Conservation project of Santi Pietro and Paolo (Saint Pierre) Church in Galata

The scope of this thesis is Santi Pietro and Paolo Church located in Bereketzade Neighborhood, Galata district of Istanbul. The building belonging to the Catholic Dominican Order, has reached up to our day as a historical part of religious and cultural heritage of Galata district. The site contains Saint Pierre Han (city inn), Saint Pierre Apartment Building, The Stone Building (Guesthouse), Old Monastery, Rosario Apartment Building and The New Monastery Building with The Church within an approximately 4,000 square meters land area. The Latin church designed in 19th century by reputable Italian architect; Gaspare Fossati as the last and strongest structure of the many damaged and rebuilt church buildings of Dominicans, still remains as a religious building where the worship continues despite the community decreasing in number and the financial distress. Saint Pierre Han located within the same building group has been abandoned by its inhabitants. Although the building used to provide funds for the church in past, their relations has weakened. The thesis entitled Conservation Project of Santi Pietro and Paolo Church in Galata includes six sections. The introduction mentions various appellations of the church in different publications and how the thesis has been entitled. The aim and the scope of the thesis are described along with the working methodologies. Section 2 describes the changing socio-cultural structure of the Galata district within its location, history and development. The orientation of the church structures being a part of the built architecture surrounded by Genoese walls and located on a hillside by the Golden Horn has been evaluated. Section 3 presents a general information on the history of Dominican Order and two other Dominican churches located in Istanbul. Plan diagrams for these two churches, namely Notre Dame de L'assomption Church in Yedikule and Notre Dame du Rosaire Paroisse Church in Bakırköy are drawn and the layout characteristics are briefly described. The similarities between these two churches and the subject of this thesis are discussed and a comparative evaluation is presented. Section 4 describes the general history of the Dominicans starting with their presence in Galata in the 13th century. The previous churches which were damaged by the big fires and earthquakes are specified. The architect of the building, Gaspare Fossati is introduced. The architectural characteristics of the buildings on the site are detailed along with their constructions, chronologically over the years. The architecture of the church building is described under the plan characteristics heading, introducing the spaces: narthex, naos, apse, bema, gallery (balcony) and the chorus floor. Bell tower, chapel, sagrestia and the cellar, the places which are geared to the church are also described. Facade elements, materials, construction techniques and structural features (walls, columns, floors, roofing system) are analyzed. The deteriorations observed inside the building are discussed and evaluated based on their causes and related drawings are presented. Section 5 presents the work of restitution. The most precious information about the original state of the church is collected from the hand drawings of its architect. The colored plan and the section of the church, perspective drawing of the interior area and the elevation of the second courtyard facade, provides interesting findings on the design process of the architect and about his ideas. The interior photo of the church published in a book in 1943 and the traces and marks observed inside the building are evaluated to come up with the restitution project. Section 6 describes the restoration project including the proposed interventions for the church building. Restoration project aims to involve all the buildings in the site. For this reason, the proposed actions involve the overall site plan and with individual buildings, as well. The additional buildings in the site are described. Due to their structural and architectural inadequacies, demolition of these buildings is proposed. The first additional building consists of the staircase which serves to church and to the old monastery buildings. This additional structure is built in an original part of the old monastery building and leaves no original marks from the monastery. It also forms an unbalanced staircase that provides a poor circulation experience. This staircase structure is attached to the surrounding buildings, the Stone Structure, the church and the old monastery blocking their visible facades while adding extra weight to these buildings. Since the building cannot function as a required staircase volume, considering the architectural features and the non-original elements lead to the decision to remove the building from the site. The second additional building is the reinforced concrete structure which aligns in the second courtyard facing the first additional building. This structure includes a laundry space on the ground floor, a disused kitchen on the second floor and a living room on the top floor. Built attached to the old Genoese walls, the building blocks the walls, is barely used and has no architectural value. Once these two buildings are removed, a translucent glass contemporary structure is proposed to be built in the courtyard which shall provide the required circulation function. This new structure is designed to stand detached from the surrounding buildings and has the minimal connection with them in order to make the historical facades visible and untouched. Considering the pitfalls and potentials of the church, it is intended to revive the abandoned structures to the heritage-conscious citizens who would protect and transfer the culture and the architecture for future generations. Bearing in mind the fact that Saint Pierre Han will be serving as a university structure for 50 years after the completion of restoration, the old monastery and the Stone Structure are suggested to host a Galata Research Center. This center is proposed to focus on Galata, Dominican Culture and Italian architecture, as well. The seminar held in 2016 with the title "Constantinopolis/ Dominicans in Istanbul and Anatolia" and the cello concert in the church are examples of cultural and artistic events that church is open to host. The exhibition opened at the cellar also shows how efficient these spaces can be used with the collaboration of the other institutes like Italian Cultural Center. This research center located in Galata – a district being the theme of many researchers throughout the world – is supposed to create a cultural platform which would be in touch with universities, researchers and citizens, where the church acting like an intellectual pioneer. Collaborations with institutions like Bahçeşehir University and Salt Galata in Bankalar Street shall empower events and allow reaching masses. The restoration project suggests a new layout inside the Stone Structure in order to adapt building to the new function. As a result, the significance of preserving the building with the surrounding structures is emphasized despite the rapid change in İstanbul and Galata and its community decreasing in numbers. The foreigner status of Dominican Brothers in our country, the cultural differences, the bureaucratic barriers and procedures complicates the preservation of this site and the buildings within. The preservation of this precious heritage is obvious, no matter what the legal obstacles and the financial troubles are. Along with the proposals to conserve the site and the buildings in this thesis, only an educated and conscious society can protect the cultural heritage. People should agree to preserve this site, which has a rich cultural background, as a whole by using the potential of Dominican culture and architecture, and to increase its communication and interaction with the city, so as to cherish this culture for future generations.