, reuse and area conservation, as well as landscape design and improvement of the environment.”

In the case of Rüstem Pasha Caravanserai, the jury of the AKA commended the restoration of an important monument but also criticised the failure of its re-use. It was decided that although the renovation represents a high standard of conception and performance, the hotel conversion proved impractical: “While in its execution the work measures up to the established principles and techniques of restoration, the decision to convert the building into a modern hotel has proved unrealistic. This type of hotel with its sophisticated services requires spatial and technical flexibility which a traditional building does not possess. Despite these shortcomings, the attempt to rehabilitate a historical monument is commendable and points to an important direction if there is to be a positive policy in architectural conservation.”

Among numerous problems arising from the conversion, limiting the access to the historical monument to tourists was mentioned. Moreover, the hotel was criticised as an uneconomical and impractical idea. For instance, Edirne has cold winters and the rooms open to the central courtyard that makes them difficult to heat. Windows are too small to provide sufficient light to rooms, and some corner rooms have no windows at all. Judging by the comments left by the guests of Kervansaray Hotel, the opinion of AKA jury was entirely justified. Many visitors complained of small, basic and dirty rooms. Finally, in 2017, the hotel was closed for restoration, and its future remains uncertain.

PLACES TO VISIT IN EDİRNE

 

Edirne Palace After the first palace constructed by Sultan Murad I, the construction of the Edirne Palace had started during the reign of Sultan Murad Iat the west of Tunca over a wide area in 1450. After the death of Sultan Murad II in 1451, his son Fatih Sultan Mehmed completed the construction of the palace. Among the ruins are, Cihannüma Kasrı (Worldwide Mansion), Kum Kasrı Hamamı (Sand Mansion Bath), Babusseade, Matbahi Amire and Adalet Kasrı (Justice Mansion).

Selimiye Mosque Selim II constructed the mosque between the years 1569 – 1575. The mosque is an unmatched creation with its stone masonry, tiles and chisel artisanship.

Some of the other various mosques located in Edirne province are, Üç Şerefeli Cami (Three – Balcony Minaret Mosque), Eski Cami (Old Mosque), Muradiye Mosque, Külliye of Beyezid II and Beylerbeyi Mosque.

 

MOSGUES AND CHURCHES

The creation of Architect Sinan’s mastery period, Selimiye Mosque is the most important work of Edirne and is one of the most beautiful samples of Ottoman Architecture.

The other major mosques and churches of the city could be counted as Üç Şerefeli Cami (Three Minaret Balcony Mosque), Muradiye Mosque, 2nd Bayezid Mosque and Külliye, Eski Cami (Old Mosque), Yıldırım Bayezid Mosque, Fatih Cami (Enez Hagia Sophia), Külliye of Sokullu (Külliye of Kasım Paşa), Sweti George Church and Yahudi Havrası (Jewish synagogue).

Edirne Mosques and Churches

Selimiye Mosque (Center): Monumental structure, which is created by Mimar Sinan during his 80 age, and mentioned as my “Master piece” is one of the master pieces of Ottoman Turkish art and World Architectural History.

Mosque, which is the symbol of Edirne and Ottoman Empire, is within the city center. Structure which draw attention from distant lands via its four minarets, is also showing that Mimar Sinan was a city planning expert at the same time with the selection of construction site of it.

Cut stone built mosque, covers an area of 2475 m2. Selimiye Mosque, which is mentioned as the structure constructed on the widest place within the history of architecture, is drawing attention with its dome of 43,28 m high from ground, and 31.30 m. diameter. Dome, which is bigger than Hagia Sophia’s dome, is sitting on eight big positions, which are connecting to each other with six meters wide arches.

Mosque, is very important with its adornment characteristics, such as rock, marble, tile, wooden, nacre besides the uniqueness of architectural characteristics. Its niche and balcony are the master pieces of arts of marble labor. Tile adornments of the structure have an important place within Ottoman and World art. Most beautiful samples of the XVIth century tile making, these tiles, are made with ‘sıraltı’ technique, and constructed in İznik.

There are four elegant envelope minarets with 3,80 m diameter and 70,89 m height of Selimiye mosque. The minarets, which are at both sides of the public gate, have three roadpaths each, and each balcony can be climbed by separate stairs. Other two minarets have one passage.

There are Darüssıbyan, Darülkur’a and Darülhadis structures at outer courtyard of the structure, which is constructed as a kulliye.

Üç Şerefeli Mosque (Center): It is constructed between 1443 and 1447, by IInd Murat. Mosque is among the early and classical periods of Osmanlı art. Here, you can face with a firstly applied plan. 24 meters diameter having big central dome, is based on six supports, composed of two grade, and four wall grades. There smaller two domes and covered square divisions at sides. Structure, as an innovation, has breadthways rectangular plan. This plan is applied by Mimar Sinan, to Istanbul mosques with more advanced form. Also courtyard with revak is firstly applied to this mosque in Ottoman architecture. Minarets are placed at four ends of the courtyard. Üç şerefeli mosque is a monumental structure which is leading to the latter mosques with these characteristics.

Monumental minaret with three balconies, which named the mosque, is 67,62 meters high.

Separate passages are used to climb to the balconies. Adornments of the mosque are also interesting. Unique chisel adornments at revak domes, are some of the oldest samples on the Osmanlı mosques.

Muradiye Mosque (Center): It is constructed on a Sarayiçi reigning hill at Muradiye district by IInd Murat. There is no dating on its inscription. It is the most beautiful sample of the side spaced (with zaviye) mosques.

In spite of simplicity of external appearance, mosque is one of the most drawing attention structures of XVth century Ottoman art according to internal adornment. Niche and walls covering tiles, are the most beautiful samples of the Turkish tile art.

 

1. Bayezit Mosque and Kulliye (Center): Kulliye, which at the coasts of Tunca River, and two kilometers away from city center, is one of the most important structures of Edirne. It is lying on a huge are with its mosque, medical theology school, imaret, darüşşifa, hamam, kitchen, provisions warehouses and other divisions. Architect of the kulliye, which is constructed by Bayezit II between 1484 and 1488, is Hayreddin. Kulliye, which has a very impressive appearance, is covered with nearly hundred small and large domes.

Most interesting one of the structures is the monumental mosque with two minarets, and 20,55 meters diameter. There are Tabhanes (publishing houses) with nine domes at both sides of the space with main dome. These divisions are directly opening to outside. Dome passage is supplied with pandatives. Marble niche and pulpit have simple appearance. It is the first example in Edirne with very elegant sovereign gallery, made up of porphyry marble. Late period baroque adornments are disturbing the simple beauty of the mosque.

Eski Mosque (Center): It is the oldest monumental structure, remained from Ottomans in Edirne. Its construction is commenced on 1403 by Emir Süleyman, and completed on 1414 during Çelebi Sultan Mehmet. Its architect, is one of the pupils of Konyalı Hacı Alaaddin, Ömer ibn İbrahim.

Yıldırım Bayezid Mosque (Center): It is the oldest mosque of Edirne, which remained from XIV century, and three kilometers away from the city center. Both its plan and its column heads are showing that structure is a crucifix planned Byzantium church. While it was transformed into a mosque in the name of Yıldırım Bayazıd (1400), it is reconstructed other than base. But as the direction of Mecca is not complying with the axis of the structure, niche, had been put to one of the edges of the crucifix branches, and gained an inclined appearance. The current view of the mosque is composed of four arches, a dome and a single minaret.

 

Fatih Mosque (Enez Hagia Sophia, Enez): Structure, which remained from Byzantium period, is very huge. It is from edge walled, crucifix planned churches group.

Structure, is transformed into a mosque with placing niche and balcony to the south branch during Ottoman period. It is interesting in connection with showing late Byzantium period characteristics with external surface tile adornments as well as middle Byzantium period with lengthwise progressed crucifix plan. The mosque has been currently in ruined position.

Sokullu Kulliye (Kasım Paşa Kulliye, Havsa): It is in Havsa province, on Edirne road. It is constructed to Mimar Sinan in the name of Kasım Pasha, son of Sokullu Mehmet Pasha on 1576 – 1577. Kulliye; was composed of two caravansaries, mosque, theology school, imaret, double hamam, dervish convent, bridge and guilds. Today only mosque, hamam, mosque courtyard based and an unpredictable wall with oven – niche, pray dome, binding mosque and caravansary in the middle of the guilds and fountain added afterwards to kulliye, can be seen.

Sweti George Church (Center): It is constructed in 1880 at Kıyık district of Edirne. Writings at the church, decorated in 1889, are written with Slav Bulgarian Language. There are some pictures remaining from the former church which was at the same place before.

Today the structure has still been well-kept.

Jewish Synagogue (Center): It is at Kaleiçi district of Edirne, and constructed on 1902 – 1903. Today it was not available for worship.

 

BRIDGES

One of the major structure types of Edirne is the bridges. No other capital or city had attained the beauty of the bridges constructed inside and outside Edirne, which were constructed in the period of Sinan.

The oldest bridge constructed in the city was from the period of Byzantine Emperor Michael Palaiologos (1261-1282). As the bridge was later reconstructed by Gazi Mihal Bey, it was called with his name (1420). In 1640, Kemankeş Kara Mustafa Paşa had added the sharp arched History Mansion to this twenty seven sectioned bridge. The Şahabettin Paşa (Saraçhane) Bridge that was constructed in 1451 has twelve arches and eleven pillars.

The major bridges of Edirne Province are the Fatih Bridge constructed in 1452 during the period of Fatih Sultan Mehmet; Bayezid Bridge constructed by Architect Hayrettin in1488; the Saray (Kanuni) Bridge, which was among the creations of Architect Sinan in 1560; the Ekmekçizade Ahmed Paşa Bridge constructed by Sedefkar Mehmed Ağa between the years 1608-1615; the Meriç Bridge (New Bridge)constructed at the junction of Meriç and Arda rivers between 1842 – 1847.

CARAVANSERAIS

The Rüstem Paşa Caravanserai, which has a line of shops among the street and is one of the most interesting examples of classical Ottoman architecture was constructed by Architect Sinan in the name of the famous grand vizier of Kanuni Sultan Süleyman, Rüstem Paşa.

The Ekmekçioğlu Ahmed Paşa Caravanserai was constructed by Defterdar (head of the financial department) Ekmekçioğlu Ahmet Paşa by the order of Sultan 1st Ahmed in 1609.

 

HOUSES OF EDİRNE

 

The houses were constructed by the wooden framework darned by stone walls and plasters. These houses displayed a wonderful symmetry with the roof, which is connected to the higher fringes by dual curved elements, and the central entrance that was located deep in the main entrance cubicle.

There was sections called “hayat” (life), among the houses located in the Balkan Peninsula. This section was found either in the smallest or in the imposing house. This section was the space where all the chamber doors are opening to and was directed towards the garden of the house and was on the columns of 1,5 – 2 meters. At the end of this section, another separate part one step higher was covered with wooden divans.

There was a marble fountain located at an appropriate part of the gardens, which were accessed by large doors from harem and selamlıklar (Greeting halls for men and women). In some houses, there were small ponds at the central regions of the gardens covered by pergolas on which vines grow. There was a small door between the Harem ve selamlık (Greeting halls for men and women), which was accessed through the courtyard.

In order to cover the requirements of an increasing economy and commerce density of the city located on the transition ways and obtain income for the mosques and charitable establishments in the development period, numerous inns, bedestens and bazaars were constructed.

Between the years 1417 – 1418, a bedesten was constructed by Architect Alaeddin by the order of Çelebi Sultan Mehmed I as a charitable establishment for the Old Mosque.

The Ali Paşa Bazaar which was constructed by Architect Sinan in 1569 by the order of Hersekli Semiz Ali Paşa was composed of a hundred and thirty shops. The bazaar was three hundred meters long and with six doors. The arasta (the part of the bazaar for some artisans) which was 73 arched, 255 meters long and containing 124 shops was constructed by Davut Ağa by the order of Murad III (1574 – 1595) as a charitable establishment for Selimiye Mosque.

The Enez Ancient City Although Enez ( Ainos ) was a major port during historical times, the city is now 3.5 km inland from the coastal line. The Enez Castle that was restored many times during history is worth seeing. Also there is a church whose history extends to BC 6th century, some tombs carved from stones and a beach with clear waters.

Dolmens (Menhir, Stone Tombs) There are ‘Dolmens’ (Menhir, stone tombs) at the Lalapaşa district which are dated to the ends of BC 2000 and the beginning of BC 1000. During the excavations carried on, some remnants and tools were found inside these tombs (Tear drop bottle, metal jewelry) and these findings are exhibited at the Edirne Archeology and Ethnography Museum.

GAZİ TURHAN BEY MOSQUE And TOMB

Gazi Turhan Bey Mosque and Tomb were built on behalf of Gazi Turhan Bey who was one of the most famous commanders of Sultan Murat II. And Mehmet II.(Mehmet the Conqueror) era. He was the son-in-law of Sultan Murat II and brother-in-law of Sultan Mehmet II. He is known as the Conqueror of the Morea. His father Pashayigit and his so Omer Bey were prominent commanders of their times, too. Altough his birth and death dates are uncertain, it’s generally accepted that he died in mid-1456 and was buried into the tomb built for him in Kırkavak village.

 

The village of Kırkavak, which is 8 km away from Uzunkopru , was bestowed as a foundation on him in exchange for his distinguished services in 1454. He built up a Kulliye in this village. Evliya Çelebi metioned abaout this village in his famous Seyahatname (Book of Travels) as a village with a beautiful mosque, inn (han) and Turkish bath (hammam) in 1658. Today, only the mosque and tomb of this Kulliye still exist.

 

 

The mosque and the tomb carry the same characteristic structural features with the other contemporary counterparts in Edirne. They both were built on square-plan and made of rubble and brick. In addition the mosque and the tomb which are pretty humble in terms of inner decoration , have  single domes covered  with lead atop. The mosque was built with one minaret with a balcony and a wooden porch inside as a conclusion of the tradition and the necesssity. They both were restored and opened to visit in

 

MURADİYE MOSQUE

The Mosque of Murad II which is located  in the Muradiye neighbourhood, was built by Sultan Murad II along with the Uzunkopru and opened to service in 1444. It is one of the mosques carrying the title of Selatin. Although the Muradiye Mosque was originally built as a part of Kulliye with a hammam and an imaret (public kitchen) around , today only the mosque has survived.

 

In front of the mosque , there is a last congregation porch that’s 3.80 m (12.46) wide by 22.20 m (72.83 ft) long. Although in its original state 12 wooden pillars were used to support the porch , in the restorations performe in the ensuing years those pillars have been removed and a wall built instead. Apart from this, the mosque hosts a small cematery in the backside where the prominent people of the city were interest.

 

HISTORICAL VALUES’ PROTECTION AND CONTEMPORARY LABOR

MAINTENANCE HOUSE

 

It is stated in the registration report dated 19.04.1985 belonging to the Edirne Museum that the estate of which exact construction year can not be dated , was built as a residence for the priests working at the Church of the St. Jhon.

 

Although its construction date is unclear ıt is understood from the equipments used and the construction techniques that the building was constructed in the beginning of the 1900s.

 

According to the title deed resarchers on this building that has been able to protect its original form until today. It is understood that it used to be Goverment Officce in 1929 after leaving of the Greek citizens as a result of the population exchange in 1924. Later on , it had started to be used as rectruiting center and had served with this function until recent times. The ownership of the building was transferred to Uzunkopru Municipality after the army recruiting center was moved to another place.

 

By the restoration with the Project prepared by Uzunkopru Municipality it was turned into a multifunctional premise and opened to service as “Historical Values” Protection and Contemporary Labor Maintenance House” on December 1st 2015.

 

UZUNKOPRU TRAIN STATION

 

During his return from Paris, London and Vienna expeditions, Sultan Abdulaziz met the capital holders in Vienna asked them the railway to be expended to İstanbul. Upon acceptance of his request he sent the Minister of Public Works Davut Pasha to Europe to realize this project. With the help of Baron Hirisch and Austria Train Director Alfons Rochild an agreement was made on April 17th 1869. So that a contract was signed for extending of the railway to Thessalonica and İstanbul.

 

Construction of the railway was started in 1870 from İstanbul and completed in three years, in 1873. Uzunkopru Trainn Station and its auxiallry buildings were finished in 1872 and celebrated with a great cerenomy.

THE MONUMENT OF LIBERTY

(Liberty Fountain)

It is the democracy monument erected in memory of the reenactment of the Ottoman Constitution that’s one of the milestones of the history of the Turkish democracy. With the redeclaration of the Constitution ( Kanun-i Esasi) on July 23, 1908, the Ottoman Empire’s regime was changed from absolute monarchy to parliamentary regime and started an unprecedented era of freedom in the whole Empire. Uzunköprü didn’t stay idle to these new political changes and the Liberty Monument were erected at the right side of the bridge’s entry in such a political atmosphere to celebrate this great event with the contributions of the District Governor and Ottoman intellectual Mazhar Müfit Kansu and the Mayor Hafız İsmail Yayalar on December I I, 1908.

Measuring 6 m (19 ft) in height, the monument was placed on a 2 m2 (21 ft2) pedestal. Although in its initial form, there were two fountains as one on the front for people and the other on the left for animals, these fountains were removed and covered up in 1938. The four mottos of the French Revolution; Liberty, Equality, Fraternity and Justice were written on the markers and put atop of the flrst liberty monument of the Turkish history on the four sides. However, the original markers were lost while the monument was being moved to 1 m (3.28 ft) left of its primary place during the bridge restoration in 1964 and haven’t been able to be found so far. The markers existing on the monument today are the replicas of their genuines. The Monument of Liberty was saved from oblivion with a complete restoration and opened to
public just 1O4 years after it was built on December 1,2012.

 

 

CITY MUSEUM

Uzunköprü City Museum was opened to serviceon December 16,2013 with conversion of the ex-Tekel (Turkish State Licuor and Tobacco Company) building to a museum by a restoration. The museum’s building which is a historieal artifact on its own, was constracted a private mension in the beginning of the 1900 and from 1939 it had started to be used as TEKEL storage, outlet and lodge. After the abolition of the TEKEL in Uzunköprü in the 1990s, the building was left disused and had almost come to the brjnk of collapse. Fortunately, it was recovered by making a museum out of it and transformed into a center sheltering the relics the city possesses.

The double-storied museum has six rooms and each room was turned into chambers where the artifacts are displayed by classification accordingto their species. While the historieal items was being displayed generally in the three rooms downstairs, the rooms modified as Bride’s and Living Rooms and the Coffee Corner upstairs take the vizitors to the scenes where the past is revived.

The Museum is open to visit every day of the week except for Monday and for free.

TELLI FOUNTAIN

The Telli Fountain is located in the middle of the square that’s named after the fountain in the main Street of Uzunköprü. The exact date of construction is unknown but it is thought to be made in the 1800s. The water of the fountainn was provided from the water supply system made by Sultan Murad II. In 1960, it was removed from its original place and put in the current place that is 4-5 m (13-16 ft) far from the former.

 

The fountain which has two taps left today, was made of one-piece solid marble with four taps and a marble through circling it. It is adorned with the motifs of curved branches. rumis, drooped and fringed ornaments, cypress and the İstanbul Tulip that is extinct today which bear the same features with the ornamentation style used in the Tulip Period. Therefore  it is artistically very valuable work. Unfortunately all those ornaments and the inscriptions existing on its fourside were scraped off during the Greek occupation between 1920-1922. That’s why, the informations about the date of construction or the maker were deleted and only the traces of the ornaments have remained.

 

With the landscape work practised in 2013, the square around the fountain saved from its old, ordinary and plain look and was turned into a beautiful recreational area.

 

 

 

THE CHURCH OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST

 

The Orthodox St. John the Baptist Church was built by the Greek citizens on behalf of St. John the Baptist (İoannis Prodromos) in 1875. It is located in the Muradiye neighborhood in Uzunköprü. The church is built of rubble with red bricks scattered among. It was structered as in basilica style with three naves and semi-dome. The apse and the roof are covered with tile. Also the apse and the naves contains barrel vaulted rectangular windows. The walls of the middle nave are embellished with the frescos depicting twelve apostles separately as six on the right and six on the left.

İt is known that over 17.000 Greek citizens had been baptized in the St. John the Baptist Church from 1875 until they left the City in 1924 as a result of the the Population Exchange Protocol between Turkey and Greece signed in the Lausanne Treaty. While the Greek citizens were leaving the City, they took all the items along belonged to the church including the great bell which is being used in the Church of Xanthi now.  From 1924 to 2011 the church has been left idle without any use.

The St. John Church has gained back its old grandeur with the restoration work lasting from 2011 to 2013 by the Uzunköprü Municipality and opened its doors again after a long time with a big ceremony attended by Grand Patriarch Bartholomew I on May 11, 2013. Today, the church serves as Art and Culture Center of Uzunköprü.

UZUNKÖPRÜ

 

Uzunköprü is the longest historical stone bridge of the world which gives its name to Uzunköprü town. It was built by head architect Muslihiddin between 1427- 1443 to span the Ergene river with the order of Sultan Murad II and brought into use with a ceremony attended by the Sultan himself in 1444. It’s been located on a militarily and commercially highly strategic point connecting the Capital Edirne to Gallipoli and the Western Rumelia.

The bridge was built of binding ashlar blocks brought from the quarries in Yağmurca, Eskikoy and Hasırcı arnavut villages, to each other with Horasan cement. The construction process was supervised fırstly by Ghazi Mahmud Bey and after his death by Ishak Bey. Although today its lenght is 1238.55 m (4O63ft) from the first arch to the last, its original lenght used to be 1392 m (4566ft) with extended wings that don’t exist today. The reason of why it was built this long was that the region used to be covered with vast swamps in that period. In addition, because the Ergene River causes flood in rainy season, the arches over the river were built high and opened seven bleed ports in them to prevent the bridge from collapse. The wings and arches of the bridge which has 13.56 m (44.48ft) height, are embellished with several lion, elephant, bird, eagle, tulip and geometric relief motifs.

Because it has been through a lot of flood and earthquake disasters since the construction, the bridge underwent many restorations during the tenures of Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror, Osman II, Mahmud II and Abdulhamid II to repair the damages. In the final restoration made between 1964-1971 in the Republic period, its with was increased from 5,24 m (17.19ft) to 6.80 m (22.3ft) by widening from the both sides and lost its originalty. In addition, the initial arch number of 174 reduced to 172 after one of them was collapsed in time and 2 of them were united as one. However, with a new restoration and rehabilitation work thought to be performed, the bridge was planned to return to it’s original form and get pedestrianized.

 

Abstract Restorations, Excavations and Reseraches Carried out in Edirne Imperial Palace in 2010

 

Other than two significant palaces built in Edirne during the Ottoman era, the Saray- ı Atik (Old Palace) and the Saray-ı Cedîd-i Âmire (New Imperıal Palace). The building program of the New Imperial Palace (Saray-ı Cedîd-i Âmire) started in the last years of Murad II’s reign, in what is today the Sarayiçi Quarter of Edirne to the west of the Tunca River and eventually became a large complex with extensions and renovations dateable to almost every era. This palace, significant portions of which were built during the reign of Mehmed II (1451-1481), was comprised of nearly a hundred structures with various functions and was spread over a vast expanse.

 

The New Imperial Palace (Saray-ı Cedid-i Amire), remained in use for centuries and was witness to many important historical events (e.g. Mehmed IV’s circumcision feast, the Ottoman-Russo Wars and the Balkan Wars, etc.). In the closing decades of the 19th and early 20th centuries, during the 1877-78 Ottoman-Russo War and the 1910-1912 Balkan Wars, the palace suffered much destruction and many of its buildings were destroyed.

From the documents and publications at hand we know that Edirne’s New Imperial Palace (Saray-ı Cedîd-i Âmire) was comprised of: 117 Chambers, 21 Divanhanes, 18 Hamams, 8 Mescits, 17 Doors, 13 Dormitories, 4 Cellars, 5 Kitchen, 17 Pavilions ve 6 Bridges. Doubtlessly, these figures are going to be more credible after the examination of archival documents and the excavations currently being carried out in the field are completed.

 

As a result only a few of its original structures are extant today. Among these are: the Matbah-ı Amire (Royal Kitchens), Babüssaade (Main Entrance Gateway), Cihannüma Kasrı (Eye on the World Pavilion), Kum Kasrı (Sand Pavilion) Kum Kasrı Hamamı (Sand Pavilion Bath), Adalet Kasrı (Justice Pavilion), Fatih Köprüsü (Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror’s Bridge), Kanuni Köprüsü (Sultan Süleyman the Lawgiver’s Bridge), Şehabeddin Paşa Köprüsü (Şehabeddin Paşa’s Bridge), Av Köşkü (Hunting Lodge), Su Maksemi (Water Depot), Namazgâhlı Çeşme (Fountain with Open Air Mosque). Edirne’s New Imperial Palace, is not only an imporant cultural monument for Turkey but also for the whole world. It is a particularly significant site for Ottoman archeology and for those attempting to recreate life in the Ottoman Palaces. In recent years, restoration and maintenance operations are ongoing thanks to the instutional interest and support provided by the President of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Edirne Governor’s office, and İstanbul’s Bahçeşehir University. Their support has made a positive impact on the preservation and restoration of this important site which had been ignored throughout most of the twentieth century. While some of these structures are in ruins, others are preserved and are currently undergoing restoration as part of the ongoing archeological excavations of the Palace complex under the direction of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Özer of Bahçeşehir University.

 

Şehsuvar Bey Mosque

The mosque was built by Şehsuvar Bey in the 15th Century. After the desolation of the mosque, all parts of it demolished and the mosque was restored by the charitable businessman Ahmet Akalın. But the old minaret of the mosques wasn’t destroyed and it is today can be visited.

Halise Hatun Mosque

It is believed that this mosque was built by Hacı İbrahim Ağa in the name of his wife Halise Hatun. In the book named “Uzunkopru History with Documents” that is written by Latif Bağman, the mosque may be built in the beginning of 18th Century. The mosque has a very small garden and two tombs in it. According to Latif Bağman’s researches, these tombs belong to Hacı İbrahim Ağa and his wife Halise Hatun.

Habib Hoca Mosque

This mosque has one minaret. In the garden of the mosque, there are historical tombstones.

Turk Den (1914) (Today’s Library) Structure

This building was built in 1914 by the efforts of District Governor Nusret Bey and Uzunkopru Mayor Hafız İsmail Efendi. In 1928, the building was restored with the equipments that were imported from Marseille by the efforts of District Governor Reşit Bey and town folk. After that the building was given to Community Center in 1932. In the year 1951 the community centers were closed and all of inventories and over 3000 pieces of books of this center were alienated to Treasury. The building that was restored in 2011 has been used as public library since 1968.

 

Double Hamam

In the year 1443 Double Hamam was built to meet the need of sanitation of townsfolk.  Hamam consists of women, men, undressing, coldness, two bathroom, and “külhan” sections. Undressing section is a place to get cool for those who feels hot and adjustment after taking bath while going out. Külhan is a vast and closed fireplace which heats inside of hamam and water to take a bath. Today Hamam is closed but restorations have begun.

Barracks Structures

In this location there was the mansion of sultan. But after the years, two buildings constructed which called Nizamiye and Redif.  These buildings gave service for Gendarmes, infantrymen and cavaliers. But because of the earthquake in 1953 some cracks occurred on the buildings. One the building was demolished; the other one repaired and is still in use.

Sand Father

He is the “Serdengeçti Turkish Akinci” who died a martyr while conquering Uzunkopru region in 1357. He is called Sand Father because of using sand to blind his enemies by throwing sand in their eyes.

One day he said his friends “I served Islam. My duty will be over in which land the sands in my pocket end”. In the fight with the enemy, he threw his last sand to enemy and reached the degree of martyr. His friends buried him where he died. Sand Father is still being visited in Uzunkopru.  There is a story about Sand Father. According to the story the float which carries first soldiers who step foot on Rumeli, left the shore without Sand Father. After that sand father came off from his horse and took his pocket with him. Then he scattered his sand on the sea just like planting something on the farms. By doing this, a road appeared on the sea and Sand Father walked through that road, reached Rumeli and caught his friends. This Turkish dervish, warrior, colonizator, participated in all battles while conquering Uzunkopru region.

OLD TRAIN

Architectural information about the oldest railway station constructed in Edirne’s old railway station, which was built before the construction of the existing building, and the first time the railroad was first arriving in the region, can be reached from the images on postcards up to our time.  The first station building was built in 1872 (Ahunbay, 1989: 567), where the present Edirne Station is located and another station building is located, even the opening ceremony is held here (Yavuz 1981: 259) (Seyit Alpak, retired from the FDR in 1980).
The design history of the building, which is the work of the architect Kemalettin Bey, must be made in the first years of the Constitution, though not precisely known. The starting date for the construction is also not precise. It is stated that it is in 1911-1912 or 1912-1913 (Yavuz: 50.257). Although it was finished in 1914 in general, it was first served in World War I and in 1930 due to various political developments. It was repaired in 1959 and reconstructed inside (Yavuz: 50, 257). The building at Karaağaç was abandoned on October 4, 1971 (Engin: 217) and served as an outpost during the Cyprus operation in 1974 (Yavuz: 257), as the Edirne-İstanbul line was moved to the new station building due to the change of line. On June 16, 1977, Edirne newly established State Engineering and was purchased from the Ministry of Finance to be transferred to the Academy of Architecture (Kazancigil, 1995: 181) .Traky University of guest houses, classrooms and is used including the rector, today also serves as the Faculty of Fine Arts. Other units linked to railways are also being used for the purpose of various departments connected to the university.
The unit of measure used in the build plans is micro-scale. The plan designed by Mimar Kemalettin Bey belongs to the project prepared with the aim of repair and change, copied from the original in 1959. In the vicinity of the building, a change was made in the direction of needs, and all the lodgings were equipped with independent bathroom units and the lower floor waiting rooms, restaurants, luggage and ticket office areas were replaced (Yavuz: 259-263).

SULTAN BAYEZID II

EDİRNE DAR AL-SHIFA’

UNIVERSITY OF THRACE

HEALTH MUSEUM OF THE

SULTAN BAYEZID II COMPLEX

DAR AL-SHIFA’ (HOSPITAL) SECTION

Ottoman Medicine, 15-18. Centuries

 

SULTAN BAYEZID II

The complex of Bayezid II was commissioned by the homonymous Sultan (3 Dec. 1447-21 March 1512), a

person of strong religious sensitivity and a calm character. During his reign, he emphasized worship of God and charitable works. He had a great interest in learning and culture and therefore patronized a large number of poets, artisans, and scholars, as well as commissioning a number of charitable works in Istanbul, Edirne, Amasya, Osmancık, Gevye, and Saruhan. In Amasya, Edirne, and Istanbul, he erected three külliye complexes. Of those, only the Bayezid II Complex in Edirne included a hospital (dar al-shifa’). Sultan Bayezid II made great contributions to remodel Istanbul as a Turkish city.Particularly after the

strong earthquake of 1509,he basically rebuilt Istanbul. In his era, the architectural structures received their identity, and Istanbul was shaped into the Ottoman residential city.

 

SULTAN BAYEZID II COMPLEX (KULLIYE)

The construction of the complex had began on 23 May 1484 and was completed in 1488. The külliye contained a mosque, two guesthouses, a madrasa, a hospital, a soup kitchen, storage rooms and outside the walls of the courtyard a bath (for women and men) and a bridge. The bridge was built to connect the külliye with the river.

To meet the expenses of the külliye, Bayezid II donated income-generating properties; in addition, he gave valuable books to the madrasa. In the guesthouses, along with the patients and their relatives, travellers and the unemployed could stay for three days; at the end of the third day, they were required to leave.Outside the month of Ramadan, the soup kitchen provided the poor every morning with soup of trotters, rice, or cracked wheat. In Ramadan, on the two highest religious holidays, on Fridays of the year and on the holy nights and the day of Ashura, rice pudding was prepared.On the fi rst day of each month, the employees in town were dined. The members of staff to work in the külliye were specifi ed in the deed of trust, including their

professional and moral qualifi cations and their salaries.

 

SULTAN BAYEZID II DAR AL-SHIFA’

The Sultan Bayezid II Dar al-Shifa’ consisted of two interconnected courtyards and three sections forming the hospital proper. In the fi rst yard (Bîrun), there was a series of six rooms, where doctors, ophthalmologists, and surgeons made the fi rst examinations of the patients (policlinic). In some rooms, mental patients were isolated.

To the left of the yard, the laundry, pantry, and kitchen were located. The kitchen prepared meals for the patients, while the staff took their meals in the soup kitchen.

In the hospital section there were 6 winter rooms with hearths and 5 terraced summer rooms surrounding a

domed marble-fl oored salon with a basin. One of the halls was reserved for music therapy, while it is assumed that the fourth one was used as a summer room. At the top of the large dome, there was an opening (oculus)  providing lighting and airiness as well as letting out spent air and unpleasant smells. The acoustics of this section is particularly well calibrated. These characteristics demonstrate the particular place that the Sultan Bayezid Dar al-Shifa’ occupies in the world history of hospital architecture.

 

HEALTHCARE STAFF OF THE DAR AL-SHIFA’

 

In 1490, the staff of the Dar al-Shifa’ consisted of a head physician (ra’is-i atibba’), two general physicians,

two eye doctors, two surgeons, four orderlies, and a drug mixer and grinder, a total of twelve employees. The head physician was supposed to be skilful and capable, knowledgeable of the rules of the art of medicine, mature, well mannered, and profi cient. The other physicians were expected to perform the services they were charged to do rightfully and carefully. The eye doctors had to be knowledgeable about all eye diseases, the surgeons should be skilful as well as having a swift hand.

 

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF OF THE SULTAN

BAYEZID II DAR AL-SHIFA’

 

A superintendent (nazır) was responsible for all administrative tasks together with the administrative staff.

The scribe recorded the expenses, the majordomo purchased everything that was required for the patient treatment. The provisioner was in charge of the stock in the pantry. A servant looked after the waterworks, the garments, and the instruments. The doorman opened and closed the door of the hospital and

took care of security. The fumigator was to calm the minds of the patients by burning incense every morning and evening. In addition, a cleaner and a laundryman were employed.

 

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF OTTOMAN MEDICINE

 

Ottoman doctors described the anatomy of humans from head to toe. A physician of the 17th century, Shemseddin Itaki, illustrated his anatomy textbook “Anatomy of the Bodies” with drawings by the 14th-century Iranian anatomist Mansur Ibn Ilyas.

 

Secrets of a Health Life

Advice for a healthy lifestyle occupied a broad area in the Ottoman physicians’ books. In addition, books on

Prophetic Medicine (al-Tibb al-Nabawi) translated from the Arabic language guided the population towards a healthy life, compiling Prophetic traditions (hadith) pointing out the benefits of staying away from the leprous and suferers of plagues, cleaning one’s teeth, drinking sherbets, and observing the fast. Important for a healthy life were factors such as ai,r food, water, sleep, purifying tha body, and exercise (sports).

Food and drink were considered the most important elements to achieve a balance of the humors (blood, phlegm, yellow bile, black bill). It was recommended to eat two meals and get up from the table without being completely full.

 

For the preservation of health, deliberate exercise (sports) was very important. It was believed that excessive food would remain undigested in the blood vessels and consumed by body movements.Wrestling, archery, javelin throwing, horseback riding, weight lifting, ball games, running, vigorous walking, high jump and long jump counted as exercise for the whole body. Race walking would purify thighs, calves, and

feet; carrying stone weights or drawing a bow would remove excess matter from the hands, neck, chest, and back.

In Ottoman medicine, examination and diagnosis of a disease depended on the doctors’ ability, experience, and skill. First, doctors would listen to the patient’s complaints, observe their behavior, and watch them for symptoms like fever, sweating, jaundice, or swellings. For the diagnosis as

well as for the direction of therapy, pulse and examination of the urine (uroscopy) were important.

 

The application of surgery was limited to small interventions. It was not possible to operate inside the

skull, the thorax, or the abdominal cavity.Amputations of limbs were performed as last resort.In many conditions, especially those involving hemorrhage or open wounds, cauterization with a hot iron was used.To make the patient drowsy, a sponge soaked in opium would be held in front of his nose or herbs like mandrake would be used.

We know about the tools used by Ottoman surgeons from the miniatures in Sherefeddin Sabuncuoglu’s book

Cerrahiyetü’l-haniye (Imperial Surgery), illustrating operations and instruments.

 

Doctors would produce their own drugs, as there was no profession of pharmacy. In the hospitals, there were

artisans with various titles producing drugs. Perfume sellers and herbalists as well as other small merchants would sell raw material for medicines as well as preparations made by themselves. Most of their shops were located in the Spice Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı) in Istanbul.

 

Some components of drug recipies were snails, worms, oysters, spiders, crabs, as well as milk, eggs, honey,

beeswax, tortoise shell, stag horns, goat hooves, beaver glands (castoreum), or owl brains.

 

Precious metals such as gold and silver, precious stones

like emerald, ruby, or chrysolite in pulverized form were

also included in drugs. It was thought that drinking water that had been infused with pearls would banish fear and relieve the heart. It was believed that clay from Lemnos, known as tin-i mahtum (Terra sigillata, Terra Lemnia), would help with plague and similar diseases and react to poisons. Drinks to be served to Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror would fi rst be poured into a cup made of terra sigillata, and if the clay showed no reaction, it would be decanted into a golden cup and served to the Sultan.

Game of Tuluk

 

The game of Tuluk was a kind of Ottoman sports played with an inflated goat skin (tuluk). There were two teams, the “skin team” (tulukçular) and the “goat team” (keçiciler). The Tulukçular were hitting each other’s tuluk with the inflated goat skins held fast in their hands. Those who fell to the ground were eliminated

from the match, the winning tulukçular were arranged in new pairs and continued the game.The goat team put tall conical felt caps on their heads and painted their faces in various colors. They raised the excitement with their cheers.

METHODS OF DRUG PRODUCTION

 

In the drug production, the Ottomans used methods that Islamic medicine had acquired from ancient

civilizations. Minerals were pulverized and cleaned by soaking in water. Juices of medical herbs and some fruits were pressed and oils extracted. Some substances were boiled down to a certain level, others were collected from the froth. Other frequently used methods were cooking in cinders or roasting drugs in a beaker buried in the fire.

 

Carbonizing in fire, calcination and reducing to ash were processes more often applied to inorganic and animal drugs. Some drugs were being refi ned by distillation, using a variety of alembics.

 

The composition of many drugs contained oils from fragrant flowers such as rose, violet, hyacinth, lily, or

gillyfl ower together with the oil collected from the trunk of the balm tree. Pastes usually contained various drugs with rose and honey. They were remembered under the names of those who discovered the use of one of their ingredients or of a paste as a whole. In theTopkapı Palace’s Helvahane, pastes, confections, and some other medicines were prepared.

Powdered drugs would be kneaded into a dough using rose water and cast into specifi cally made molds. The tablets would then be taken out of the molds and dried to be stored. When needed, patients would either be made to swallow them or to dissolve them in water and drink the solution. On many cast tablets, healing incantations such as “yâ âlimen bi hâli aleyke ittikali” (I place my trust in You Who knows my state of health) would be written. Today, many tablets carry the emblem of the producing company impressed on them (2015).

Amber tablets were used as cordials, appetizers, digestives, and especially as aphrodisiacs. On those amber

tablets, we fi nd inscriptions such as “mashallah, sıhhatbâd” (God willing, health may come) or “âfi yet-bâd, yâ hâfız” (to good health to the one who memorized the Qur’an), or animal motifs such as ants, scorpions,

or eagles.

 

Syrups were usually called sharab or sherbet. Quince syrup was recommended against liver pain and nausea.

Violet syrup, used in pleurisy, pneumonia, and kidney or bladder diseases, was made by boiling fresh or dried violets for one day and one night, kneading and pressing the reduced mass with filtered water and sugar, which was then stored in glass jars. For one concoction prepared in the Topkapı Palace, jujube, poppy, pearl barley, and water lily flowers were used.

 

A number of different units of measurement were used in the production of drugs, including oka (ukıyye/vukıyye/ kıyye, 1283g), kantar (44 oka), bushel (18 oka), mudd (20 bushel), dram (3.20g), shekel (1.5 dram), dang (1/6 dram), carat (4 wheat or 5 barley grains), and kabza or kef (handful). In recipes, some measures were represented by single letters, such as (dram), (shekel), (kabz)a, ك (kef).

 

SYRUP WORKSHOP

 

When the Dar al-shifa’ opened, there was a separate place for producing drugs, initially called syrup kitchen

(Şuruphane), later paste workshop (Meâcin Kârhanesi). This place opened twice per week to distribute drugs to poor patients. The syrup kitchen, which represented the first hospital pharmacy in 1490, received the following equipment: To distill rose water and other essences, three stoves (alembics) made of lead, utensils to cook syrup, surgical instruments, ophthalmological instruments and ingredients for eye drugs, furthermore vessels to store drugs, pastes, syrups, and oils and syrup cooking staf. The drugs were prepared by a “drug grinder and syrup maker” (edviye-kûb and şerbetî).

 

DENTAL DISEASES

 

When it comes to dental diseases, Ottoman medical books mainly deal with pains. If toothaches could not be

alleviated by drugs of various compositions, cauterization was applied. Attention was paid to dental hygiene, tartar and plaque cleaned, and whiteners were used. Decayed teeth were removed after comminuting them with acrid drugs or extracted with pliers. Excessive growth of the gums would be resected by scissors, tooth roots remaining in the jaw would be extracted. Various diseases of the gums, such as bleeding, recession, loosening, or itching (periodontology) were treated with a variety of drugs.

 

EYE DISEASES

 

Ottoman doctors gave special attention to eye diseases and wrote entire books dedicated only to the eye explaining its anatomy. Ottoman handbooks of surgery described operation techniques for conditions such as drooping eyelids (ptosis), pterygium, pannus (vascularization of the cornea), cataract, shortened eyelids, protruding eyes (exophthalmia), and masses in the eyelid (chalazion).

Instruments used for these operations were illustrated in these books.

 

EAR-NOSE-THROAT DISEASES

 

Regarding the ear, Ottoman medical texts deal with issues such as pains, noise perception, itching, maggots,

uncleanliness, removal of foreign bodies, or hearing loss. For the nose, cancer, loss of smell (anosmia), bad smells (ozena), polyps and warts and nosebleeds are being treated.

Considering the oral cavity and the throat, diseases and therapies such as operation of lingual frenulum and ranula and infl ammations of the uvula and the tonsils (tonsillitis) are being explained. Much room is given to issues such as leeching the throat or removing bones and other foreign bodies. For suturing wounds in the ear, nose or lip, a needle with silk thread is being used.

 

SURGERY

In the 15th century, any visible mass on the outside of the body was the domain of surgery. These growths were known as swellings or tumors. These masses were classified according to their clinical characteristics. Those that came along with warmth, change in color (reddening), and pain were called abscesses. They were not treated immediately; doctors waited until the abscess matured and then opened and drained it.

 

Solid or cystic masses that did not present with elevated temperature, redness and pain were usually called

sil’a. These kinds of growths were removed surgically.

Tumors under the armpits were cut in the shape of a crescent and after being tamponaded with old cotton for a day covered with ointment.

 

SEVERE PSYCHIATRIC PATIENT

 

Severely mentally disturbed patients who might damage their environment were kept in closed rooms

 

MUSIC THERAPY IN THE DAR AL-SHIFA’

 

When Evliya Chelebi visited the Dar al-Shifa’ in the 17th century, he reported that singers and instrument

players came to the hospital three times per week to perform for the patients and the insane, particularly playing modes known as neva, rast, dügâh, segâh, çârgâh, and sûzinâk in the science of music, to give them enjoyment and calm them.

 

PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS

 

In the 17th century, the rooms of the hospital were fi lled with rich and poor, old and young people affl icted with various diseases; in some rooms, the mentally ill would

roar like lions or scream at the top of their voices. As it was thought that nice smells were giving relief to the spirit, the buhuri (fumigator) employed by the hospital was burning incense every morning and evening and odorized the building to calm the minds of the patients. In spring fragrant flowers like jasmine, rose, gilly fl ower, carnation, redbud, or hyacinth were collected in the hospital garden and given to the patients.

Some patients would smell these flowers, some would eatthem and some tread on them.

 

ESTHETIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY

 

Ottoman surgery books also contain descriptions of esthetic surgery for cases such as male breasts

(gynecomastia), supernumerary fi ngers (polydactyly), joint fingers (syndactyly), drooping eyelid (ptosis), involuted eyelid (entropion), and correction of eyelid deformities (blepharoplasty).

 

GYNECOLOGY AND OBSTETRICS

 

In the 15th century, gynecological diseases were treated by female doctors and midwives. In the Ottoman period, treating piles, warts and red spots in the genital region, boils and abscesses, girls born with a closed vagina and removing fetuses that had died in the mother’s womb were the domains of female doctors (tabibe). If a female patient needed a stone operation (lithotomy) and a female doctor was not at hand, male doctors could also intervene.

Childbirth was attended by midwives trained in a masterapprentice system, who would be called into the home.

 

FEMALE SURGEON KUPELI SALIHA HATUN

 

Inguinal hernia operations performed by Küpeli Saliha Hatun are attested by 21 patient agreements

(consent bills), most of them from the years 1622-24.She had learned surgery from her husband Deniz bin

Gazi, whom she lost in 1620, and we understand that she subsequently practiced surgery on her own. All her patients were men, coming from various places in the Ottoman Empire.

Two of them were janissaries, called Mehmed Beshe and Ali Beshe. The fact that in the 17th century, a female surgeon would operate hernias in male patients is an important indication for the degree of freedom of profession for qualifi ed Ottoman women.

 

What is the consent bill

(patient consent)?

 

The consent bill is a contract between a doctor or a surgeon and a patient. In front of a Sharia court, the patient would declare in the presence of witnesses that he had hired a doctor or surgeon for an agreed

fee to perform a treatment or an operation. A bill would be signed in the presence of witnesses, guaranteeing that in case the patient was to remain disabled or die as a result of the treatment or operation, his

relatives could not sue for blood money or compensation.

 

SMALLPOX IMMUNIZATION FROM EDIRNE TO EUROPE

 

In the struggle against human infections, the greatest success was the eradication of smallpox. One step on this gradual success was the “Turkish Smallpox Inoculation”.

On 1 April 1717, after observing this method in Edirne, Lady Mary W. Montagu explained in a letter from there to her English friend Sarah Chiswell how the inoculation was made. Until Edward Jenner invented the immunization with cowpox matter (vaccination) in 1796, the Turkish Smallpox Inoculation, popularized first in England and from there all over Europe, remained the only hope in the struggle against this disease.

Out of gratitude for the benefit received from the smallpox inoculation, Henriette Inge commissioned a relief

at Lichfield Cathedral to commemorate Lady Mary W. Montagu who had introduced variolation from Turkey

 

ROSE GARDENING IN EDIRNE

 

Since the 16th century, Ottoman sources have provided knowledge about Edirne’s rose gardens and rosewater.

The rosewater from Edirne was of such high quality that it served as present for the Padishahs. The sweets kitchen (helvahane) of Topkapı Palace purchased its requirements of fresh rose petals and rosewater from Edirne. The rose syrup, paste, and sweets craved by the Padishah and members of the court were also coming from Edirne.It was assumed that rose paste and rose syrup had properties protecting stomach and liver. To improve digestion, it was recommended to take a spoonful of rose paste after meals, and pregnant women or those who had recently given birth should take the paste before going to bed for the night.

 

The Edirne Rose (Rosa damescena) was taken to Bulgaria by a Turkish merchant at the end of the 17th

century, and a factory for rosewater and rose oil at Kazanlak remained in business for 200 years to cater for Europe’s demand for rosewater and rose oil. When the Turks during the Ottoman-Russian war of 1877-78 left Bulgaria, they carried the rose saplings with them and founded rose gardens in Isparta and Burdur, where they continued cultivating the roses. Still today, rosewater and rose oil are produced in Isparta and Burdur, in continuation with the rose cultures of Edirne and Kazanlak.

 

Each year, the production of rosewater in Edirne began on the day of Hıdırellez (6 May) and continued throughout the month of May. When the roses blossomed most abundantly, the cauldrons would simmer night and day, and until the morning, entertainments would be held with musical instruments and song.

 

THERIAC IN OTTOMAN MEDICINE

 

For centuries, theriac was used both as an antidote to poisons and as a drug capable of improving all disease

states. It is assumed to have been fi rst prepared by the king of Pontus, Mithridates Eupator. The preparation

was known as Mithridaticum, and later the Roman doctor Andromachus added snake meat to the recipe.

 

Ottoman medicine preferred Venetian theriac (Theriaca Veneta), called “tiryâk-ı faruk/tiryâk-ı ekber”, which was prepared according to Andromachus’s recipe. This theriac was imported as well as produced locally by Ottoman physicians. The famous Ottoman doctor-surgeon of the 15th century, Sherefeddin Sabuncuoglu, let a poisonous snake bite his fi nger and then took theriac he had prepared and demonstrated its effectiveness against snake poison.

 

He also let the snake bite a rooster and administered theriac to the bird, which survived. These trials can be seen as the beginning of toxicology in our medical history.

 

MEETING ROOM

 

Reserved for events to be held in the Museum. When not in use, visitors will be able to watch a documentary

about the development of the Museum until 2015 and the renovation undertaken by Abdi Ibrahim.

 

PANTRY

 

In pantry of the Dar al-Shifa’, provisions and raw materials for the production of drugs, including fresh and

dried herbs, ready-made syrups, pastes, and tablets were stored. A reliable storekeeper (kilardar) was employed to look after the store.

 

KITCHEN

 

In the kitchen of the Dar al-Shifa’, only meals recommended for the patients by the doctors would be prepared. The hospital staff would eat in the soup kitchen. Evliya Chelebi reported that the kitchen prepared three abundant meals per day for the mad and the sick according to their needs. Hunters would bring game

like partridges, pheasants, geese, and ducks, which would also be prepared under the instructions of the doctors.

 

LAUNDRY

The laundryman (câmeşuy) washed the clothes of the medical and mental patients and cleaned everything that needed washing in the Dar al-Shifa’.

 

HEALTH MUSEUM FOUNDATION AND IMPROVEMENT

 

Since 1912, Abdi Ibrahim, the leader of the Turkish pharmaceutical industry, has been committed to the

improvement of public health with resolute, avant-garde innovative approaches. In 2015, they renovated the health museum in the Dar al-Shifa’, focusing on Ottoman medicine from the 15th to the 18th century, making the treasures of our medical history accessible to the public, creating a state-of-theart museum, entrusted to the generations to come.