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Uskudar From the Past to the Present
Having been called Dersaadet, (the door to happiness) Istanbul
was divided into 4 administrative districts until the middle of 19 th
century. One of these districts was Suriçi, a district which was
governed by the judge of Istanbul, and which was considered
to be the centre of the entire metropole. Galata, Uskudar and
Eyup, all of which together are called “Bilâd-ı Selâse”, were the
counties of this large district. Among all these counties which
were governed by judges, Uskudar, beyond doubt, is the most
important one when it comes to representing the Anatolianness,
as well as the Muslim Turk identity.
Uskudar, which represents the Anatolian identity, as well as the
Islamic Turkish traditions, is located at the Asian entrence of the
Bosphorus. After being conquered by Orhan Gazi in 1352, she
began to welcome the Muslim population from the other parts
of Anatolia. Having begun spreading inwards from the coastline
from then on, Uskudar gained her historical identity long before
the conquest of Istanbul. The historical Uskudar used to be
located between Salacak and Paşalimanı. Over the time, however,
she has grown and spread, like all the counties of Istanbul.
Suffice it here to say, in my opinion, in order to emphasize the
importance of Uskudar for both Istanbul and the history, that in
addition to the Mihrimah Sultan Mosque, which was built after
the name of Suleyman the Magnificent’s daughter Mihrimah
Sultan, the Master architect Mimar Sinan built 34 other glorious
structures in this beautiful county, beginning from 1547. No
other county in Istanbul has so many Works built by this great
Architect. 1
The Architectural Characteristics Of The Ahmediye
College And Its Auxiliary Buildings
One of the important structures which were built by Mimar
Sinan in the light of the architectural characteristics of the
Tulip Era (1703-1730), is the Ahmediye College, which has
preserved its architectural identity up to day. This historical
college is located in the Ahmediye district of Uskudar, on
Gundoğumu Avenue, (The Ahmediye Avenue by the old
name) on the corner which connects the avenue to Esvapçı
Street, and it has 2 yard Gates leading both to the avenue,
and to the street. Due to the slope, the hewn Stone gate on
the street which doesn’t have epigraph opens to a starecase
that leads to the yard. Being an arched marble gate embroidered
with relief flowers and lacework, however, the gate
on Gundoğumu Avenue is a work of art in and of itself. The
aforementioned rare and precious flower reliefs which can
be observed quite frequently on the Works made during the
Tulip Era, and the more beautiful samples of which we can
see on the Square fountain of Ahmet the 3rd in Uskudar,
fascinate the visitors, preparing them to discover this masterpiece.
This work of art is a momento of the Tulip Era gifted
to Uskudar with its relief flower embroideries, laced archs,
roselike flower motives and relief cypresses, in short, with the
most glorious examples of the Turkish art in the 18 th century.
It consists of a mosque, a madrasah, a library, a water serving
building and 2 fountains. Owing to its location, it also has a
great importance in contributing to determine the city structure,
which is another feature that makes it special. Located
on a route which was considered important until the first half
of the 18 th century, the Ahmediye District begins from the
Uskudar Pier, located on a route that connects the bazar road
to the tomb of Karacaahmet, (an important religious figure
in Islam), and the Ibrahimağa Road to the old Bagdad Road.
The burial area in the Ahmediye Mosque
The Architectural Plan Of The College Is As Follows:
2 separate gates are used to enter the complex whose premises
have been placed in 2 rows, one being on the street side, and
the other on the avenue side. The main gate, which is also called
the lodge gate or the classroom gate, is located on Gundoğumu
Avenue, with a fountain to its right, and a water serving building
to its left. Above the gate is mounted the classroom of the Madrasah,
which was built by Ahmet Ağa, the navy yard fiduciary
in 1720-21 (1133 by the Muslim Calendar). The window of the
classroom under which are archs, as well as the surrounding wall
of the fenced burial place whose fences are weaved of Bronze
wires, continue downwards. In addition, another fountain
made of white marble, which doesn’t have epigraphs, is placed
in front of the yard wall that is close to the corner where the
fenced burial place ends. Behind this fountain is another fenced
burial place that belongs to the college. The library building lead
by the second gate which doesn’t have epigraphs, is built on a
raised ground flor and is the northern side of the college, which
is also on Esvapçı Street. The Southern and Western ends of the
yard that can be reached by using both Gates, are surrounded
by the madrasah rooms, forming an L. The place for the person
who determines the prayer times, the hamam (Turkish bath) the
kitchen, the dining hall and an open mausoleum, which are the
other auxiliary buildings attached to the college, are quite noteworthy.
In addition, the charity Stone, which is placed in front of
the burial place wall, to the left of the place alotted to the prayer
time determiner, is also a valuable historical document that completes
the college. 2 Considering ıts ornament characteristics, one
can assume that the college has greatly preserved the motives
from the stonework style used during the Tulip Era.
The accounts given in the Sicill-i Osmânî (the Ottoman records)
about the Fiduciary Ahmed Ağa, who is the builder of the college,
are as follows: Being the brother of Ali Pahsa of Izmir, Fidu-
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