Istanbul muwaqqitkhanas in Ottoman Period

The aim of this thesis is to find out and examine 31 present Istanbul Muwaqqitkhanas functionally and architecturally. Firstly, the causes of existence of time keeping and time keeping houses in history of Islam and institutionalization period before Ottoman. Then, the function of time keeping house institution in Ottoman State and general characteristics of time keeping houses in Ottoman architecture history. In this study, architectural characteristics of present Istanbul muwaqqitkhanas which belong to 19th century mostly, muwaqqits and her astronomical instruments like sunclocks, asatrolobe and state of today?s usage of these buildings with support of photographical and architectural design are given. In this study, it is defended that these muwaqqitkhanas which in the number of a certain time period in history of Ottoman architecture are used for symbolical motifs of Ottoman modernization process.