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Saraçhane is at an important intersection in Istanbul, Turkey, surrounded by parks. It’s located in the Fatih district.
Introduction to Saraçhane
Saraçhane is at the point where Atatürk Boulevard intersects with Şehzadebaşı Avenue. There’s heavy traffic in all directions. Most of the area is made up of parks with interesting neighborhoods nearby. To the north is Zeyrek and Vefa, to the south is Aksaray, and to the east is Şehzadebaşı.
Atatürk Boulevard (Atatürk Bulvarı) runs north to south. It opened in 1941 and an underpass was built in 1964 to ease congestion. Many historical buildings that covered the parks surrounding the intersection were destroyed during the construction projects.
Şehzadebaşı Avenue (Şehzadebaşı Caddesi) runs from the east. To the west is Macar Kardeşler Avenue (Macar Kardeşler Caddesi).
Saraçhane Park
Saraçhane Park (Saraçhane Parkı) lies east of Atatürk Boulevard in the northeast quadrant of Saraçhane. There are lots of trees to get some shade on a sunny day, and benches to sit and relax. The Şehzade Mosque sits just east of the park, and the Aqueduct of Valens runs along its north side.
Burmalı Mosque
On the grounds of Saraçhane Park is the Burmalı Mosque (Burmalı Camii), which was built in 1540 by Emin Nureddin Osman (d. 1554), the Ottoman chief judge (kazasker) of Egypt. The mosque was in a ruined state in the 1930s and was restored and reopened to worship in 1955. It underwent another restoration from 2016 through 2020.
Burmalı translates to twisted, which refers to the pattern on the mosque’s minaret. It’s a copy of a Seljuk design that’s unique in Istanbul.
The mosque also reuses Byzantine Corinthian capitals taken from the ruined Church of St. Polyeuctus. The tomb of Emin Nureddin Osman is on the left side.
Istanbul City Hall
In the southeast quadrant of Saraçhane, across Şehzadebaşı Avenue, is the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality building (İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyesi). It serves as Istanbul’s city hall. The complex was built between 1953 and 1960 by Turkish architect Nevzat Erol (d. 2003).
The complex consists of two interconnected buildings. The smaller block is the executive building, which stands three stories high. The larger blocks contains the offices of several directorates and service units and is 11 stories high.
Ankaravi Mehmed Efendi Madrasa
Hidden behind City Hall is the former Ankaravi Mehmed Efendi Madrasa (Ankaravi Mehmed Efendi Medresesi). It was built in 1707 by Mehmed Emin Efendi, the Ottoman Şeyhülislam (Shaykh al-Islam) between 1686 and 1687. It was restored between 1958 and 1960. The building is currently being used by the Turkish World Research Foundation (Türk Dünyası Araştırmalar Vakfı).
Church of St. Polyeuctus
The Church of St. Polyeuctus (Ἅγιος Πολύευκτος / Ayios Polieuktos Kilisesi) lies in ruins in the southwest quadrant of Saraçhane, west of Istanbul City Hall.
The Church of St. Polyeuctus was built between 524 and 527 during the reign of Emperor Justin I. was commissioned by Anicia Juliana (462-528), the daughter of Western Roman Emperor Olybrius. It replaced an older church built by her great grandmother, Aelia Eudocia (401-460), the wife of Emperor Theodosius II, to enshrine the skull of St. Polyeuctus.
The church was thought to have been the largest in Constantinople until the construction of Hagia Sophia. It was lavishly decorated and may have been the world’s first domed basilica. The walls were made of marble and the ceiling was covered in gold plates.
After the church was abandoned in the 11th century, several architectural pieces were taken and used in other buildings in the city, including the Monastery of Christ Pantocrator (now the Zeyrek Mosque). More pieces were taken by Crusaders during the Sack of Constantinople in 1204. The most famous are the Pillars of Acre at St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice.
Excavation
The Church of Saint Polyeuctus was eventually covered by homes and a mosque, which were removed in 1940. The ruins were discovered in the 1960 during construction of Şehzadebaşı Avenue and the Atatürk Boulevard underpass. The site was excavated between 1964 and 1969 by Dr. Nezih Fıratlı (1921-1979) of the Istanbul Archaeology Museums and Richard Martin Harrison of the Dumbarton Oaks Institute. Important fragments and sculptures are now on display at the Istanbul Archaeology Museums.
The site is now the Saraçhane Archaeological Park (Saraçhane Arkeoloji Parkı), an open-air museum, but is in a neglected state. As of my most recent visit in October 2023, it was under restoration. I imagine it will be cleaned up with paths and interpretive panels installed throughout the ruins.
Fatih Memorial Park
Fatih Memorial Park (Fatih Anıt Parkı) take up the northwest quadrant of Saraçhane. It’s a nice public park with a few minor points of interest nearby. The park contains areas shaded by trees, benches to sit and relax, and a playground.
Fatih Monument
In the center of Fatih Memorial Park is a monument commemorating the Ottoman Conquest of Constantinople in 1453. It was created by Turkish sculptor Hüseyin Gezer (1920-2013) and unveiled on May 29, 1987.
The main figure on the monument is Mehmed the Conqueror on a leaping horse, with his right arm outstretched. The statue is cast in bronze and eventually became part of the logo for the Fatih Municipality.
There are five additional figures on the monument. One is a Janissary, part of the elite infantry units that were instrumental in the battle. I can’t find any information about the other four figures, but I assume they represent his viziers and military commanders, possibly Çandarlı Halil Pasha (d. 1453), Zağanos Pasha (d. 1462 or 1469), Süleyman Baltaoğlu, and Hamza Bey (d. 1460).
Istanbul Fire Department
Along the west side of Fatih Memorial Park is the Istanbul Fire Department headquarters (İstanbul İtfaiyesi), which was built in 1914. The architecture is attributed to Ottoman Greek architect Konstantinos Kyriakidis (1881-1942), but it was most likely designed by Ottoman Armenian architect Yervant Terziyan, an assistant of Constantinople-born Italian architect Giulio Mongeri (1873-1953).
Macar Kardeşler Avenue
There are a few minor points of interest along Macar Kardeşler Avenue (Macar Kardeşler Caddesi), which is a short stretch of busy road running west from Atatürk Boulevard. After a few blocks, it becomes Fevzi Pasha Avenue (Fevzi Paşa Caddesi), which leads to the Fatih Mosque and through to Edirnekapı.
Old Fatih Government Building
First, just west of Fatih Memorial Park is the Old Fatih Government Building (Eski Fatih Belediye Binası), which was built in 1914. Most sources I found claim it was designed by Yervant Terziyan. The building now houses the Mehmed the Conqueror Foundation University Rectorate (Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakıf Üniversitesi Rektörlüğü).
Aviation Martyrs’ Monument
The park in front of the building features the Aviation Martyrs’ Monument (Teyyare Şehitleri Anıtı). It was designed by Turkish architect Vedat Tek (1873-1942). Enver Pasha (1881-1922), the Ottoman Minister of War, laid the cornerstone on April 2, 1914, and the monument was completed in 1916. It stands about 7 ½ meters high and is made of marble and bronze.
The Aviation Martyrs’ Monument is dedicated to the first three members of the Ottoman Air Force to die in aviation accidents. Four monoplanes left Constantinople on February 8, 1914, en route to Cairo. The first plane crashed in the Golan Heights near the Sea of Galilee on February 27, during the leg from Damascus to Jerusalem. Pilot Fetih Bey and his navigator Sadık Bey both perished. The second plane killed Nuri Bey when it crashed into the Mediterranean Sea shortly after takeoff from Jaffa on March 11.
Amcazade Hüseyin Pasha Complex
Across the street to the south is the Amcazade Hüseyin Pasha Complex (Amcazade Hüseyin Paşa Külliyesi). It was built in 1700 by Amcazade Köprülü Hüseyin Pasha (1644-1702), a Grand Vizier under Sultan Mustafa II.
The complex consisted of a library, madrasa, primary school, and fountain. The madrasa had 16 student cells and a classroom that double as a mosque. The complex was destroyed by fire and earthquakes in 1718, 1755, 1872, and 1896, and it was repaired each time.
Dülgerzade Mosque
On the next block to the west is the Dülgerzade Mosque (Dülgerzade Camii). It was built between 1480 and 1482 by Ahmed Şemseddin Efendi. The mosque is made of cut limestone and has a single dome.
The portico is covered with four small domes and a short minaret sits to the right. Inside the mosque, the mihrab and minbar are both made of marble.
National Manuscript Library
Right before Macar Kardeşler Avenue becomes Fevzi Pasha Avenue, near the Fatih Mosque, is the National Manuscript Library (Millet Yazma Eser Kütüphanesi). It was founded by Ottoman historian Ali Emiri Efendi (1857-1924) as a way to donate his collection of over 16,000 works to the public. The library has been in service since April 17, 1916, and now contains about 7,000 manuscripts and 20,000 books.
On display in the gallery are rare books and manuscripts as well as calligraphy plates written by Sultan Mahmud II. The most important book is the only existing copy of the Compendium of the Languages of the Turks (Dîvânü Lugati’t-Türk). It’s the first known Turkish language dictionary and was compiled between 1072 and 1074 in Baghdad by Turkic scholar Mahmud al-Kashgari (1005-1102).
The library is housed in the former Feyzullah Efendi Madrasa (Feyzullah Efendi Medresesi). It was built between 1700 and 1701 by Feyzullah Efendi (1639-1703), a Şeyhülislam (Shaykh al-Islam). The library is typically open weekdays from 8:30am to 5pm.
Column of Marcian
Detouring a couple blocks south of Macar Kardeşler Avenue down Kıztaşı Avenue is the Column of Marcian (Kıztaşı). It’s an ancient Roman monument erected in 455 by Tatianus, the urban prefect of Constantinople. It was dedicated to Emperor Marcian. Because it’s not documented in any late Roman or Byzantine source, not much is known about the monument.
The column is made of Egyptian granite and is topped by a Corinthian capital decorated with eagles on each corner. A bronze statue of Marcian once crowned the monument. It’s believed the Venetians looted the statue during the Sack of Constantinople in 1204. The statue may be the Colossus of Barletta, which is now on display in Barletta, Italy. Supposedly, it washed ashore in Ravenna after the ship carrying it sunk.
The base has four sides covered in white marble slabs. Three sides contain IX monograms with medallions. The north side contains a figure of the goddess Nike, which gives the monument its Turkish name, Kıztaşı (Maiden’s Stone). An inscription in Latin on the north side reads:
Behold this statue of the princeps Marcian and its base,
a work dedicated by the prefect Tatianus.
