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Çemberlitaş is a neighborhood in the old city of Istanbul. It sits along a stretch of the Divan Yolu, which is an ancient road that dates back to the Roman period. The name for the Divan Yolu passing through the area is Janissaries Street (Yeniçeriler Caddesi).
Çemberlitaş Square
Çemberlitaş Square (Çemberlitaş Meydanı) is the heart of the area, accessible via a stop on the T1 tram line. It was the location of the Forum of Constantine (Φόρος Κωνσταντίνου). The forum was built immediately upon the foundation of Constantinople and sat just outside the old city walls of Byzantium. It was circular and contained two monumental gates to the east and west. Several statues decorated the forum, but they were melted down by the Crusaders during the Sack of Constantinople in 1204.
Column of Constantine
Çemberlitaş is named for the Column of Constantine. The column was erected by Roman Emperor Constantine the Great on May 11, 330, to commemorate the declaration of Byzantium as the new capital of the Roman Empire. It sat in the center of the Forum of Constantine.
The column is made of several porphyry blocks and was originally 50 meters tall. It was topped by a statue of Constantine as Apollo. The orb he was carrying is said to have contained a fragment of the True Cross. The base of the column allegedly contained relics from the crosses of the two thieves crucified with Christ, the baskets from the loaves and fishes miracle, an alabaster ointment jar used by Mary Magdalene to anoint the head and feet of Jesus, and the palladium of ancient Rome.
A strong gale in 1106 knocked down the statue and the top three cylinders of the column. Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos replaced the statue with a cross and inscription in the mid 12th century. The Ottomans removed the cross after the Fall of Constantinople in 1453.
Earthquakes and a fire in 1779 destroyed the neighborhood surrounding the column and left it with black scorch marks, giving it the Turkish nickname Burnt Column (Çemberlitaş Sütunu). It was repaired by Sultan Abdülhamid I, who also added the masonry base. The original base of the column is about 2.5 meters below ground level. The column now stands just 35 meters high. It’s included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing of the Historic Areas of Istanbul.
Çemberlitaş Hamam
The Çemberlitaş Hamam (Çemberlitaş Hamamı) sits on the east side of the square. It’s one of the most historic Turkish baths in the city, dating back to 1584, and the architect was Mimar Sinan (1490-1588). The hamam was established by Nurbanu Sultan (1526-1583), the consort of Sultan Selim II and mother of Sultan Murad III. Its purpose was to bring revenue to her charity, and it funded construction projects such as the Atik Valide Mosque complex in Üsküdar.
The Çemberlitaş Hamam is open daily from 8am to 10pm. It contains separate sections for men and women. There are several different services available at different price levels. Check the official website for more info.
Atik Ali Pasha Mosque
On the west side of Çemberlitaş Square is the Atik Ali Pasha Mosque (Atik Ali Paşa Camii). It was built between 1496 and 1497 by Atik Ali Pasha (d. 1511), a eunuch and Grand Vizier under Sultan Bayezid II. The mosque was part of a large complex including a madrasa, soup kitchen, caravanserai, tombs, and dervish lodge. Only the mosque, tombs, and part of the madrasa exist today.
In 1648, the minaret and dome of the mosque completely collapsed due to an earthquake. It was also damaged by earthquakes in 1716 and 1766. The tombs of Grand Viziers Kemankeş Kara Ali Pasha (d. 1624), Lefkeli Mustafa Pasha (d. 1648), Boynueğri Mehmed Pasha (d. 1665), and Koca Derviş Mehmed Pasha (d. 1655) are located next to the mosque among other burials.
The mosque has an area of 21.55 by 28.13 meters. The dome is 13.3 meters in diameter, and there are a total of 16 windows around the drum. There’s also a half dome and four small domes.
Köprülü Mehmed Pasha Complex
The Köprülü Mehmed Pasha Complex is an important collection of buildings in Çemberlitaş. It was built by members of the influential Köprülü family, and sits partially on the square. The complex includes a mosque, madrasa, tomb, caravanserai, fountain, and library. The Divan Yolu separates the caravanserai, Vezir Han, from the rest of the structures.
Vezir Han
First, right on Çemberlitaş Square is Vezir Han. It’s a huge caravanserai built by Grand Vizier Köprülü Fazıl Ahmed Pasha (1635-1676) between 1659 and 1660. The building’s name comes from the fact that five Köprülüs served as Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire.
A slave market existed at Vezir Han until 1855, when the slave trade was abolished in the Ottoman Empire. Slavery remained legal in the Ottoman Empire and the Turkish Republic until 1926.
The entrance to Vezir Han is through a barrel-vaulted passage. It leads to a small triangular courtyard and then to a bigger trapezoidal courtyard. The structure is in a dilapidated state but there are still a few goldsmiths working there.
Köprülü Mehmed Pasha Mosque and Madrasa
Across the street from Çemberlitaş Square is the Köprülü Mehmed Pasha Mosque (Köprülü Mehmed Paşa Camii). It was built in 1661 by Köprülü Mehmed Pasha (1575-1661), the patriarch of the Köprülü family. The mosque doubled as the classroom of the madrasa.
The tombs of Köprülü Mehmed Pasha, his son Fazıl Ahmed Pasha, and his wife Ayşe Hatun are in the courtyard behind the mosque. The fountain is on the west wall of the mosque along Peykhane Street.
Köprülü Mehmed Pasha Library
Further east down the Divan Yolu, towards Hagia Sophia and the Hippodrome, is the Köprülü Mehmed Pasha Library (Köprülü Mehmed Paşa Kütüphanesi). It was founded in 1667 by Fazıl Ahmed Pasha and was the first building in Ottoman Constantinople designed as a library.
The library contains a valuable collection of manuscripts, prints, and maps in the Ottoman Turkish, Persian, and Arabic languages. The collection was donated by the Köprülü family. The building sits opposite the tomb of Mahmud II, which is covered in a separate post.
Press Museum
Heading back towards Çemberlitaş Square and across the street from the Köprülü Mehmed Pasha Mosque is the Turkish Journalists Association Press Museum (Türkiye Gazeteciler Cemiyeti Basın Müzesi). It was established by the Turkish Journalists Association (Türkiye Gazeteciler Cemiyeti) and opened on May 9, 1988. The museum features exhibitions on mass communication and journalism. It’s open from 2pm to 5pm on weekdays and admission is free (as of June 2024). I have yet to visit.
The building was built between 1865 and 1870 by Mehmed Esat Safvet Pasha (1814-1883) a diplomat who served as Grand Vizier under Sultan Abdülhamid II. The architects were probably the Fossati brothers, Gaspare (1809-1883) and Giuseppe (1822-1891). The building originally served as the Ottoman Ministry of General Education (Maarif-i Umumiye Nezareti) and in 1875 it was used by Istanbul University. Under Abdülhamid II, it was occupied by the Censure Commission. In 1908, the building was allocated to the city and held various city offices until 1983. It was restored between 1984 and 1988.
Theodosius Cistern / Şerefiye Cistern
A few steps south of the Köprülü Mehmed Pasha Library is the Theodosius Cistern. It was built by Roman Emperor Theodosius II between 428 and 443 to store water channeled in from the Aqueduct of Valens. It supplied water to the Baths of Zeuxippus and the Great Palace of Constantinople. When I lived in Istanbul, the cistern was closed to the public.
After an eight-year renovation, it reopened in April 2018 as the Şerefiye Cistern (Şerefiye Sarnıcı). A modern glass structure now sits on top of the original entrance. It’s open daily from 9am to 6pm. Admission for foreigners is 500₺ (as of January 2024).
Inside, the cistern is beautifully lit and sometimes contains art exhibitions and concerts. There are 32 marble columns, each about 9 meters high (30 feet). The area is 45 by 25 meters (148 by 82 feet).
Keçecizade Fuad Pasha Mosque
Finally, a bit further south down Peykhane Street you’ll find the Keçecizade Fuad Pasha Mosque (Keçecizade Fuat Paşa Cami), which was built in 1870. The architect was Mehmed Fuad Pasha (1814-1869), who died in Nice, France, before the mosque was built. He served twice as Grand Vizier under Sultan Abdülaziz.
The southwest corner of the mosque contains the beautifully carved tomb of Mehmed Fuad Pasha, which may have been influenced by the Alhambra in Granada, Spain.
Near Çemberlitaş…
If you continue walking a few steps west down the Divan Yolu (Janissaries Street), you’ll come to Beyazıt Square. If you walk north from Çemberlitaş Square, you can visit the stunning Nuruosmaniye Mosque and the busy Mahmutpaşa neighborhood. Behind the Nuruosmaniye Mosque is one of the gates to the Grand Bazaar.
Where to Eat in Çemberlitaş
I’ve stopped a few times for quick meals in the area.
Ortaklar
Across from the Şerefiye Cistern is Ortaklar. It’s a kebab shop with döner, pide, and other typical Turkish dishes. It’s not the best but it hits the spot if you’re just looking for fuel while sightseeing.
Özlem Karadeniz
A block further south is Özlem Karadeniz, which specializes in pide and kebab. It’s a friendly place with good service, fair prices, and decent food. I stopped in for lunch and had a lentil soup along with a kuşbasılı pide with egg.
