From Light Watching Festivities to Fireworks

Çırağan Palace

The Palace was commissioned by Nevşehirli Damat İbrahim Pasha for his wife Fatma Sultan in 17^th century on the ground then known as Kazancıoğlu Gardens. During the infamous Tulip Era, the palace gardens hosted light watching festivities where candles would be placed on turtles roaming the gardens, and on clams released on to the shore. As such, the palace earned the nickname çırağan, “light” in Farsi.

In Mahmut II’s reign the palace was destructed and another palace was built. This one as well was destructed as Abdülmecit wanted to replace it with a western style palace; however when he died, Abdülaziz ordered the palace to be finished in eastern style. The architects of the palace were from the famous Balyan family.

Used as the parliament in 1909, the building and many valuable artifacts such as Abdülhamit II’s private collection and Murat V’s library were destroyed in a fire. The only part of the palace that made it to our times is the granite bathhouse (hamam) of the palace.

 During the occupation of Istanbul, The French army occupied the building and it was called the Bizo Barracks. The Islamic monastery graves were destroyed during this occupation since soldiers believed there were gold inside the graves.

Handed over to the municipality in 1947,in 1968, unfortunately the centuries old trees of the garden’s palace were cut down and the Beşiktaş Stadium was built.

Used as a hotel since 1992 and occupies 76360 square meters. There is a bridge to visit the neighboring Yıldız Palace. Us; Istanbul Tracers, we pass under this bridge a lot, we hope that this bridge will stay safe for a long time.

You can click here for more information on the palace. 

Take care of yourselves,

Tracer of Istanbul

The First Skyscraper of the City

Deutche Orient Bank

Have you ever paid any attention to this marvelous building also known as Germania Han? 

Designed by architect August Jachmund who also designed Sirkeci Train Station, this building was constructed between the years 1900 and 1910.

Its tower qualifies the building to be considered as one of the first skyscrapers of Istanbul. Facing the square, the tower is the most grandiose part of the triangular structure. While the entrance floor was used as a bank, upper floors were reserved for trade businesses.

Later bought by Yapı Kredi Bank, the building was renovated in 1997. You can check out the restoration details through this (But it's only in Turkish). While we were not allowed to take pictures inside the building, it is rumored that even this historical landmark will be turned into a hotel. Perhaps then we can show you what the inside looks like.

When you are visiting this building make sure you stop by at First Vakıf Han right near Deutche Orient Bank. This building was designed by Mimar Kemalettin, who was a student of August Jachmund and was influenced by him.

Take care of yourselves,

Tracer of Istanbul

Plans of Independence

Atatürk Museum - Şişli

As you know by following your Istanbul Diary, this week we are visiting Atatürk Museum.

Arriving in Istanbul after World War I in 1918, Atatürk takes lodging in Madam Osep Kasapyan’s building in Şişli.Up until he left for Samsun in May 16th of 1919 he resides in this house with his mother, sister and aid-de-camp.

The building gets bought by Member of Parliament Tahsin Uzer from Erzurum, and gets rebought by the Municipality in 1927 to be opened to public in 1942.

A fire in 1962 damages the building, and after a restoration it gets reopened in 1981.

Decorated mostly in yellow and gold hues, the museum houses objects, clothes, stamps, photos, paintings and received gifts previously owned by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

While we visited the museum it strongly needed a renovation and from 1st of January the renovation started. On the 31st of December the museum will reopen its doors for the visitors; we certainly hope that this will get the attention it deserves and returns to its days of glory. 

You can find more details about the museum here.

Take care of yourselves,

Tracer of Istanbul

A Visit From the Past

The Grand Post Office - Sirkeci

We tour around, and perhaps inside it all the time; but have you ever stopped to study the Grand Post Office in full detail?

With a sign above its door that reads “Post Telegram Office”, the 3200 square meter building is 4 stories high.

The first postal body was founded during Mahmut the Second’s reign with the name Postahane-İ Amire. Its first location in 1840 was in the courtyard of  the New Mosque. People would stop by and ask if there were mail that day.

Since stamps were not in use, the postal fee was paid to whoever delivered the mail.

The Grand Post Office’s construction started in 1903 under the supervision of the famous architect Vedat Tek. While the Post Office was completed in 1909 by architect Muzaffer, it is speculated that even the individual stones used for the building’s front were designed by Vedat Tek.

Between the years 1927 and 1936 the building was used as a courthouse while also housing the broadcasting studio in the 1930s. Since 1958 the building is solely used for mail and telegram services and you can visit the PTT Istanbul Museum on the side of the building to glimpse at the history of this landmark.

While today the Grand Post Office is known for its long queues, back in the day it was known for its popularity and how difficult it were to get a special post box in the building.

The stain glasses that you immediately notice when you walk in were designed to take optimum advantage of the sunlight. Another gem people tend to pass by is the writing table. 

Take a moment here and use this beautiful historical tool for what it was built for: write a letter or a postcard for someone you care for. Surprise the ones you love with something meaningful in their post boxes instead bills for a change. In the end, what you write down is more likely to be remembered. 

Easy to Pass By

We live our lives on such a full speed that we sometimes need to stop, breath and look around a little. This speed isn’t natural to us; we are just trying to catch up to the speed of the modern city life.

Either way we should create little opportunities for ourselves, little escapes if you will, so we can collect human experiences and memories- not only earthly possessions.

To do so is easy. For instance an escape into the periodic exhibitions of Maksem in our most popular meeting point: Taksim.





 

Small enough to be fully seen in an half hour, the building that hosts today’s Maksem was built in 1731 and it was used as a water storage tank.

As Istanbul Municipality holds periodic exhibitions in the building we were able to catch the shows of Anna Tzarev’s Song of Spring and Milijada Barada’s Let the Soul Rule the Secret. You can check the event schedule here (in Turkish).

What looks like a keg, which would be on your right when you first enter the building, is actually a piece of  the piping that used to distribute water to Beyoğlu, Pera and Kasımpaşa.

Since you are already in Beyoğlu, why not visit the Historic Beyoğlu Post Office? Situated right across Galatasaray High School, the post office these days is holding an extended exhibition on the history of Galatasary Sports Club.

Built in 1875 for Theodore Sıvacıyan as a residence, the building was bought later in 1907 by Post and Telegram Minister Hüseyin Hasip Pasha and it’s first floor was used as Beyoğlu Post and Telegram Management Office.

Now named Galatasaray University Culture and Art Centre, the building was turned into a museum by the initiative of the University.

On to a magnificent birdhouse. If you are looking to spend a pleasurable day at Rumeli Fortress, Tevfik Fikret’s House the Aşiyan Museum cannot be missed. Besides his poems and his books, when you discover that he designed the house itself alongside being a painter you will realize that Fikret was more than an artist, and was perhaps a genius.

In a way it is a benefit that we were not allowed to take pictures inside the museum: this way you have to go and explore it yourselves! The entrance of the house facing this breathtaking view… And the window of Socrates (no explanations here, visit the museum to be astounded)…

When visiting the museum you can get either a short or long tour audio guide. Alongside personal items, you can find pieces that used to belong to famous Turkish writers like Poet Nigar and Recaizade Ekrem. Renovated and reopened in 2011, this museum is both esthetically pleasing and interesting.

We recommend that you visit the museum that opens at 9 AM on earlier hours: students groups are usually scheduled to make visits in the afternoons- while it is inspiring to see young minds be shaped by history and culture, it is not for you if you want a quite touring time. The museum is closed on Mondays and Thursdays.

You’ll listen while you are visiting: Tevfik Fikret, whose grave lays in the garden of Aşiyan, writes from decades ago:

The poor country gives, gives whatever it has,

Its body, its life, its hope, its dream

All its well-being, all its heart.

Swallow it up at once, don’t think about the sin or the deed…

Eat sirs eat, this pleasant meal is yours,

Eat until you are full, until you cough, until you burst!

You can visit all these spots for free.

Only a few weeks left to New Year’s, don’t forget to get yourself our your loved ones an Istanbul diary or another notebook from our collection. Let’s explore together and create different memories. You can get your diary by clicking here.

Take care of yourselves,

Tracer of Istanbul

Once Upon A time

They say the only thing that will never change is change itself. Istanbul abides by that rule for centuries. As some buildings and monuments manage to survive onto modern times, most disappear through out the ages- and mostly with our help.

A monument that made it to our century and is considered to be the one of the most important landmarks of Istanbul: Galata Tower.

However this entry is not about Galata Tower (it’s time to be mentioned will come).

In this entry I will tell you about where I am viewing Galata Tower. This is Alfred Heilbronn Botanical Garden. Named after a prominent professor of the University at the time; the botanical gardens were founded in 1935 under Istanbul University’s Science Faculty.

Neighboring the Office of Istanbul Mufti, and close to Suleymaniye Mosque in Fatih, the garden showcases a collection of thousands of species of plants. When walking around in this garden’s 6 greenhouses and 23 fountains, you will feel yourself to be dazzled with magnificent smells.

If you have the time this is the perfect place to sit down and read a book or do some homework - that is if you can stop staring at the breathtaking view.

While perhaps the garden’s prime time has been passed due to the less budget allowances and less emoloyees; since its hand over to the Office of the Mufti; we hope to see this garden survive into the future.  You can contact Istanbul University to visit the garden. But keep in ind that it's closed on weekends.

If you have been able to follow the Biennial events, then you know that you had the chance to visit Karakoy Greek Elementary School, which now rarely and only opens its doors to these kinds of events.

Built in 1885, the school stood without damage against many earthquakes that troubled Istanbul. Once educating over 200 children under its roof, the school closed down and opened a few times  due to lack of students and financial support. Sadly shut down its doors as an educational institution in 2007 for the last time.

However, you can still see the beautiful interior of this school if you visit the premises when they are hosting an event.

Make sure you climb up to the terrace and take in the spectacular view. This is also a great spot to look for another building that Istanbulites cannot notice and walk by: the nearby Galata Surp Krikor Lusavoric Armenian Church. How magnificent isn't it?

Our last topic is an exhibition. You can now see famous painter and sculptor Miro’s works in Tophane-i Amire Building until 19th January. This is also a great opportunity to explore the building itself.

This is all for now. By the way you can click here to get your own Istanbul Diary now.

Write down, draw, and document everything you see like you breath: so our children can always know what once was there.

Take care of yourselves,

Tracer of Istanbul

Searching for Theodossius

Theodosius I and II, was the emperors of the Roman Empire whom left their mark in Istanbul. In this engraving on the Theodosius Obelisk in Sultanahmet, the 1st Emperor is portrayed as holding a crown, which symbolizes victory.






The Marmaray Tunnel is finally opened and the excavations that took to complete the project earthed new historical findings in the city.








 As some of you know, the history of Istanbul dates back to 8000 BC wtih these new discoveries. The findings include numerous shipwrecks and the most amount of fossilized footprints in a crowd that has been discovered. The amount of archeological artifacts found during the excavations are stated to be thousands of cases.

When we made our way to Yenikapi to check out the newest discoveries, we were welcomed by the Theodosius Harbor which was erected by the order of the Emperor. We hope to see all these artifacts to find a safe home in a new museum.

For those who are interested in these type of findings, the Istanbul Archeology Museum is holding the "Stories from the Hidden Harbor" exhibit till the 25th of December. As you are visiting the exhibition you will run into an old lady from Constantinople (Istanbul :) that was found during the excavations. You can find the details to the exhibition here.








Take your time when you are walking around the streets of Istanbul. You may suddenly come across an old door, and that door may surprise you a lot.

And that is exactly how we came acroos this door. Hypnotized by the beauty of it, we were only able to sneak a peek inside, since the door itself was bolted shut.

Behold the Serefiye or the Theodosius Cistern. Built during the reign of Theodosius II, this fairly large cistern resides on Binbirdirek Neighbourhood's Piyer Loti Avenue in Fatih. Unfortunatelly, all you can do right now is sneak a peek like we did since the cistern is under renovation to be turned into a museum just like Yerebatan Cistern.









Our last news are for the fans of silent movies and Hitchcock admirers. You can watch nine silent Hitchcock movies between the 7th and 17th of November. Details here.

In this post, we traced down two Roman Emperor's legacies within the city that survived hundreds of years... Go out on the streets and trace down what you find interesting, like we do. Don't forget to write them down and leave your trace for the future.

You can get your own Istanbul Diary and other kinds of diaries and notebooks by clicking here.

Take care of yourselves,
Tracer of Istanbul