YILDIZ TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

Yıldız, Beşiktaş - Istanbul - Turkey

GPS : 41°03'06.8"N 29°00'38.2"E / 41.051889, 29.010611



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The grove on Beşiktaş Hill was first used as a hunting area by Ahmed I, who had a small pavilion built here. When Sultan Abdülhmid II acceded to the throne he moved to Yıldız Palace in 1877 since he did not find Dolmabahçe Palace, where his brother and uncle were dethroned, secure enough.

Yıldız Palace is the fourth permanent residence of Ottoman sultans and it is actually a complex within gardens and the grove comprising palaces, pavilions, administrative, security and service buildings and parks whichcovers an area of approximately 500,000 square meters expanding from the Beşiktaş coast towards the north-west encompassing the entire hillside.

The so called “Yıldız Palace” is not a single palace but rather a series of palaces, pavilions and gardens, spread out in a 500 000 m2 wooded area in Beşiktaş district of Istanbul. The history of Yıldız Palace and environs goes back several centuries, but the renovation and construction of new buildings which started during Sultan Abdulmecid’s reign in the Nineteenth Century climaxed with Sultan Abdulhamit’s coming to power in 1876.

During his thirty three years in power Yıldız area was decorated by the Palace Architect Sarkis Balyan; with two Neo Gothic style mosques, several pavilions and kiosks and gardens. However starting with 1894 the Italian architect Raimondo D’Aronco made a lasting effect in Yıldız with his Art Nouveau style buildings. The most significant of D’Aronco’s buildings in Yıldız is without a doubt is the Ceremonial Pavilion of the  three unit Chalet Palace. The third unit of the palace was constructed for the honor and use of Kaiser Wilhelm II  during his second visit to Istanbul in 1898.

This palace unit  with it’s sixty rooms and four meeting halls is an extension  of  Sarkis Balyan’s second unit and in perfect harmony with it. The Palace Theater and Opera Building also inaugurated during Kaiser Wilhelm’s visit, is one of the best examples of D’Aronco’s Art Nouveau style in the interior decoration of buildings. Sultan Abdülhamit not only entertained his family here by bringing opera and theater companies from Europe but also foreign dignitaries  and important visitors were often invited to enjoy these shows.

One of the most beautiful buildings he designed in Yıldız , with the wooden window shutters and engravings on the eaves, is the Yaveran pavilion. This two story wooden unit was built to accommodate high ranking officers and aides decamp and officers of the palace. The Lemon Nursery, the glass building  right at the entrance of the Harem gate in Yildiz is also one of his very creative designs.

Another example of his mastership in the implementation of  Art Nuoveau is the Island Kiosk by the lake in the Imperial gardens built for the recreation of the Sultan. Finally there is the Yildiz Porcelain factory rebuilt by D’Aronco in 1896 after the earthquake. All of the equipment and technology  for the brick building was imported from the French porcelain factories of Serves and Limoges. The porcelain platters and vases made here by artisans were used in decorating the imperial  palaces of  or presented to members of European dynasties.

YILDIZ TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

The Istanbul State Engineering and Architectural Academy and affiliated schools of engineering and the related faculties and departments of the Kocaeli State Engineering and Architecture Academy and the Kocaeli Vocational School were merged to form Yıldız University in 1982. The new university incorporated the departments of Science-Literature and Engineering, the Vocational School in Kocaeli, a Science Institute, a Social Sciences Institute and the Foreign Languages, Atatürk Principles and the History of Revolution, Turkish Language, Physical Education and Fine Arts departments affiliated with the Rectorate.

Our university was renamed into Yıldız Technical University in 1992. The Engineering Faculty was divided into four faculties and restructured as the Electrical-Electronics, Construction, Mechanical and Chemical-Metallurgy Faculties and also included the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences within its organization. The Kocaeli Faculty of Engineering and the Kocaeli Vocational School were released from our university to be restructured as Kocaeli University.

The Hünkar Dairesi (the Sultan’s Chamber, also known as Valide Sultan Köşkü, the Pavilion of the Sultan’s Mother, or Hünkâr Sofrası, the Sultan’s Table) was given to the newly established Yıldız Technical School in 1937 and is today used as the Rectorate Building of Yıldız Technical University. The Çukursaray (the Hollow Palace, also known as Hanım Sultanlar Dairesi, the Chamber of the Sultan’s Wives), the Bekar Sultanlar and Şehzade Pavilions (the Bachelor Sultans and Prince’s Pavilions), Sünnet Köşkü (the Pavilion of Circumcision Ceremonies), Damatlar Dairesi (the Chamber of Grooms), Agavat (the Pavilion of Aghas) and the Kiler-i Hümayun (the Royal Cellar) are the other buildings used by our university.

Today our university has 9 Faculties, 2 Institutes, the Vocational School of Higher Education, the Vocational School for National Palaces and Historical Buildings, the Vocational School for Foreign Languages and more than 30.000 students.

Institutes
Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences
Graduate School of Social Sciences

Faculty
Faculty of Education
Computer Education and Instructional Technologies, Educational Sciences, Department of Elementary Education, Turkish Language Education, Foreign Language Education Faculty of Electrical & Electronics, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics & Communications Engineering, Control and Automation Engineering Faculty of Arts & Science,  Western Languages & Literatures, Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Physics, Statistics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Turkish Language & Literature, Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Philosophy

Faculty of Naval Architecture and Maritime
Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, Marine Engineering Operations

Faculty of Chemical and Metallurgical Enginnering
Chemical Engineering, Mathematical Engineering, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Bioengineering, Food Engineering

Faculty of Art & Design
Arts, Communication Design, Music & Performing Arts

Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences
Economics, Business Administration, Political Science & International Relations

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering

Faculty of Civil Engineering
Civil Engineering, Geomatic Engineering, Environmental Engineering

Faculty of Architecture
Architecture, City & Regional Planning, Departments Reporting to Rectorate

School of Vocational Studies
Principles of Kemalism and Modern Turkish History, Turkish Language, Informatics, Physical Education Technical Vacational School of Higher Education, Economic & Administrative Programs, Technical Programs

School of National Palaces & Historical Buildings
Department of Technical Programs

School of Foreign Languages
Basic English
Modern Languages

LOCATION SATELLITE MAP



WEB SITE : Yıldız Palace Campus

MORE INFO & CONTACT
E-Mail : yildiz@yildiz.edu.tr
Phone : +90 212 383 2236
Fax : +90 212 383 2114

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TAŞKIŞLA BARRACK

Taksim, Beyoğlu - İstanbul - Turkey

GPS : 41°02'28.6"N 28°59'25.1"E / 41.041278, 28.990306



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As the aim was to design an institution and building that would represent Ottoman Modernization, a design program was prepared that included a school for 300 students and a teaching clinic for 200 patients, a pharmacy, laboratories, a morgue, and various service sections and a mosque, clock tower, two pools and an Imperial Chamber.

The French used Taşkışla (Mecidiye Barrack), built by the British Architect Smith between 1847 and 1849, as a military hospital during the Crimean War between 1853 and 1855. It was not used for a while after the Crimean War. It began to be used as barracks after 1860 for the soldiers who were assigned to protect Dolmabahçe Palace. It became known as the Mecidiye Barracks in the 1860s after it was built for Sultan Abdülmecid I and was restored during the reign of Sultan Abdülaziz.

After the earthquake of 1894, it was restored under the supervision of the architect Raimondo D’aranco and during the Balkan War, which started just after its restoration, the building served as a hospital.

Taşkışla building was constructed all in structural masonry between 1848 and 1853 as a military medical academy for the Ottoman Army under the rule of Sultan Abdülmecid. However during construction, the plans drawn by W. James Smith were modified and the building’s function was changed to military barracks in 1849. This modification was part of a construction plan that included several arsenals and military barracks that were to ensure the safety of the imperial domain around the Dolmabahce Palace.

The building sustained some damage in the earthquake of 10 July 1894, and was restored by the architect Raimondo D’Aronco. In 1909, rebellious troops were based in the building, thus it became the scene of long fighting. Some results are visible in the façade, as a few of the gun shells are still embedded in the stone columns of the entrance.

It occupies 132 x 95 m of land and surrounds a courtyard in an area of 70 x 40 m. The plan scheme of Taşkışla is classical: four equal sides marked with four corner edifices and a vast courtyard. The west façade is crowned with a monumental entrance.

At present, the school has four main circulation towers connecting four wings. The general layout of the building is symmetrical and general appearances are identical. Taşkışla has three floors including one basement; there is also an extension at the attic for additional studios, and the courtyard is located at the centre. The entrance floor has many spaces allocated for exhibition, lounge and meeting spaces.

The second floor has many spaces mainly allocated for educational purposes. The inner circle of the long corridors are surrounded by architectural studios facing the courtyard, while the spaces located on the outer circle are reserved for instructors' offices. The scheme is geometrically very simple, but it gives fewer cues especially for orientation and way finding. The main need to overcome institutional character and maintain distinction is to allocate more functions on public halls and corridors.

ITU TAŞKIŞLA CAMPUS

In 1944 the building was handed over to I.T.U. and restored by architects Paul Bonatz and Emin Onat. Teaching started in the building in 1950, with the civil engineering and architecture faculties. Today it is the Taşkışla Campus of the Istanbul Technical University.

In 1983 it was classified as a first degree historical monument. In 1996 the World Habitat Congress was organized partly in the Faculty. Ever since, it has become a natural part of the congress valley of Istanbul.

Faculty of Architecture, Institute of Social Sciences, Fine Arts Department and ITUSEM Continuing Education Center are located at the Taşkışla Campus. The campus, including ITU Development Foundation and city center offices of the Rectorate, stands out with its magnificent historic building.

LOCATION SATELLITE MAP



WEB SITE : Faculty of Architecture

MORE INFO & CONTACT
Phone : +90 212 293 1300
Fax : +90 212 251 4895

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SANTRALISTANBUL ENERGY MUSEUM

Silahtarağa, Eyüp - Istanbul - Turkey

GPS : 41°03'59.0"N 28°56'45.0"E / 41.066389, 28.945833



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SİLAHTARAĞA POWER PLANT

The Silahtarağa Power Station (Turkish: Silahtarağa Elektrik Santralı) was a coal-fired thermal power station located in Istanbul, Turkey. Ottoman Empire's first power plant, it served from 1914 to 1983.

The Silahtarağa Power Plant was the Ottoman Empire’s first urban-scale electrical power plant. Built at the mouth of the Kağıthane and Alibeyköy rivers at the tail-end of the Golden Horn, the power plant was Istanbul’s sole electricity provider from 1914 to 1952. Silahtarağa’s generating capacity reached a peak of 120,000 kilowatts in 1956, after which it gradually declined until the plant was decommissioned on 18 March 1983.

1910 : Austro-Hungarian company Ganz wins the bid opened for the installation of a power station in İstanbul. Establishing the Ottoman Electric Company Inc., Ganz begins working.
1914 : The Silahtarağa Power Plant starts running. Electricity is first supplied to the tramway system and later to the European side of the city.
1926 : Electricity is supplied to the Anatolian side with the submarine cable installed between Arnavutköy and Vaniköy.
1937 : The state buys the Electric Company and puts it under the management of the İstanbul Electricity, Tramway and Tunnel (İETT) Enterprises General Directorate. Until 1952, Silahtarağa remains the sole electricity provider of the city.
1970 : The Silahtarağa Power Plant is handed over to the Turkish Electrical Authority (TEK).
1983 : Having completed its economic life, the Silahtarağa Power Plant terminates production.
2004 : Work for the preservation and transformation of the Silahtarağa Power Plant into santralistanbul starts
2007 : Santralİstanbul, which is formed by preservation and reservation of Silahtarağa Power Plant, starts to serve as a centre for education, culture and arts.

The power plant was projected as being the first one in the Ottoman Empire apart from a small hydroelectric power station, which went into service 1902 in Tarsus, Anatolia. The Budapest based Austria-Hungarian Ganz Electric Company was selected to built the power station. It founded in 1910 the Ottoman Electric Company in cooperation with two foreign banks, Banque de Bruxelles and Banque Generale de Credit Hangrois. The company obtained a concession for 50 years, and built a coal-fired thermal power plant in Silahtarağa neighborhood in Eyüp at the upper end of Golden Horn.

The power plant started its service on February 11, 1914, just before the outbreak of World War I, supplying power to tram net and three days later to the sultan's palace and some households in three different corners of the city as well.

The foreign-owned company was nationalized in 1937 and turned over on July 1, 1938 to the Municipality of Istanbul for its management by the Electricity, Tunnel and Tram Company of Istanbul (IETT). Silahtarağa power station was the lone electric supplier in Istanbul until 1950s. In 1952, the station was linked to the newly created interconnect electric system of Turkey. It was transferred to Etibank in 1962 and 1963. In 1970, the power station was turned over to the Turkish Electric Institution (TEK).

Silahtarağa power station had initially 3 units of 6 MW power each. The capacity was later increased to a total power of 80 MW. On March 13, 1983, Silahtarağa power station was shut down due to reaching the end of its economic service life. It is Turkey's first power plant closed. The site stood dormant since then. In 1991, Silahtarağa power plant was listed under the cultural and natural objects in Istanbul to be protected.

ENERGY MUSEUM

In 2002, a redevelopment plan was worked out by Oğuz Özerden, a young businessman and founder of Istanbul Bilgi University. The project foresaw the conversion of the former plant site into a university campus with creation of a modern art museum and an energy museum particularly. Despite a rivaling project of the Chamber of Electrical Engineers' Istanbul branch in cooperation with Istanbul Technical University, Bilgi University's project was approved by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, and could be realized in three years with financial support of some leading Turkish companies.

The Silahtarağa Power Plant sprawled over a 118,000 m2 site comprising engine rooms with turbine generators, boiler rooms, management buildings, workers’ quarters and vast coal yards. It stands today as one of Turkey’s top industrial heritage sites. Converting the Silahtarağa Power Plant into Santralİstanbul was a process that involved retaining as many of the original elements as possible. Work began in May 2004 and was completed in September 2007.

The site was converted into a university campus for the Istanbul Bilgi University with two museums and several facilities for different purposes. It is renamed SantralIstanbul and reopened in 2007. The complex was renamed SantralIstanbul after the Turkish language word "Santral" for power station, and opened officially on September 8, 2007. It comprises a modern art museum, an energy museum, a public library, an amphitheater and several other facilities for arts, cultural, educational and social purposes.

The SantralIstanbul (Turkish: Santralİstanbul), opened in 2007, is an arts and cultural complex located at the upper end of Golden Horn in the Eyüp district of Istanbul, Turkey. The center, consisting of a modern art museum, an energy museum, an amphitheater, concert halls and a public library, is situated within the Silahtarağa campus of Istanbul Bilgi University that was formerly the first power station of the Ottoman Empire.

Important technical remains of the former power station are preserved and can be seen in the Energy museum, which was designed by architect Han Tümertekin. Situated in the turbine hall having three generator groups, the museum is the summary of the steam turbines, the electrical generators and the equipment of the power plant on the show in almost original conditions.

The Silahtarağa Power Plant's first two engine rooms, built in 1913 and 1921 respectively, were reinforced and converted into the santralistanbul Museum of Energy, retaining as many original elements as possible. The first step in the power plant’s conversion to Museum of Energy was to halt the corrosion of the turbine generators and other machinery which had set in as a result of disuse since the plant’s decommissioning in 1983.

Teams of experts moved in to clean up the machinery and apply a protective anti-corrosion sealant. Thereafter, the number one turbine generator group was restored to its original appearance of 1931. Meanwhile, the number three turbine generator group, which had been dismantled when production stopped at the plant, was preserved exactly as left.

In the Museum of Energy's number one and two Engine Rooms, visitors currently have the chance to see the AEG, Brown Boveri, Siemens and Thomson Houston made turbine generator groups. These were the key components of electricity generation at the Silahtarağa Power Plant and reflect the advanced technology of the age.

The Control Room, which oversaw the generation of electricity and its transmission to different districts around Istanbul, has been preserved intact, complete with elaborate control devices and equipment. Throughout the long and painstaking preservation process, the exact position of missing or damaged items was marked and surviving items cleaned and sealed against corrosion.

The ground floor of the Museum of Energy is given over to the Energy Play Zone, a fun-meets-science space featuring 22 interactive exhibits. It’s here that visitors get to generate electricity themselves, to morph into batteries, make magnetic sculptures, struggle with a stubborn suitcase, touch thousands of volts without thinking twice and dabble in many more scientific experiments. Besides, most of the panels, seminars and talks realized within santralistanbul since its foundation, were held at the Cinema/Seminar Room situated on the ground floor of the Museum of Energy.

Another not-to-be-missed Museum of Energy installation comes in the form of the Reactable, a revolutionary new electronic musical instrument using an illuminated round table-top interface. To ‘play’ the instrument, the musician manipulates translucent objects over the interface, at which point the objects begin interacting.

The Reactable was originally displayed as an exhibit in Uncharted, a temporary show heldat the santralistanbul Main Gallery. In August 2009, after the show ended, it was gifted to the Museum of Energy as a permanent exhibit. The internationally award-winning instrument was used on stage by Björk during her Volta world tour.

LOCATION SATELLITE MAP



WEB SITE : Santralistanbul Energy Museum

MORE INFO & CONTACT
Tel : +90 212 311 7878
E-Mail : muze@santralistanbul.org

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NURBANU VALİDEİ ATİK SULTAN COMPLEX

Üsküdar - İstanbul - Turkey

GPS : 41°01'06.4"N 29°01'22.9"E / 41.018444, 29.023028



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Located in Üsküdar, in a neighborhood named after itself, the complex consists of a group of buildings surrounding a mosque and a madrasah. It is quite unique with its historic sections like caravanserai, Hadith School, the school for the memorization of Quran, a kitchen, a guest house, an elementary school, a bath and a hospital. These buildings were built by Mimar Sinan between 1570 and 1579 and were founded by Nurbanu Valide Sultan who was the mother of Sultan Murad III.

Until the 18th century, the place was called “Valide Sultan Külliyesi” but after the construction of a new similar set of buildings in Üsküdar Square with the name of Gülnuş Sultan, it started to be known as Atik Valide, Valide-i Atik (The Old Valide).

The Atik Valide Sultan Complex is located on the hill above a large and densely populated district of Üsküdar, in Istanbul. The Atik Valide complex was commissioned by Sultan Selim II (1524-1574) in 1570 for his wife Nurbanu Sultan, and was fully completed by his son, Sultan Murad III (1546-1595) in 1579. Mimar Sinan completed the complex in 1583, and it was his last major work. Constructed on a site that descends towards the northwest, it consists of three building groups separated by streets and two small, free-standing structures.

Moving from northeast to southwest, the first and the smallest of the three building groups is the dervish hostel (tekke or dergah) on the northeast. The largest building group, located on the southwest, consists of a house for readers of the Koran (darül-kurra), a college of Islamic law (darül-hadis), a hospital with an insane asylum (darüssifa), and a soup kitchen for students (imaret). The imaret is subdivided into a kitchen, a hospice (tabhane) and a caravanserai.

Standing between the tekke and the imaret cluster is the mosque, together with a large fountain courtyard that surrounds it on three sides, and the madrasa, attached to the northwest side of the mosque courtyard. Of the two freestanding structures, the larger is the bathhouse, located on the west of the complex. The smaller is the Quranic school (sibyan mektebi), and it is located southeast of the mosque.

It is a madrasa which was built by Mimar Sinan between the years of 1570 and 1579. It is in Topbaşı neighborhood of Üsküdar district, Istanbul. The madrasa which was constructed just downward elevation of the courtyard of Atik Valide Sultan Mosque is not used now and it has been losing its architectural character day by day due to dilapidation. Unfortunately the construction whose courtyard can not be entered into can be seen from the outside

The madrasah of the complex consists of eighteen rooms and it remained in operation until 1918. While fifteen of the rooms were dedicated to be used by the students, two of them were used by teaching assistants and the latter was reserved for the custodian. The madrasah was renovated between 1960 and 1963. It was a shelter for the homeless for a period of time.

The madrasa, which is attached to the northwest of the mosque courtyard, has a trapezoidal plan that narrows from southwest to northeast. Composed of eighteen cells and a classroom, the madrasa is fronted by a nineteen-bay portico that encircles its courtyard on three sides. Its fenestrated southeastern wall forms the border of and contains an entrance into the mosque fountain courtyard.

The main entrance from the street is located at the south corner of the madrasa. The classroom of the madrasa, located in the middle of the northwestern wall, can be accessed from either entrance. This classroom, which is as large as four of its student cells, is shifted off axis towards the northwest, allowing space for a secondary, three-bay portico in front of the classroom. The street is located below the floor level of the madrasa, and this projection is supported by a vault as it passes over the street.

Articulation on the main portico highlights the presence of the classroom; in addition, the secondary portico contains a central domed bay flanked by two mirror-vaulted, rectangular bays. One enters through the double portico to view the classroom, which is topped by a dome on an octagonal drum. The classroom has two rows of windows on three sides; its northwestern elevation is left blind for privacy, as the classroom projects northwest, extending over a street.

In the madrasa, the student cells, all furnished with stoves, are roofed by domes with pendentives. They are accessed via the doors beneath the portico. Each madrasa cell has one window on the courtyard side and two on the elevation. Inside the portico of the madrasa, all of the nineteen bays are domed, with the exception of the vaulted bays in front of the classroom and the bay at the northeastern end of the portico. An octagonal fountain, whose roof has since vanished, stands in the madrasa courtyard before the entrance to the classroom.

They are accessed via the doors beneath the portico. Each madrasa cell has one window on the courtyard side and two on the elevation. Inside the portico of the madrasa, all of the nineteen bays are domed, with the exception of the vaulted bays in front of the classroom and the bay at the northeastern end of the portico. An octagonal fountain, whose roof has since vanished, stands in the madrasa courtyard before the entrance to the classroom.

The Atik Valide Sultan bath is a part of Atik Valide Complex, combined of Mosque, Tekke, Imaret Group, Darüşşifa, Hospice, Madrasa, Baths, Mental Hospital, Caravanserai, Hadith School, School For The Memorization Of Quran, Elementary School. The Valide-i Atik Külliye’s renovation by the General Directorate of Foundations continues and will be used for educational purposes when it is finished.

FATİH SULTAN MEHMET WAQF UNIVERSITY ÜSKÜDAR CAMPUS

Fatih Sultan Mehmet Waqf University (FSMWU) is a newly established i 2010 higher education institute whose goal is to be at the forefront of Turkish higher education and research. Its supporting waqf, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Waqf was however, established in 1470 and has been providing such facilities for over five centuries.

The name Fatih Sultan Mehmet comes from the conqueror of Istanbul. Fatih Sultan Mehmet (Mehmet II) was Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1444 to 1446 and from 1451 to 1481. At the age of 21, he conquered Constantinople in 1453 and opened a new era in history. He found many "Vakifs" ( foundations) to establish schools, hostels, other facilities and to offer social services. His own foundation along with four other historical foundations have been allocated by General Directorate of Foundations in 2009 to establish FSMV University.

FSMWU emerged from the historical waqf tradition which played an influential role in the scientific, civic, and cultural life throughout Ottoman history. Being priviledged to have its origins in the centuries old civic and academic heritage, FSMWU strives to carry on this tradition by combining traditional education with contemporary knowledge.

FSMWU is located on the historical peninsula of Istanbul’s European side. Therefore, FSMWU has a unique mission for the Turkish Higher Education system in the heart of Istanbul where daily life intertwines with culture, history, and art. Located in the cradle of civilization, FSMWU is the academic face of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, reflected in the diversity of languages that make up our curriculum. FSMWU hosts all members of the higher education community, from faculty members and researchers, to graduate and undergraduate students.

Faculties, Schools and Institute
FSMW University is made up of 10 principal academic units - 5 faculties, 4 institutes and 2 vocational schools.

Faculties
Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Turkish Language and Literature, History, Psychology, History of Science,
Faculty of Engineering, Computer Engineering, Civil Engineering, Biomedical Engineering,
Faculty of Architecture and Design, Architecture, Interior-Architecture,
Faculty of Islamic Sciences, Islamic Sciences, Faculty of Fine Arts, Traditional Turkish Arts, Graphic Design
Faculty of Law

Real Estate Holdings
Rectorate Building, Fatih, Campus at Haliç, Campus at Kandilli, Campus at Topkapı, Campus at Küçük Çamlıca, Campus at Valide-i Atik Complex

This Campus hosts: Faculty of Letters and Humanities

LOCATION SATELLITE MAP



WEB SITE : Fatih Sultan Mehmet Waqf University Üsküdar Campus

MORE INFO & CONTACT
E-Mail : fsm@fsm.edu.tr
Phone : +90 212 521 8100
Fax : +90 216 310 29 27

These scripts and photographs are registered under © Copyright 2017, respected writers and photographers from the internet. All Rights Reserved.

MAGNAURA PALACE

Cankurtaran, Fatih - Istanbul - Turkey

GPS : 41°00'20.6"N 28°58'50.0"E / 41.005722, 28.980556



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It is recorded that in the year 425 of the Common Era era, by decree of the Byzantine emperor Theodosius II, a secular institution of higher learning was established in Istanbul, then known as Costantinopolis. Assembling the various branches of human inquiry under the roof of the so-called Magnaura Palace, this institution can be considered a very early type of university; indeed, in a history of universities, it appears on top of the list as being the oldest university in Europe with names such as University of Costantinopolis, or the Magnaura Palace University or, in Greek, "Pandidakterion tes Magnauras".

The name Magnaura is derived from the Latin phrase Magna Aula meaning a hall capable of containing large number of people, where official ceremonies, meetings are held. In our day, in those Italian universities dating from the Middle Ages, the graduation ceremony still takes place with the presence of "Il Magnifico Rettore" (the magnificent rector), in the prestigious Aula Magna in Italian the two words are placed in reverse order and pronounced as aula manya.

The Aula Magna designed by R. Erskine in 1997 for the Frescati Campus of the Stockholm University, making an honourable contribution to modern architecture, is a stucture which offers glass transparency to the surrounding old trees, its central idea being based on the classical amphiteater; the building is open to all kinds of cultural activities worthy of the University's high standard.

Following the closure in Athens of the Plato Academy in 529, the noble task of preserving the written heritage of the classical cultures was passed on to Costantinopolis, namely our city of Istanbul. In order to transmit this past knowledge to future generations, monks in the monasteries were working hard in the "Scriptorium" (‘writing-area') copying manuscripts under the watchful eye of the "Armarius" (‘head monk').

In the renowned monastery of Studion, close to Yedikule district and to the Marmara sea, for example, a group of monks slept while another group without interval continued copying and multiplying ancient manuscripts (this Monastery was also known as that of "Akoimetoi", i.e. ‘Non-Sleepers'). Scholars are telling us that books copied in the monasteries were generally related or limited to theological matters; whereas books of any kind, whether commissioned by the emperor or by the many urban benefactors (maecenas) were copied by the individual scribes and in workshops. It was thanks to such people curious about ancient lore that the city must have gained a paradise-like atmosphere for books.

The higher learning institute, pride of the Islamic world, Beytü'l-Hikme, established in Baghdat under al-Ma'mun (813-835), took the initiative to send envoys to Costantinopolis to obtain books specifically of Plato and Aristotle, which they planned to translate into the Arabic language. Again, such active interest in the intellectual accumulation of the past must be viewed within the context of valuing it and trying to incorporate it to new life.

The Costantinopolis University at Magnaura was restructured by the regent Bardas during the reign of emperor Michael III (842-867). Classes were offered through 31 chairs: 15 in Latin, 16 in Greek. Here, Platonism and Aristotelism were earnestly studied and discussed, and the two traditions thus constantly kept alive.

The functionining of the University lasted until the 15th century; however, after the Latin invasion in 1204, it appears to have lost its secular character which it had maintained since antiquity, entering gradually under the influence of the Church. In a last ditch of effort Manuel Paleolog (1391-1425) was able to establish an institution of higher learning which gained fame for its schools of grammar and Aristotelian philosophy.

Two eminent persons of culture acted as directors of this "Mouseion" covering many fields of study. One was G. Scholarios, respected Aristotelian, who became the first patriarch after the city was taken by the Turks; the other was G. Argyropoulos, more inclined to get closer to the Catholic Church in Rome. This last scholar, in fact, emigrated to Florence where he taught Aristotelian logic.

No wonder, Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomini, later Pope Pius II - himself a very learned individual - impressed by these " illustrissimi viri bizantini " once exclaimed: "anyone who did not possess Constantinopolitan education, could not consider himself thoroughly cultivated !"

It would be appropriate to remind the reader that at the early stages of organized higher education the 'university' as such was not identified with that term. The use of "universitas", came about first in Bologna where it was written down in the statute of the "Universitas Studiorum Bolognensis", established in 1088 (for this very reason some consider the University of Bologna as the oldest one in Europe). Furthermore, in Medieval Latin "universitas" did not carry a reference to an institution of learning of universal breadth; rather, it had a legal meaning.

Infact, at Bologna groups of students belonging to various fields of study (studium) went after teachers and together with them and other officials, including the rector, formed a larger community which operated in a given place, and, developing programs, according to rules and regulations, offered diplomas and rights to obtain them; such community incorporation of all parties was called "universitas".

The great reception hall at Magnaura kept also in it treasures which marvelled ambassadors, foreign or local visitors. Bishop Liutprand of Cremona visited it in the 10th century and in his description he tells that the huge throne was sided as sentinels by two gilded lions roaring frighteningly with open mouth, and every now and then beating the ground with their tail. Suddenly the throne started rising in the air all by itself. He noticed also, nearby, man made birds singing merrily on the branches of a golden tree.

Such fantastic mechanisms moving by themselves (automata) were seen in some palaces of the Islamic world too, especially those in Baghdad. It is understood from sources that during the reign of the emperor Theophilos (813-842), a lover of magnificence, gifts were exchanged between Byzantium and Baghdad. Could it ever be that this precious tree with birds of artifice singing on its branches was a gift from Baghdad?

To be blunt, this spot is not for the faint-hearted. Entering the garden behind Nakkaş Halı shop and Palatium café, you will see an area paved with glass, two metal staircases leading down on either side. Follow the staircase on the right: a full 10 meters below ground level, a brick wall holds a small door that opens into mysterious shadows. If you’re feeling nervous, the owner’s sign might not reassure you: “Dear Guests, While you are visiting this facilities our Company is not Responsible from any injury, Accident and Lost Items.” Luckily, our intrepid writer has explored and lived to tell the tale.

Through the doorway, you will find a brick chamber with high arches and beehive-like domes, as well as doors leading into further darkness. The structure’s ragged condition adds to the feeling of a lost civilization, concealed for thousands of years – no one knows what further excavation might uncover. When Fatih Sultan Mehmet took Constantinople in 1453, he is rumored to have quoted the Persian poet Ferdowsi: “The spider spins his web in the Palace of the Caesars.” Magnaura is a reminder that all empires, no matter how glorious, will be covered by the sands of time. Magnaura Palace is close to the Hagia Sophia, right beside the Four Seasons Hotel. Entrance is free, and you can visit any time from 11 am to 1 am.

A cement staircase in the courtyard of Asia Minor Carpet Shop on Kutlugün Street in Sultanahmet, leads down into the subterranean remains of the Senate House of Magnaura Palace. This shop is just one of the hundreds of neighborhood structures built atop the ruins of the Great Palace. In fact, excavations and construction are ongoing around.

ALBURA KATHISMA RESTAURANT KEEPS A SECRET
In the early 1990s, a Greek family refurbished a charming Ottoman home and opened Albura on the cobbled streets of Akbıyık Caddesi. The quality of the cuisine had locals and travelers flocking, making Albura one of the most popular restaurants in Sultanahmet. In 2009, Kathisma, a streetside terrace restaurant next-door, was added.

Today, the Greek family has sold up, but new owners Abuzer and Alp guarantee guests attentive service accompanied by a generous menu overflowing with succulent regional cuisine and tried-and-tested Ottoman favorites. Try the Chef’s specials, the jumbo shrimp in the wok, or the walnut kuzu (lamb with walnuts). For dessert, the traditional Turkish pudding is recommended.

You can choose to dine inside the cozy Ottoman abode or in the elegant streetside terrace, open-air in summer and enclosed in winter. When the belly is full and the plates are cleared, wander to the back of the terrace and find the entrance to one of Istanbul’s best-kept secrets—the well-preserved Byzantine ruins of Magnaura Palace. Take your time to explore this 4th-century basilica-like structure that inspired the design of the Kremlin Palace and San Marco Basilica in Venice.

Back in its heyday, the Palace was decorated in gold and silver, providing a grand setting for Byzantine emperors to welcome dignitaries to Constantinople. Today, it's yours to freely explore and marvel at Istanbul's past.

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WEB SITE : Albura Kathisma Cafè & Restaurant

MORE INFO & CONTACT
E-Mail : info@alburakathisma.com
Phone : +90 212 517 9031 / +90 212 518 9710
Fax : +90 212 517 9032

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