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U can ask me about Istanbul....................(The photo of my book about ancient districts of Golden Horn.)
Vous pouvez me demander tout sur Istanbul..............(La photo de mon livre sur les vieux quartiers de la Corne d'Or.)
Istanbul hakkinda herseyi sorabilirsiniz..................(Fotografta Halic'in eski semtleri hakkinda yazdigim kitabim.)

FENER BALAT AYVANSARAY / AHMET FAIK OZBILGE / E-YAYINLARI / 3. Edition SUBAT 2009 / ISTANBUL

AVARE’NIN ÖNERISI

Fener Balat Ayvansaray

Ahmet Faik Özbilge

E Yayinevi (3. Genisletilmis Baski, 2009)

Ahmet Faik Özbilge’nin uzun süredir üzerinde çalistigi Fener Balat Ayvansaray isimli gezi ve arastirma kitabi, Baglam Yayinevi’nden çikti. 20 senedir Türkiye ve yurtdisinda kokartli rehberlik yapan yazarin Fener, Balat ve Ayvansaray bölgesine ilgisi, rehberlik yaptigi süre içinde dogdu. Ahmet Faik Özbilge, eski Istanbul’un farkli kültürlerinin ilk yasam merkezi olan bu bölgeyi gezdikçe ve gezdirdikçe bilgilerini, izlenimlerini kagida dökme istegi dogdu. Kitapta 50’nin üzerinde fotograf var. Profesyonel bir Fransiz fotograf sanatçisindan destek alan yazar, bes sene boyunca, bölgeyi karis karis gezerek, 100’den fazla kaynak kitabi tarayarak ve bölgedeki insanlarla konusarak olusturmus kitabini. Son zamanlarda Avrupa Birligi’nin de yakindan ilgilendigi yörenin hem geçmisini, hem de bugününü gözler önüne sermeye çalisan Özbilge, bölgenin gidisatinin yönü ve hizi konusunda da izlenimlerini aktariyor. Kitaptaki dinamizm ise ara sira açilan pencerelerde yan konularin ele alinmasiyla saglaniyor. Örnegin, Tekfur Sarayi'ndan geçerken imparatorluk saraylari diye bir yan pencere açiliyor, bittigi yerden gezi devam ediyor. Ahrida Sinagogu’na ugraniyor, hemen arkasindan varlik vergisi üzerinde duruluyor ya da Balat’a inmisken, meyhaneler diye bir pencere açiliyor. Kitabin sonuna, Istanbul’un kronolojisini, Bizans ve Osmanli hükümdarlarinin ayrica gezgin ve yazarlarin yasadiklari dönemleri de belirten listeyi koyan yazar, bazi spesifik kelimelerle ilgili sözlügü ve aranilani bulmayi çok kolaylastiran bir dizini eklemeyi de ihmal etmemis.

http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/seyahat/4407385.asp?gid=56

http://www.baglam.com/kitapdetay.asp?no=254

http://www.cnnturk.com/KULTUR_SANAT/KITAP/haber_detay.asp?PID=117&HID=1&haberID=170761

http://www.turizmgazetesi.com/news/news.aspx?id=28745

http://www.haberposta.com/test/haber_alt.asp?haber_id=2050

http://www.istanbul.com/KulturSanatDetail.aspx?Cat=162&ColId=13117

http://www2.medya24.com/detay.php?d=2998

http://www.gscemiyet.org.tr/ViewItemDetails.aspx?Item_id=509&Language_id=1

Bu kitap, birkaç yil sürmüs çok özel bir deneyimin ürünüdür. Bu kitabi alir ve okursaniz, eminim sizler için de farkli ve özel bir deneyim olacaktir. Belki sizleri de, mekanlarla farkli bir iliski kurmaya yönlendirecektir. Ancak okumakla yetinmeyin sakin. Kitabi cebinize koyun ve Fener, Balat ve Ayvansaray’i gezin. Sadece gezmeyin yasayin. Belki siz de, bu semtleri Ahmet kadar sevebilirsiniz. Ama elbette herkes kendi Fener, Balat ve Ayvansaray’ini kendi kesfedebilir. O zaman da bu kitap en azindan buna vesile olmus olur.

F. Besim Dellaloglu

CONTENTS:

Introduction / Besim F. Dellaoglu / 11
From Byzantium to Istanbul / 13
A Route for One Day / 14

CHORA MUSEUM AND ITS ENVIRONS
Chora Museum / 19
The /Ancient/Byzantine/ Walls
The Four Corners of Istanbul / 30

AYVANSARAY
Ayvansaray /36
Tekfur Palace / 38
Imperial Palaces / 42
Church of Panaghia Hancerliotissa /44
Kasturya Sinagogue / 46
Dergahs and Tekkes / 47
Adileshah Kadin Hatice Sultan Mosque /50
Su’be Hazretleri exalted? /Like Jesus or Mary title of relig respect?/ 50
Egrikapi (Crooked Gate or Gate of the Kaligaria) / 51
Kirikcesme Maksemi?/ 55
Kandilli Tomb / 56
Panaghia Suda Church?/ 57
Byzantine ? /58
Dervishzade Street / 60
Mimar Mustafa Aga Fountain / 61
Hancherli Hamam / 61
Ivaz Efendi Mosque / 62
Anemas Prisons / 63
Byzantine Law and Punishment/ 65
Lodge of Emir Buhari /67
Ebuzerr El Gifari Mosque and Tomb / 68
Lonca?/Guild 69
Panaghia Blachernae Church / 70
Tomb of Muhammed El –Ensari /76
Haci Husrev Mosque / 76
Lodge of Toklu Ibrahim Dede/ 77
The Golden Horn Under Ice/Frozen over / 77
Cabir Mosque / 79

BALAT

Church of St. Demetrius Kanabu and Balat Or-Ahayim Hospital / 85
Church of Panaghia Balinu / 88
Ferruh Kethuda Mosque / 91
Resdagabet Armenian Church / 93
Armenian and Gregorian Church? / 95
Armenian School / 97
Vestibules? and Tunnels / 98
Haci Isa Mosque / 99
Abdullah El Ensari Hz.? / 99
Balat and the Jews / 101
Varlik Tax / 103
Ahrida Sinagogue / 104
St. Strati Church / 107
Hizir Cavus Mosque / 113
Balat Yanbol Sinagogue / 114
Agora Tavern / 115
Taverns / 116
Balat Gate / 119
Yusuf Sucauddin Mosque / 119
Salonica Sinegogue / 121
Memoirs of an Istanbul Jew / 121

FENER

Metochion of Mt. Sinai / 127
St. Yanni Metochi Church / Church of St. John the Baptist/ 128
Wooden Houses and Fires in Istanbul / 129
Church of St. Stephan of the Bulgars / 131
Exarchate (residence of the Exarch) / 135
Library of Female? Authors? Women’s Library / 136
Fener (Fenar or Phanar) /136
Farewell Istanbul /138
Kantemir Palace / 139
Patriarchal Church of St. George / 141
Vlah? Palace Church? Chapel? St. Mary the Consoler?/ 142
Crusaders in Constantinople / 143
Yuvakimyon Greek Girls’ High School / 145
Church of St. Mary of the Mongols ( Mouchliotissa) /145
Mesnevihane / 147
Greek Lycee of the Phanar ( the Great School) / 148
Schools and Libraries in Byzantine Times / 151
Patriarchate and Church of St George / 152
Marasli Greek Primary School / 162

FROM CIBALI TO KARIYE

Yeni Ayakapi (New Holy Gate – Gate of St. Theodosia) and Ayakapi Hamam / 168
Restaurants / 170
Cibali / 172
Kucuk Mustafa Pasha Hamam / 173
Gul Mosque / 173
Cibali Gate / 176
Church of St. Nicholas / 177
Ayakapi ( Holy Gate ) / 179
Cuisine of /Old/ Istanbul / 180
From Yavuz Sultan Selim to Kariye /182
Chronology / 186
Byzantine Emperors / 189
Latin/Roman Emperors / 191
Ottoman Sultans / 192
Explores and Writers – The Times in Which They Lived/ /193
Glossary / 194
Sources / 197
Index / 204

THE CHURCH OF PANAGlA MOUCHLIOTlSSA
After the conquest, Mehmet II made a present of the church to the Greek architect Christodoulos as a reward for the construction of the Mosque of the Conqueror (Fatih Camii) on the site of the demolished church of the Holy Apostles. Thus, the Panagia Mouchliotissa has remained to this day an Orthodox Church.
The church of Panagia Mouchliotissa is located at the Phanar quarter, between the Megale Schole and the Joachimian Girls' School, not far from the Metochion of the Holy Sepulchre. In older days the origin of the church's name had given rise to a minor philological argumentation. S. Kugeas maintained that the name derived from Mouchlion, at Mystra, the inhabitants of which had settled in this area of the Phanar quarter in 1242. H. Gregoire, M. Lascaris and Gennadios Metropolitan of Heliopolis, believed that it is the Greek rendering of the Slavonic word mogyla. Indeed, the church was known by the names <<St. Mary of the Mongols or Mougouls>> and more commonly <<Panagia of Mouchlion or Mouchliotissa>> (Paspatis).
The history of the church provides the answer. Maria Palaeologina, daughter of Michael VIII Palaeologus (1261-1282), was given in marriage to the Khan of the Mongols, Hulagu or Abagu (Pachymeres). After the death of her husband she returned to Constantinople and founded the convent and church, probably in 1285. The founding of the convent is mentioned in the Paris Codex Gr. 2625.
According to written sources, the convent of Mouchlion was built on the site of an earlier monastery dedicated to the Theotokos Panagiotissa, which had been ruined, apparently by the Latins (Pasadaios). Maria Palaeologina bought the grounds with the vineyards and whatever structures existed, repaired some of them, erected new ones, and organized the women's convent. She endowed the monastery with relics, valuable vessels, manuscripts, lands in Constantinople and Rhaedestus, spending all her fortune.
This information is obtained from a synodical document of 1351 (Miklosich and Muller, vol. I, 312-15), according to which the Ecumenical Patriarchate decreed the restitution to the monastery of the entire fortune seized by the usurper brother-in law of Maria Palaeologina, Isaac Palaeologus Asen. Asen, whom Maria had appointed by a chrysobul trustee of the monastery's properties after her death, used the revenues to his own advantage and the convent was facing dire poverty .
After the Conquest, Mehmet II made a present of the church to the Greek architect Christodoulos, as a reward for the construction of the Mosque of the Conqueror (Fatih Camii) at the site of the demolished church of the Holy Apostles. The firman issued by Mehmet the Conqueror saved the church from being converted into a mosque under Selim I, and the Panagia Mouchliotissa has remained an Orthodox church to this day.
The church, of irregular plan, stands within an enclosure within a small courtyard. Its most remarkable architectural feature is the elegant dome supported by four piers, though its size is rather disproportionate to the dimensions of the building. The apse to the east has survived. while traces of a second apse to the north reveal the old triconchial plan of the sanctuary.
The entire south side was enlarged in later times to create a rectangular chamber with a cross-vaulted roof. Some traces from a representation of the Last Judgement are the only remnants of the old painting decoration of the church. An annotation on the manuscript of Suidas's Lexicon (Paris Codex Gr. 2625) informs us that the church was painted by Modestus in the late 13th century.
In addition to the mosaic icon of Panagia Mouchliotissa. dated by Soteriou to the late 13th early 14th century, another four post-Byzantine icons are notable: St. Paraskeve (I.35x0.40 m.) St. Euphemia (I.35x0.40 m.), the Three Hierarchs (1.25x0.60 m.) and the Sts. Theodoroi (1.27x0.54 m.). The belfry in the courtyard is of later date.

...Today, the moat in front of the walls and the land in its surrounds has been turned into cemeteries and vegetable patches. From the Sea of Marmara to the Golden Horn, there are eight gates still in existence. They are, in this order: the Golden Gate (Yedikule Kapisi), Belgrade Gate (Belgradkapi), Silivri Gate or Selymbria Gate (Silivrikapi), the ancient Gate of Rhegium now Mevlana Gate (Mevlanakapi), Cannon Gate (Topkapi), Pempton Gate (Sulukule Kapisi), the Gate of Adrianople (Edirnekapi) and Crooked Gate (Egrikapi).

It is impossible not to be affected by the melancholy magnificence of these ancient walls. Many historians and explorers have written about them, describing their impressions. Schlumberger, the German historian and explorer who visited Istanbul in the 19th century says: “….The Theodosian Walls which surround Constantinople by land begin at Yedikule Castle and, climbing hills and descending valleys, follow a straight line for approximately five kilometers. At a point near the Golden Horn they reach the illustrious remains of what is called the Tekfur Palace. They connect at a 90 degree angle with the walls built by Heraclius in the 7th century so that the Blachernae church and villa are secured within the city. Making a wide arc around what was once the imperial residence, they sharply descend to the Golden Horn.” (Author’s note: the walls that Schlumberger is referring to as Heracleian are probably those built by Manuel Comnenos).

The Blachernae Palace complex was enclosed within the city limits by a defense system of walls beginning just beyond Tekfur Palace which were built over the centuries by four emperors beginning with Theodosius. These walls passed the Isaac Angelos Tower of the Anemas Dungeons and ended at the Golden Horn. Approximately 200 years after the Theodosian walls were constructed, Emperor Heraclius, while fending off the attacks of the Avars, decided to strengthen his defenses. In 626 he ordered the construction of sturdy inner walls with three hexagonal defense towers. In the 9th century, Emperor Leo V, threatened by King Krum of the Bulgars, added an outer wall protected by four towers at a distance of 25 meters from the inner wall. Finally, in the 12th century, Emperor Manuel Comnenos, in order to better protect the whole of the Blachernae Palace complex, built the high land walls which you see today. The Girl’s Tower at the mouth of the Bosphorus was also built by this emperor... (From Fener Balat Ayvansaray)