The contributions of the Balian family to Istanbul's transformation in the 19th century

Balyan family,whome are originally Armenians , came to the fore in terms of architecture during the Ottomanization of the Ottoman Empire, made great contributions to the architecture of Istanbul, especially in the 19th century. The family, which was the first non-Muslim ''Hassa'' Architect of the Ottoman period, has been active in many business lines outside of construction in recent times. For four generations the Balyan family served in the palace as ''Hassa" Architect and they were always respected and supported by the palace. The experience and knowledge that the family conveyed from father to son, from brother to brother further increased the success of Balyans. Later generations of the family, who traditionally did their job in the early stages, started studying abroad in the field of architecture to meet the needs of the age. The vast majority of the monumental buildings of Istanbul mentioned today were built by the Balyans. Balyans remained in the memories with the palaces, mansions and pavilions that they made the most, still survive and maintain their magnificence.