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SAİT HALİM PAŞA YALI, Carpets

Türkiye Kalkınma Bankası yayını, 1989, İstanbul

THE SAIT HALIM PAŞA YALI

A publication of Türkiye Kalkınma Bankası A.Ş. (Development Bank of Turkey)

Author, Prof. Feridun Akozan
Calligraphy and faience, Prof. Kerim Silivrili
Rugs, Prof. Önder Küçükerman, Yılmaz Özkan
Furniture, Prof. Sadi Öziş
Paintings and sculpture, Prof. Kemal Bilensoy
Photographs, Ahmet Ertuğ, Architect, (Rugs) Erdal Aksoy
Lay out, Zekvan Boren, Architect
Art editors, Yüksel Çetin, Graphic Designer, Ahmet Ertuğ, Architect
Translation, Maggie Quigley Pınar
Type-setting, Yazıevi, İstanbul
Colour separation, printing and binding by, Sagdos s.p.a. Brugherio- Milano-Italy

CONTENTS

FOREWORD, 6

INTRODUCTION, 7

THE BOSPHORUS, 9
The history of the Bosphorus settlements, yalıs-köşks-groves and parks, 9-14
Architectural changes to the Bosphorus yalıs from 1700 to the early 1900's, 15-18

SAIT HALIM PAŞA, 19-28

THE SAIT HALIM PAŞA YALI, 29
Owners of the yalı up to the present day, 29-31
The history of the yalı the original plan and later alterations, a description of the architecture and interior structure, 31-47
Interior style and decoration, 48-79

ARTEFACTS AND FURNISHING, 80-81
Egyptian and Ottoman style furniture, 81-107
Calligraphical inscriptions, 108-115
Faience, 116-117
Furniture in European style, 118-127
Figurines, 128-131
Paintings, 132-147
Rugs, 148-157

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FOREWORD

Along Istanbul's Bosphorus shores stand many unique Ottoman Period buildings. These charming Yalıs, Köşks and Palaces are an expression of the social and cultural milieu of this era in Turkish history. Home to the last of many generations who lived during the 600 year life span of the Ottoman Empire; these stately homes hold a special place in the history of architecture and the decorative arts; and in the hearts of the Ttırkish people.

This book, sponsored by the Development Bank of Turkey, focuses on one such home, the Yalı of Sait Halim Paşa, built in the mid-l9th century. The bank has also supported the restoration and maintenance of this elegant reminder of a gracious era. Extensively researched by leading experts, this volume examines in detail the Yalı's architectural style, interior decoration, and furnishings.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Professor Feridun Akozan and Architect Ahmet Ertuğ, and their associates, without whose contributions this book would not have been possible. It is our hope that this presentation of one of Tıırkey's countless cultural treasures, will contribute to the preservation of our cultural heritage and the transmission of this rich history to future generations.

Dr. Halit KARA
Chairman and General Director, Development Bank of Turkey

INTRODUCTION

The fame of the Bosphorus rests largely on the waterfront villas spread along its shores. These villas - yalıs - were built from the l8th century onwards. So we may speak of two periods in the life of the Bosphorus, the era previous to the l8th century which goes back to the Byzantine period, and the subsequent era when both its shores were increasingly filled with these yalıs. These waterfront yalıs varied in size and splendour frorr; the merest dwellings squeezed into a narrow plot on the waterfront to the grandest of mansions, on both the European and the Asiatic shores. Among the grandest yalıs were the palaces, pavilions - köşk and lodges - kasır - of the imperial family and the Ottoman elite, namely the chief religious dignitary - şeyh-ül-Islam, regional governors - kazasker, chief canonical judge - müftü and military and civil officers of the highest rank - paşas. Very soon the entire shoreline began to be taken up by yalıs as they spilt out beyond the boundaries of the existing villages along the Bosphorus. We may glean some idea of the extent of settlement along the Bosphorus shores in, for example, the reign of Mahmut II by two extracts from a document dated 1814-15 - the 'Bostancıbaşı Defteri' of Abdullah Ağa describing the Bosphorus in the 1800's.

The fırst of these relates to the European shore:

'Between the Emirgan Jetty and the Istinye Jetty are coffee houses, the mosque of Abdülhamid I, a drinking fountain with Nakşibendi convent above it, then at the waterfront, a customs house, the yalı of Ragıp Efendi, (one of the canonical judges - kadı), ... the yalı of Ebubekir Paşa's sister, the yalı of Irfanzade Arif, keeper of the votive gifts (Sürre-i Hümayun emini; responsible for the annual imperial presentation of votive gifts to the shrine at Mecca), the yalı of customs' official, Osman Ağa and an imperial köşk . . the neighbourhood described is Tokmakburnu…'

The second extract relates to the Asiatic shore:

'Between the jetties of Çengelköy and Beylerbeyi are coffee houses, the yalıs of Bostancıbaşı Abdullah Ağa, Hasırcıbaşı Emin Ağa, Yusufpaşazade Molla Efendi and Raşit Efendi (officer of the Doorkeepers of the Privy Gate, 32nd Regiment of the Janissaries Kethüda Kalemi hülefası), ... the yalıs of the second privy lady and of Melekpaşazade Salih Bey, the mosque of Abdülhamit I, a public bath, a number of coffee houses and the imperial (Beylerbeyi) jetty.'

So by the early years of the reigns of Selim III and Mahmud II, the waterfront was quite heavily inhabited.
Beyond its shores, the slopes of the straits were covered with extensive groves containing spacious mansions - köşks - built on terraces and surrounded by pines.

The peace-loving Sultan Ahmet III provided the Ottoman Empire with a longish period without wars by signing the treaty of Passarowitz. His grand vizier, Ibrahim Paşa, also a lover of peace and a great believer in urban development, opened up the Bosphorus by encouraging the building of palaces, mansions and royal lodges, many of which were given the title suffıx of 'âbâd', meaning 'prosperous'; such as Ümnâbâd, Nusretâbâd, Şerefâbâd, Şevkâbâd, Hümayunâbâd, Nusretâbâd, Mihrâbâd and Baharâbâd.

These yalıs and grand mansions were largely wooden, and were constructed in a relatively short time, which meant that they also aged relatively quickly. Such properties were also constantly changing hands or were destroyed by fıre, which meant that the waterfront scene was constantly changing. Very few buildings have survived from the 200 years period between 1700 and 1900, and include, apart from a very small number of wooden yalıs, the stone-built imperial palaces and mansions built along the shore. The oldest surviving wooden house is the Köprülü yalı at Anadoluhisarı, which is actually the divanhane, or public reception hall of the original yalı. The latter was built in about 1700 by Amcazade Hüseyin Paşa. The Sadullah Paşa yalı in Çengelköy is also relatively early. The plan and structure suggest that it was built in around 1800. One other notable, if somewhat later yalı is the Hasip Paşa yalı in Beylerbeyi, unfortunately burnt down in 1972, which was a typical late l8th century yalı. Of later periods there are but few yalıs in existence of any note, and it is to be hoped that these are to be preserved. The Sait Halim Paşa yalı, now the property of the Türkiye Kalkınma Bankası A.Ş., is one of these rare historic monuments, which is fortunate in being able to sustain its existence through the efforts of its present owners, who have undertaken the restoration and maintainance of the fabric with great success.