1 21 Surp Pırgiç Church (1898) / Kazlıçeşme: The church in the

21
Surp Pırgiç Church (1898) / Kazlıçeşme: The church in the garden of the Surp Pırgiç Armenian Hospital
was commissioned as a place of spiritual support for the patients to Imperial Architect Garabed Amira
Balyan by Kazaz Artin Amira Bezciyan, who also served as the superintendent of the Royal Mint.
Initially a wooden building, the present building was constructed in 1898. Upon the request of one of
the major Armenian families of Istanbul, the Tahtaburunyans, the church was rebuilt in the memory of
Tiokine Tahtaburunyan who had died at a young age, by architect Kevork Aslanyan with a mandate
provided by the imperial edict of Abdülhamid II. The family vault of the Gulbenkians, who are an
important donor to the Surp Pırgiç Hospital, is in the courtyard of this church and an annual mass is
held in the memory of the Gulbenkian Family.
22
Hovsep Aznavur: Hovsep Aznavur was born in 1854 in London. His family returned to Istanbul in 1867,
however he was sent in the same year to Vienna, to continue his education at the Murad-Rafaelyan
College. He later studied architecture at the Rome Fine Arts Academy. A project for a villa he designed
in his second year won first place in a competition and he was awarded by Victor Emmanuel II, King of
Italy. In 1879 he graduated and returned to Istanbul. His important buildings include buildings for the
khedive and his family during the period of Khedives of Egypt Tevfik Paşa and Abbas Hilmi Paşa. He
built the Mısır Apartımanı on İstiklal Caddesi. Hovsep Aznavur is also the architect of the Aznavur
Arcade opposite the Mısır Apartımanı. Aznavur was an active figure within the Istanbul Armenian
community, he settled in Cairo after the First World War, where he realized many important building
projects, and he died in this city in 1935.
23
Beylerbeyi Palace: In Boğazköy, known previously as Istavroz Bahçesi (Cross Garden) since there was a
large Byzantine Cross at the highest point of the neighbourhood, there was a wooden palace built
during the reign of Murad IV. Murad IV often used this palace, however it gradually became
dilapidated after his death. The palace was rebuilt in the 1820’s upon the order of Mahmud II and used
actively during his reign as well, and in addition to its function as the residency of the padişah, it also
hosted events such as exhibitions and circumcision ceremonies of şehzades (princes). The Beylerbeyi
Palace burnt down in a fire in 1851, and having escaped alive, Sultan Abdülmecid abandoned it on the
pretext of its inauspiciousness, however the palace was rebuilt upon the order of Abdülaziz in 1864 by
the brothers Agop and Sarkis Balyan.
24
The Türbe (Maosuoleum) of Mahmud II: The türbe (mausoleum) built over the burial place of
Mahmud II who died in 1839 was completed in 1840. This large estate belonged to the Imperial
Treasury, and members of the royal family were interred within the türbe; in addition to Mahmud II,
the final resting places of many important figures such as Abdülaziz, Abdülhamid II, Şehzade Yusuf
İzzeddin Efendi and Pertevniyal Valide Sultan are here. Notable figures of the late Ottoman period are
buried in the enclosed graveyard, and contemporary ancestors of the Ottoman dynasty are also buried
here.
25
1
Iron and Steel Plant / Zeytinburnu: Mahmud II appointed Hovhannes Amira Dadyan with the
management of the area that extended from Zeytinburnu to Florya. Considered as a pioneer of
Ottoman industrialization, Dadyan built a gunpowder factory and also weapon, textiles and felt
factories in the area. Hovhannes Amira organized regular research trips to Europe and on these trips
showed particular attention to cast iron-steel plants and for many years worked for the establishment
of such a plant in Istanbul. Built by Garabed Amira Balyan and opened in 1845, this plant is where the
first Ottoman battleship Eser-i Hadid was cast in 1848. All that remains from the plant today is the
chimney seen in the photograph.
26
The Bezm-i Alem Valide Mosque, Dolmabahçe: The mosque built by Garabed Amira Balyan upon the
order of Abdülmecit’s mother Bezm-i Alem Valide Sultan is located within the gardens of the
Dolmabahçe Palace. During the reigns of Abdülmecit and Abdülaziz who both resided in the palace, the
Dolmabahçe Mosque was the most commonly used mosque for the Friday public procession of the
Sultan. The mosque today hosts the offices of the Beyoğlu Mufti.
27
Dolmabahçe Palace: The land on which today the Dolmabahçe Palace is located was used as imperial
gardens in the Byzantine period, and an excursion area in the Ottoman period. The inlet on the sea
was landfilled in the 17th century and a number of large and small wooden kiosks and mansions were
built. These kiosks and mansions, many of which were destroyed by fires, were also used at different
times as summer residences of sultans and pashas that had married into the royal family. In 1795
Selim III had architect Melling reorganize the gardens and transformed the area into a complex
including kiosks, mansions and mosques. During his 31-year reign, Mahmud II often preferred this
wooden palace known as the Beşiktaş Palace to the Topkapı Palace. Under the influence of
Westernization brought on by the Tanzimat period, Mahmud II’s son Abdülmecit, who ascended to the
throne upon his father’s death in 1839, ordered the construction of a stone imperial palace in place of
the wooden palace. It was built by Garabed Balian and took its final shape in 1855.
28
Military College (Military Museum): Built in 1835 upon the order of Mahmud II, the Military College
was rebuilt in 1864 by Garabed Balyan upon the order of Abdülaziz. The school was extended to its
current dimensions during the reign of Abdülhamid II. The legend over the entrance describes the
school as the greatest work of Abdülhamid. Military officers and princes studied at the school. The
school remained at its building in the Harbiye neighbourhood until 1936, and after the school was
moved to Ankara the building was used for many years as army command headquarters. In 1973 the
Military Museum that previously used the Aya İrini Church moved to this building.
29
2
Kuleli Cavalry Barracks: The foundations of the building today used as the Kuleli Military High School
were laid in 1928. After the abolition of the Janissary Force in 1826, Mahmud II commissioned the
building of a wooden barracks to Krikor Amira Balyan for the newly formed army called Asker-i
Mansure-i Muhammeddiye. When these barracks burned down, Garabed Amira Balyan constructed a
half-timbered building upon the order of Abdülmecit. The new building was completed in 1843,
renovated in 1857 and has since been used as barracks, hospital, school and also as an Armenian
orphanage.
30
Surp Asdvadzadzin Church: Reputedly, after having built the annexes of the Beşiktaş Palace, Garabed
Amira Balyan asked for permission from Mahmud II to build a domed stone church in place of the
wooden Armenian church in Beşiktaş using left over materials from the construction. Since the
construction of domes as part of church buildings was prohibited during that period and Amira’s
request met with certain opposition from other quarters, Mahmud II granted permission by saying,
“do whatever you will, as long as I don’t see it.” So Garabed Amira Balyan built a secret dome within
the church that from the exterior appeared as a classic-hipped roof. Another interestinf detail is that
the church is located at a position that it is not visible from the palace, however the palace is visible
from all the windows of the church.
31
Surp Pırgiç Hospital: Until 1834, Istanbul Armenians had two hospitals, one along Sıraselviler, and the
other in Narlıkapı. Kazaz Artin Amira Bezciyan saw that these hospitals were inadequate and with the
support of the charitable Armenians of the time, commissioned the building of the Surp Pırgiç
Armenian Hospital in Kazlıçeşme. A position in the hospital administration was a sign of status among
Armenians during the Ottoman period.
32
Nusretiye Mosque: Considered the last example of the Ottoman baroque style, this mosque was built
by Krikor Amira Balyan upon the order of Mahmud II. Opened on a Ramadan day, rumour has it that
the Padişah, who came to the mosque from the sea with the imperial caique, realized that the mahya
(lights strung between minarets during Ramadan to form words or pictures) were not visible from the
sea, and had the minarets rebuilt. When the janissary force was abolished shortly after the
construction of the mosque, Mahmud II named the mosque Nusretiye, meaning victory.
33
Selimiye Barracks: The largest historical barracks building in the world, the Kavak Palace
commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent stood in the place of the Selimiye Barracks before its
construction. Selim III had the Kavak Palace demolished in order to have a wooden barracks building
constructed for the newly formed Nizam-ı Cedid army and commissioned the project to Krikor Amira
Balyan. The building was set on fire during the janissary mutiny in 1807, and after the abolition of the
Janissary Force in 1826, Mahmud II had Krikor Amira Balyan build the present-day stone barracks.
34
3
Ihlamur Pavilion: Abdülmecit hosted many domestic and international guests at this hunting pavilion
he commissioned to Nigoğos Balyan. Neglected during the reign of Abdülhamid, it was used actively
again during the reign of Mehmed Reşad. When Enver Paşa inaugurated obligatory military training for
all şehzades, this building was used as the Şehzadegan School.
35
Akaretler: Built by Sarkis Balyan as lodgings for the employees of the Dolmabahçe Palace, the terraced
buildings in Akaretler have been used as school, home and offce in the past, and today they are used
as hotels and open shopping centres.
36
Çırağan Palace: Before it was built, a waterfront mansion that belonged to Murad IV’s daughter Kaya
Sultan and her husband Melek Ahmet Paşa stood in the place of this palace. The mansion was known
as “Çerağan”, meaning “Illuminated”, since Kaya Sultan illuminated the mansion and organized
evening parties here. The name of the mansion changed in time to the more easily pronounceable
Çırağan. The wooden palace that was built in its place was then demolished upon Abdülaziz’s order
and the new palace, designed by Nigoğos Balyan and constructed by his brothers Agop and Sarkis
Balyan was built. Not used frequently during Abdülaziz’s reign, the palace was used as a prison for his
brother Murad V and his family following Abdülhamid’s ascension to the throne. The building began to
be used as parliament following the declaration in 1908 of the Second Constitutional Period, however
it was almost completely destroyed following the great fire it suffered in 1910. Renovation began in
1987 to transform the palace into a hotel. The hotel opened in 1990, followed in 1992 by the opening
of the renovated Palace.
37
Ministry of War: Following the abolition of the Janissary Force in 1826, the Ağa Kapısı in Süleymaniye,
which was both the military headquarters and offices of the Janissary Force, was transformed into the
seat of the Şeyhülislam. The administrative unit of the army, now called the Seraskerlik, was
transferred to Beyazıt and a wooden building was built here. In 1864, Abdülaziz had this building
demolished and commissioned the building of the Ministry of War to Sarkis Balyan. The building is
today used as the Rector’s Office of Istanbul University.
38
Beyazıt Fire Tower: Senekerim Balyan is the brother of Krikor Amira Bayan, the first Imperial Architect.
He went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem at a young age and died there. The janissaries burnt down the
wooden fire tower built by Krikor Amira Balyan, and Senekerim Balyan built this stone tower in place
of it. First used as a fire tower, it was later used as the tower of the Seraskerlik (Commander-in-Chief).
A flag would be flown from the tower at wartime. In the Republican period it has been used as a
weather tower.
39
4
Surp Takavor Church: Since the Council of Chalcedon, the teachings of which were refused by
Armenians, had assembled in Kadıköy, Armenians preferred to settle in Üsküdar instead of this
neighbourhood until the declaration of the Tanzimat Edict in 1839. Still, there was always a small
Armenian community in Kadıköy, and a wooden chapel had been built in the marketplace. With the
idea of a summer residence becoming increasingly fashionable in Istanbul during the process of
Westernization inaugurated by Tanzimat, Kadıköy began to be used as a summer village; and with the
increase of the Armenian population in the neighbourhood, the wooden chapel proved inadequate. In
1840, a moneylender called Garabed Ağa Muradyan commissioned architect Hacı Mıgırdiç Çarkyan
with the building of the present day church.
40
Surp Asdvadzadzin Patriarchate Church: In 1641, the Aya Thosios Church in Kumkapı was granted to
the Armenians as patriarchate church, and the patriarchate has been seated here since. The church
burned down in the great Gedikpaşa Fire of 1718, and was rebuilt by imperial architects Hacı Melidon
Araboğlu and Sarkis Kalfa and opened in 1719. When the church burned down again during the great
Hocapaşa Fire of 1826, the building of the present day church was designed by Krikor Amira Balyan
and Garabed Devletyan and opened in 1828.
41
Surp Boğos Church: At a time when the Catholic denomination was not recognized officially by the
Ottoman State, a secret Catholic Church was revealed underneath the waterside mansion of the
Düzyan family that had for two centuries served as Superintendents of the Royal Mint, the family fell
from grace and seven members of the family were executed. Kazaz Artin Amira Bezciyan was
appointed Superintendent of the Royal Mint in the aftermath of this incident in 1819. Following Kazaz
Artin’s exile to the Island of Lemnos, the administration of the Royal Mint was assigned to Boğos Amira
Bilezikçi, a Catholic Armenian. Following the recognition of Catholic Armenians as a distinct community
in 1830, Boğos Amira Bilezikçi had a small wooden family church built for his personal worship next to
his waterside mansion in Büyükdere, and requested that upon his death the church be placed under
the administration of the Catholic Armenian Community. With the increase of the Catholic Armenian
population in the neighbourhood, the wooden church no longer met the needs of the community and
the present day church was built in 1882 upon the edict of Abdülhamid II.
42
Gedikpaşa Armenian Protestant Church: American Protestant missonaries carried out missionary
work within the Ottoman Empire from 1820 on, and played an active role within the Armenian nation.
The missionaries established colleges in various provinces of Anatolia, communicated with the
Armenians in the neighbourhood of Beyoğlu, and facilitated the change in denomination of many
families in this neighbourhood. In a short period of time, a Protestant Armenian community of
considerable size emerged in Beyoğlu. The first Armenian Protestant Church, a wooden building, was
constructed in the Aynalıçeşme neighbourhood of Beyoğlu in 1846.
The recognition of Protestant Armenians as a distinct community in 1850 enabled the rebuilding of the
chapel in Aynalıçeşme as a stone building in 1861. Permission was then sought for the construction of
a second, similar Protestant Armenian church, however this was granted only in 1911 during the reign
5
of Mehmed Reşad. Architect Isdepan İzmirliyan began the construction of the Gedikpaşa Armenian
Church immediately, however World War I brought on an enforced hiatus, and the church was finally
completed and opened to worship in 1921. The Gedikpaşa Church is the last Armenian Church built in
the Ottoman period.
43
The Armenian Patriarchate Building: Following the conquest of Istanbul, Mehmed II declared
Hovagim, the Archbishop of Bursa Armenians, as patriarch, brought him to Istanbul and granted the
Sulu Manastır/Monastery in Samatya to Armenians as Patriarchate. The patriarchate was later moved
to Kumkapı, however in 1718 the patriarchate burned down completely with its church in a fire that
lasted 34 hours. The Patriarchate was rebuilt shortly after, however following another fire, the third
building was constructed by Imperial Architect Ohannes Amira Serveryan and opened in 1820.
Following a new fire in 1826, the patriarchate was rebuilt on the basis of the designs of Imperial
Architects Krikor Amira Balyan and Garabed Devletyan. The patriarchate building reminiscent of the
classical Ottoman mansion was demolished in 1913 in order to be rebuilt in its contemporary form by
architect Krikor Melidosyan.
44
The Entrance of the Armenian Cemetery: The Armenian population concentrated around the Galata
neighbourhood during the Byzantine period and it was here that they built their first church in
Istanbul. In the Ottoman period, the neighbourhood was home mostly to wealthy Armenians who
worked as millers and bakers. The expansive area stretching from Taksim Square to Harbiye was used
for many years as a cemetery by the Armenian inhabitants of the neighbourhood, however it was
largely expropriated in 1865 upon the order of Abdülaziz, and interment was prohibited. The only
remaining part is today’s Şişli cemetery used by Istanbul Armenians today.
45
Surp Kevork Church: Following the conquest of Istanbul, Mehmed II ordered the settlement in the city
of communities from various regions of the Ottoman State in order to increase the population and
invigorate trade. The Bursa Armenians led by the Armenian Bishop (?) of Bursa who settled in Istanbul
7 years after the conquest were such a community. Upon the settlement in Samatya of Armenian
families brought in by Mehmed II from various parts of Anatolia, the Greek Peribletos Church (The
Sublime Church) was allocated to the Armenian community and with the establishment of the Istanbul
Patriarchate here, it became the seat of the patriarchate. The church is no longer used as the seat of
the patriarchate. The church was destroyed three times in history by fires, and it was rebuilt in 1866
upon the edict of Abdülaziz by architect Bedros Nemtze with the adjacent Sahakyan-Nunyan School.
46
Ohannes (Hovhannes) Amira Serveryan: Ohannes Amira was born in 1879 in Kayseri as the son of a
tailor named Kevork. He began work at 13 as an apprentice of his maternal uncle who worked in the
timber trade, and his diligence and honesty attracted the attention of Imperial Architect Krikor Amira
6
Balyan, an influential figure of the period. Krikor Amira took Ohannes Serveryan into his service,
trained him as an architect and later married him to his daughter. After the death of his father-in-law,
Kazaz Artin Amira Bezciyan used his influence to have Ohannes Amira appointed imperial architect in
the place of Krikor Amira. However, Ohannes Amira refused the position thinking it would be unjust
towards Krikor Amira’s son Garabed Amira Balyan. Kazaz Artin then ensured that the two were jointly
appointed Imperial Architects. From that date on, Garabed Amira Balyan and Ohannes Amira worked
together on numerous buildings including the Dolmabahçe Palace and the Kuleli Barracks. Ohannes
Amira attached great importance to education, he had specialists brought from Italy for the training of
imperial architects, he founded the Cemaran School in Üsküdar that is considered to be the first
senior-level educational institution of the Armenian community and by introducing education in Italian
and French at this institution he was influential in the development of the cultural life of Istanbul
Armenians.
7