PORTUGAL
OUR YOUTH PROJECT CALLED VOICE
OF HISTORY IN ISTANBUL
The sharing of the cultural and aesthetic aspects of the foundation works of art among which the unique pieces of our cultural heritage are available with the European youth in Istanbul, the European Capital of Culture for 2010 and the introduction of the services generated by the General Directorate for Foundations to Europe by means of the young people being ambassadors of different cultures are within the priorities of the Project for Voice of History in Istanbul.
Our Project will ensure the emphasis on the respect of the foundations to the nature and environment by focusing on the birdhouses apart from the activities of the foundation civilization for increasing the quality of human life.
The contribution of the foundation approach arising from Turkish-Islamic culture to the dialogue between the cultures as an important element in the coalescence of European culture.
The information sharing by the participant juveniles with regards to the work of arts in their cultures will be a tool for the coalescence of five different cultures.
FOUNDATION CIVILIZATION
AND FOUNDATIONS
The foundations as an institution for tolerance and service focusing on the human life is an institution blossoming on our culture.
In historical perspective, the foundations being designed as the centers generating public services and covering the requirements of the community in all fields of social life gratuitously allows the positioning of these institutions as an important part of the civilization.
General Directorate for Foundations is a Prime Ministry affiliated institution with a special budget aiming to manage the activities of the foundation, supervise, register, maintain, repair and sustain all movable and immovable foundation's cultural assets in various geographies either domestic or in Europe and to operate and appraise these foundation assets economically. General Directorate for Foundations is a European cultural institution sheltering the foundation’s cultural heritage that is also a part of Europe and dedicating itself to inherit this heritage to the future generations. With limited humane and monetary resources, it makes efforts to cover the most basic requirements for the protection of the cultural heritage within the foundation system spanning the thousands of cultural assets neglected for years mostly for centuries. To ensure this, it made dynamic efforts in the recent years by spending majority of its resources for the establishment of foundation museums, restoration of the foundation’s cultural assets and organization of foundation weeks, and proposed the cooperation both with European and world institutions and joint operation in terms of either financial resources or technical experience.
COLLECTIONS FROM THE PEARLS OF ISTANBUL,
THE EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE, 2010
http://www.en.istanbul2010.org/index.htm (Eng.)
http://www.istanbul2010.org/index.htm (Turkish)
Istanbul has been the cultural capital as a meeting point of civilizations throughout the World History. Turkish-Islamic works of art glisten like pearls in the urban texture of Istanbul, bearing a trace from each civilization sheltered on. In the extent of the project of General Directorate for Foundations called “Voice of History in Istanbul”.
ISTANBUL – HASEKI SOCIAL COMPLEX
Haseki Hürrem Sultan Social Complex comprised of mosque, madrassah, almshouse, hospital and primary school was built between the years 1538-1551, it is a classic era social complex constructed for Hürrem Sultan by Mimar Sinan (the Architect). This building group starting with a single dome small mosque was extended with a classic madrassah and a primary school after a year. Prior to completion of the Şehzade Social Complex, an almshouse and hospital were added and became a comprehensive social complex.
ISTANBUL - BLUE MOSQUE
The plan of the mosque was made by Chief Architect Sedefkar Mehmet Aga and started the construction by November 6, 1609 and completed on June 9, 1617 after seven years.
The social complex building stretching over a large area were arranged in a distributed order according to the land status around the mosque. The porched courtyard and the mosque and Sultan’s Pavilion (Hünkar Kasrı) were located within the vast exterior courtyard surrounded with low stone walls. The entrance to the porched courtyard at high is accessed by wide stairs and the entrance to the mosque is ensured by the side doors with wide stairs. Sultan’s Pavilion (Hünkâr Kasrı) is at the south east corner and is connected to a porched gate of the sultan’s gathering place at the east corner of the mihrab wall.
SULEYMANIYAH MOSQUE
It was constructed by the Great Architect Sinan for Sultan Suleiman the Magnificient as a part of the social complex between 1550-1557. At the Suleymaniyah Social Complex, all buildings were lined up in "U" order, the mosque being at the center. Suleymaniyah Mosque at the center of the social complex is one of the most important elements of Istanbul panorama. An approach stretching over the land harmoniously was considered in its planning and the buildings surrounding the mosque not only protect the natural structure but also are the product of an understanding constituted according to living and correct principles for the streets and buildings.
The courtyard at the north of the mosque has three gates. Its four minarets are located at the corners of the courtyard. The three balconied high minarets jointed to the main mass of the mosque from the corners were also considered as corner support. The central dome covering the mosque harimi with rectangular plan were supported with half and quarter domes. The main dome was seated on four large pedestals. The marble mimbar and mihrab of the mosque are the most beautiful examples of the art of Ottoman engraving. Furthermore, the wooden engraved preacher's seat, wooden inlaid window covers and doors are the other elements.
The mosque being one of the most important construction activities of the history of Ottoman empire as per its dimensions is generally a simple structure.
YENİKAPI LODGE OF MEVLEVIS
(MEVLEVİHANE)
The work registered to Koca Yazıcı Kâtip Mehmet Efendi Foundation is the largest center of Mevleviyeh so-called asitane in Istanbul. It is located at a large area out of the city walls. The foundation date of the lodge founded for Şeyh Kemali Ahmet Dede by Janissary Clerk Malkoç Mehmed Efendi in 1598 is dated back to 1608.
Firstly, the semahane, small mosque and eighteen dervish cells, then the court room and matbah were constructed. The Harem chamber, sherbet room, library and hazire were constructed in time. The old buildings of the lodge subjected to various repairs upon foundation were reconstructed and completed in 1818.
EVENT SCHEDULE FOR THE PROJECT VOICE OF HISTORY IN ISTANBUL
11 October 2010
15.00 – 19.00 - Project Introduction Ceremony and boat trip in Bosphorus, Istanbul
20.30 - Cultural introduction presentation of Portugal Project Group
12 October 2010
09.00 - Introduction of historical works of art in Portugal
13.30 - Visit to Haseki Social Complex
20.30 - Turkish night and reed concert
13 October 2010
09.00 - Introduction of historical works of art in Romania
- Visit to Şeyh Yahya Lodge and Yeni Kapı Lodge for Mevlevis
20.30 - Cultural introduction presentation of Romanian Project Group
14 October 2010
09.00 - Introduction of historical works of art in Greece
- Visit to Suleymaniyah Mosque
20.00 - Cultural introduction presentation of Greek Project Group
15 October 2010
09.00 - Introduction of historical works of art in Bulgaria
- Visit to Beyazıt Council Road and Sultanahmet Birdhouses
20.30 - Cultural introduction presentation of Bulgarian Project Group
16 October 2010
09.00 - Visit to Eyüp Almshouse its neighboorhood
- Visit to Pierre Loti district
20.30 - Project assessment meeting
17 October 2010
09.00 - Visit to Çamlıca
20.30 - Farewell Party
“The project is realized by the grant provided by European Commission and in the extent of Republic of Turkey, State Planning Institution, EU Training and Youth Programs Head Department (http://www.ua.gov.tr) Youth Program. However, EU Training and Youth Programs Head Department or European Commission shall not be kept liable for the remarks inserted here in."
