History of Sirkeci

When Megarians wanted to get out of Corinth Channel of Greece, they looked for a new fertile homeland with good location, water and soil to live around 658 B.C. And the Oracle of Delphi made the following prophecy to Vizar, the King of Megara “the land across from the Land of the Blind shall be your country. Your sons will be strong and you will be healthy there.”

King Vizar came to Sarayburnu in 650 B.C. and was amazed with the beauty of what he saw around him. He thought that the Chalcedonians had to be really blind to not see and leave vacant such a beautiful and livable place, and decided that this was the place across from the Land of the Blind, and camped at Sarayburnu. He founded the city and called it after his name, “Byzantium”.

This place was called as the cape of “Saint Demetrius” during the Byzantium era. Since Sirkeci section on the west used to look like a bay, different than today, Sarayburnu used to form a more prominent cape. The walls along the Holden Horn used to join the walls here on the shore of Marmara Sea. Remaining parts of the walls that were torn down while the railroad was being constructed in 1871 begin from the south of Sarayburnu. Sirkeci Bay was filled afterwards.

Sirkeci Quay and Gülhane Park

During the Byzantium era, Prosphorianos Port used to be located where the Sirkeci Train Station is here today. There were also grain warehouses, cattle and a sheep dairy farm around the Port. It is presumed that Porta Veteris Rektoris gate used to be where the Sirkeci Train Station is. This magnificent train station was built for the “Orient Express”, arrival of which from Europe was something that used to be looked forward to. The “Orient Express”, which has always been associated with the terms “exotic” and “romantic”, had been assessed though an oriental perspective that considered İstanbul a dangerous evil place full of secret agent diplomats and gun runners.

Gülhane Park was developed so that artisans and clerks who work in small offices all day long can have a place where they can relax away the exhaustion of the day and spend a fun day. The Administrative Reform Imperial Edict, known as Gülhane Imperial Edict, was read here. Gülhane Park was a garden belonging to Topkapi Palace and used to consist of just a wood lot. It was developed as a park and opened to public in year 1912. Park, which first had resting places, outdoor cafés and coffee houses, was added a small zoo later on. The first statute of Atatürk erected in Turkey has been here. The statute was sculpted by Kripel from Australia and put up to its present location in year 1926.

Topkapı Palace

Shortly after the conquest of İstanbul, Mehmet the Conqueror had the Topkapi Palace built as his principal residence. Most significant aspect of the Topkapi Palace compared to other Ottoman palaces is that it is not consisted of a single building, rather designed as a complex having large inner yards and chalets that respond to nomadic spirit of Turks.

Topkapi Palace: Harem

The word “Harem” was derived from the Arabic word “hrm”, which means “restricted”. While it as a word defines a holly place, in daily usage it describes a place where entry and exit is controlled and certain individuals or certain behaviors are not allowed. Harem Chamber in the Topkapi Palace is located where the Carriage Gate is. The gate receives its name from the fact that the Harem ladies got out their carriages at this gate. The places where guests and men are allowed are called “Selamlık”. Harem, which is considered a residence in eastern civilization, is described as a place of pleasure and delight where women live, owned by men. Harem ladies were the slaves brought from the remotest parts of the empire and foreign countries.

Harem ladies, competing with one another, dreamt of having the best education and delivering a son so that she can be the favored one for the Sultan.

İstanbul University – The Old Palace

This place is called the “Old Palace” due to the fact that it got old after construction of Topkapi Palace. The palace, made of wood, completely burned in the fire that broke out in year 1540. Even though Suleiman the Magnificent had Architect Sinan rebuilt the palace, another fire in 1715 partially burned it. Yet another fire burned the “Baltacılar” chamber in 1725. İbrahim Pasha, while reconstructing the burned sections, also added a bath in the palace. Sultan Suleiman constructed following three gates for the palace: Divan Gate, Beyazıt Gate and Süleymaniye Gate.

Beyazıt Square was the largest square of the City during Byzantium era, just as it is today. The Column named after Theodosius the First was at the location where the present fire tower is. It had been preserved until the period of Selim the First, but it collapsed during a storm. The roads that meet at Beyazıt Square during Byzantium Era used to lead to Şehzadebaşı, Kuruçeşme, Aksaray and Edirnekapi.

One of the important features of the Old Palace is that the mothers, children and concubines of the reigning sultans used to live here. The fire in 1825 took place while the Old Palace was being used for the aforesaid reason. After the fire was put out by the janissaries with great difficulty, all “ladies” living there were taken to Topkapi Palace, and the Old Palace was named as “Sarasker Pasha Gate” and given to military. The present building was erected in year 1870. It functioned as the administration building of the Military Academy, and then turned into and still is a university.

Hagia Sophia

The Church constructed as a long Basilica by Constantine the Great lost its first form in the fire that broke out in year 325. Hagia Sophia experienced its second fire at a riot that took place during the Arcadius’ period. The Church was rebuilt again by Theodosius the Second after eleven years; but it is such an unfortunate coincidence that it was destructed at a fire during a Revolt. The famous Nika Revolt against the Justinian in year 532 not only burned down Hagia Sophia, but also destructed the great palace and the baths therein. Following this revolt that ousted Justinian, the emperor re-laid the foundations of Hagia Sophia. “He was going to erect a church unprecedented to anything constructed since Prophet Adam and anything to be constructed in the future” says the history books. According to legend, when it was built for the third time, the following was written on the brick brought from Rhodes and used in the construction: “God constructed it, God shall guard it”.

Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque three days after the conquest of İstanbul.

Great Fire (Hodja Pasha Fire)

Even the present condition of the historical peninsula could not totally establish on the grill system that was always intended. This is because during the Ottoman Empire Period, the land for each house was specified by the individuals living in that house. The state did not interfere with the settlement policies and thus each household was able to determine its area by putting up a fence. As a result, the roads were narrow, irregular, and going up and down. Due to the said irregular settlement, materials required for the new buildings could not delivered into streets and therefore new houses also had to be made of wood. When a fire broke out, it was impossible for fire trucks to enter into the streets. The biggest fear and number one enemy of the people living in the peninsula was the fires. During the Administrative Reforms, innovation in city planning was desired as a result of the reflections of the modernism movement in Europe. It was realized that the City needed boulevards, roads and wide alleys, and a communication system.

The fact that roads of the Paris as designed by Hausmann had been modeled was linked to “Spirit of the Reforms being insincere and having low national feelings”. Based on Hausmann’s statement “Monuments are glorified when they are abstracted from other structures”, a decision was taken for tearing down the wooden houses adjacent to Hagia Sophia and Süleymaniye Complex.

The fire that broke out at Hodja Pasha quarter at west of Eminönü spread to various directions in a short period time due to the wind blowing from the east. A very large area surrounded by the Marmara Sea on the south, Golden Horn on the north, Bayezid Complex on the west and Hagia Sophia and Sultan Ahmet was razed within thirty two hours. The problem could be summarized by two facts: construction materials and condition of the street design. The phrase “Hodja Pasha Fire broke out in 1865 brought happiness not disaster to İstanbul” is considered true with respect to solving the aforesaid problems.

Sections that are within the range of dispersion of the Great Fire:

Grand Bazaar

Grand Bazaar, always full of surprises, was the commercial center of the whole city. Guilds from all classes of that time got together here. There was nothing that was not available or sold at Grand Bazaar. It is a known fact that many precious objects found at European museums today are from Grand Bazaar. The section where antiques and jewelry are sold was made of wood by Mehmet the Conqueror. The Great Market was also made of wood during the era of Suleiman the Magnificent. The market that was wrecked in 1701 was rebuilt again using stones. Majority of the market was torn down due to the great earthquake in year 1884. It could be rebuilt again hardly at 1898. The market had been burned in many fires and repaired again and again. In the fire broke out in 1749 (fires broke out at Üsküdar and Bahçekapı at the same night), the following was announced: “Let it burn, we shall reconstruct it”.

During the Administrative Reforms, Grand Bazaar was the central place of strolling in the city. The Market was kind of considered as a luxury resort where one can spend leisurely time. Thanks to the spirit of the Reforms, the Market became a popular site. Gentlemen would wear purple-brown fez, blue glasses, white vest, pink or turquoise ties, black jacket, diaper design socks and bluish green shoes with sharp tips, and shape their string moustaches using creams made of rotten walnut; whereas ladies would put on black or navy color long silk garments, covering them head to toe, decorated with branches and flowers of matching color, and carry colorful umbrellas.

Egyptian Bazaar (Spice Bazaar)

The Egyptian Bazaar, much easier to walk around compared to the Covered Bazaar, was an auxiliary building of the Yeni Mosque (New Mosque). The streets in the vicinity are described as “narrow, irregular corridors going up and down”, and it was emphasized that this condition constrained entry of the fire trucks and rescue of the residents living in the houses on such streets. The rarest seasonings imported from Arabia and India used to be sold here. Medical specialists making various medicine pastes in their cottages used to live here. Underlying reason making the elegant ladies stop by here was the fine perfumes that used to be sold at the Bazaar.

Nuruosmaniye Mosque

Construction of the Mosque began during the era of Mahmud the First, and completed by his bother Osman the Third. The land and the houses in this area were expropriated and values of which were paid to the owners. However, there was a small mosque belonging to an old woman and reportedly she did not want to sell it. But, Mahmud the First said that the small mosque would ruin the shape of the large mosque which was about to be constructed, still he had the mosque built; whereupon the old woman filed a complaint to the President Judge Beşir. However, when she saw the new mosque being erected next to hers, she gave up her persistence saying “My building is nothing compared to this…”

New Mosque

Construction of the New Mosque was decided upon Kösem Sultan’s request. However, mostly Jewish families were residing in this area. It was necessary to tear down synagogues and churches as well as many houses in order to build the mosque. The Jewish neighborhood was called Yudeca”. After the new mosque was erected, the Jewish people were moved to Hasköy.

References:
Çelik, Zeynep, “Değişen İstanbul”, İstanbul: Türkiye Ekonomik ve Tarih Vakfı Yayını, Second Edition, 1998.
Banoğlu, Niyazi Ahmet, “Tarihi ve Efsaneleriyle İstanbul Semtleri”, Selis Books, 2007
Görsel Gezi Rehberi: İstanbul, Dost Publishing, Third Edition, 2006