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Silivrikapı is a neighborhood in Istanbul, Turkey, just inside the Theodosian Walls of Constantinople. It’s located in the Fatih district.
Introduction to Silivrikapı
Silivrikapı was established in 2008 by combining the smaller neighborhoods of Arabacı Beyazıt and Cambaziye. It’s named for the Selymbria Gate (Greek: Πύλη τῆς Συλημβρίας, Turkish: Silivri Kapısı), also known as the Gate of the Spring (Πύλη τῆς Πηγῆς). The neighborhood borders Belgradkapı to the southwest, Sümbül Efendi to the south, Samatya to the southeast, Cerrahpaşa to the east, Altımermer to the northeast, Seyyid Ömer to the north, and Mevlanakapı to the northwest. There’s very little to see in Silivrikapı.
Hadım Ibrahim Pasha Mosque
The Hadım Ibrahim Pasha Mosque (Hadım İbrahim Paşa Camii) is just inside the Selymbria Gate. It was commissioned by Hadım Ibrahim Pasha (1473-1563), who was of Bosnian origin. He was the Chief White Eunuch of Topkapi Palace under Süleyman the Magnificent and became Governor of Anatolia. He eventually reached the rank of Second Vizier in 1553.
The mosque was designed by Mimar Sinan (c. 1490-1588) and completed in 1551. It was restored in 2007. Hadım Ibrahim Pasha is buried in an open tomb in the courtyard, as his original tomb fell into ruin over time. The complex once contained a hamam but it hasn’t survived.
The mosque is on a square plan and fronted by an arched portico with six marble columns. It has five bays each topped by a dome. The minaret is on the southwest corner of the portico. It fell during an earthquake in 1754 but was rebuilt in 1763/64.
The prayer hall is decorated with a handful of Iznik tile panels. The dome has a diameter of 12 meters (39 feet) and is supported by 8 internal buttresses.
Saliha Sultan Fountain
A few blocks east of the mosque is the Saliha Sultan Fountain (Saliha Sultan Çeşmesi). It was built in 1725 by Saliha Sultan (c. 1680-1739), a consort of Sultan Mustafa II and mother of Mahmud I. It’s an elegant three-sided fountain made of cut stone. It features a pointed arch with a rosette on both sides and an inscription above. The water no longer flows.
Ramazan Efendi Mosque
On the east end of Silivrikapı is the Ramazan Efendi Mosque (Ramazan Efendi Camii). It was built by a merchant named Bezirgânbaşı Hâce Hüsrev Çelebi and was also known as the Bezirgânbaşı Mosque (Bezirgânbaşı Camii). Ramazan Efendi (1542-1616) was the first sheikh of the dervish tekke established next to the mosque. It was one of the last works of Mimar Sinan, completed in 1586.
The mosque sits in a large courtyard and is on a rectangular plan. It features a marble mihrab and minbar and 16th century Iznik tiles. Unfortunately, the original design of the mosque has not survived. The mosque was closed as soon as prayers ended and I was unable to enter.
The tomb of Ramazan Efendi is next to the mosque. Inside are the sarcophagi of Ramadan Efendi and seven other individuals. A beautiful inscription hangs above the door inside the entrance.
Silivrikapı Ice Rink
Finally, on the southwest corner of Silivrikapı is the Silivrikapı Ice Rink (Silivrikapı Buz Pisti). This indoor ice skating and hockey arena hosts hockey clubs of Istanbul and ice skating competitions. It consists of an Olympic-sized rink with a seating capacity of 900. There’s also a smaller training rink of 600 square meters (6,500 square feet) with seating for 200.
Plans for the rink date back to 1989, when the Turkish Ice Skating Federation (Türkiye Buz Pateni Federasyonu) requested a facility. The Fatih municipality provided a site but the city was reluctant to provide funding. There was also a delay due to lack of technical know-how about constructing an ice rink.
In 1999, as the project was nearing completion, a major earthquake caused severe structural damage. Inspectors deemed the building unsafe and it was demolished. Thanks to renewed pressure from the ice skating community and financial support from the government, construction on the current facility began in 2007. It opened to the public in September 2009.
