Evaluation of the Cihangir Mosque

EVALUATION OF THE CİHANGİR MOSQUE SUMMARY In this study we have examined and review the Mosque of Cihangir, during the years of 1559– 2015 which has been built under the reign of Süleyman the Magnificent for his son Cihangir; Who was also the son of Hürrem Sultan. Mosque was constructed in beetween 1559 and 1560 by Master Architect Mimar Sinan. The Mosque endured many fires but it has reached it's latest outlook under the reign of Sultan Abdülhamit II, who has (strongly probable ) had the architect by Sarkis Balyan restore it between during the years 1889 and 1893. The contractor is Hacı Yani Kalfa. And Todori kalfa for the minarets. We see that, during the building of the mosque, both in the 16. century and secondly in the 19. century, the unchanged plan of quatriladeral floor – base covered by one dome and minarets. Mosque remains one of the examples of classical Ottoman architecture. The original complex included other parts which not exists today.The design is the culmination of two centuries. With traditional Islamic Architecture and is one of the first mosque of the Classical period and secondly Westernization period. İnside decorations include verses from the Qur'an, many of them made by regarded as the greatest calligrapher of his time. The floors are covered with carpets, which are donated by the faithfull people and they are regularly replaced as they wear out. The many spacious windows confer a spacious impression glass windows with their intricate designs with Baroque elements and admit natural light. The many lamps inside the mosque were once covered with gold and gems. The great tablets on the walls are inscribed with the names of the caliphs and verses from the Quran. Considering all the periods that the mosque has seen, it should have been shaped according to those periods. However it can be seen that it has remained as the one of the last examples of the Westernisation period of the Ottoman Empire. Even during the last restoration it can be seen that it hasn't lost it's classical characterictics of Ottoman Architecture. it can be clearly seen that in it's plan sheme; the rule of the classical theme. Ever since the Mosque's first consruction; İt has endured many fires and a earthquake. Mosque's final restoration was in the 19. century, it can be seen that it has kept it's original scheme of plan from the Grand Architect Sinan 's period. We can cleary see Westernization influences and applications in the Mosque as being a masterpiece. However, it can't be clearly understood the architectural specialities of the other portions of the Mosque. If the Mosque's basic decorations and architecture are taken in to consideration, İt can be seen that during the 19 centuries in Westernization period the Baraque and rococo style decorations seen as the period characteristic of decorative style. If it can be judged , the aim of the Westernisation motives of the Ottoman period was not to change the cultural and artistic infrastructure but it was to fit in and to avoid the downfall of the Empire. Our subject the mosque of Cihangir encompasses all the characteristics of the time periods it has existed in .However it hasn't shown any change from the classical Ottoman mosque plan sheme. But it can also be said that it has brought about certain architectural characrteristics according to Westernisation period. As a result it can be said that the mosques classical architecture can be redefined within the revaluation of the classical period. During Byzantine times, the area of the present neighborhood was probably not settled, although there were Byzantine buildings near present day Tophane and Fındıklı along the Bosphorus below Cihangir. During the reign of Süleiman the magnificent , the area was a forested hunting ground, it was one of the favorite places of Süleiman's son Cihangir and after Cihangir's death, Suleiman had mimar Sinan build a probably a wooden mosque there overlooking the Bosphorus. The neighborhood's name comes from this mosque.Cihangir is one of the neigborhoods of the Beyoğlu district in İstanbul, the neighborhood has many narrow streets and it is located between Beyoğlu and Kabataş. The name means 'Conquerer'' in Turkish and in turn, comes from the Persian compound word Johan+gir, meaning ''conqueror'' of the world. The Cihangir mosque from which the neighborhood got it's name, is like a prototype of the Dolmabahçe Mosque. Cihangir Mosque built by Mimar Sinan under the orders of Kanuni Sultan Süleyman, ( Suleiman the Magnificent) the original mosque, had quite a dramatic story, Suleiman, armed with the motive that his son Şehzade Mustafa ckoked to death. As a result, Hürrem's son Şehzade Cihangir dies of grief and the mosque is constructed in his memory. İn late 19.th century, Levantines used to live in Cihangir, just like in Pera, In the 1920s and 1930s, Cihangir only consisted of two districts, In the 1940s and 50s the people that were working at entertainment spots in Beyoğlu began to live in Cihangir. This led to the construction of new buildings and the district became a settlement for well endowed people . After the second half of the 90s with the support of the public bodies and the efforts of the non-govermental organization the district gained it's recent identity.The lexical meaning of the word ''Cihangir'' is The person that captured the major part of the world '' however, it is weird that such an ambitious word is the name for this mild district. To find out the fact we need to go back to the past to Suleyman the Magnificent had a son from Hürrem Sultan, named Cihangir. For the memory of his son, who died young. Suleiman had a mosque constructed in this place that looked like a large rock protruding from the sea The mosque that was constructed by mimar Sinan between the years 1559-1560 and was name Şehzade Cihangir Mosque this is how the district began to be called Cihangir. One of the places where you can see an amazing landscape of İstanbul Cihangir Mosque's garden has the best view of Bosphorus and İstanbul during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent. The Cihangir district took it's name from this mosque that sits high up on hill and overlooks the Bosphorus and is one of Mimar Sinan's designs. İt was built in the 16th. century to commemorate Süleiman the magnificent son, Cihangir who in 1553 died of grief after his half brother Mustafa had been murdered by order of their father. Today building was reconstructed by Abdülhamit II in 1874 after the original building burnt down and althought it resembles the work of the famous architects the '' Balyan Family''maybe they were not responsible for this one. The mihrab inside has clouds painted on it that gives an impression of a stage set in a theatre. The picturesque Cihangir Mosque stands at the beginning points Cihangir Avenue. who died in Aleppo at the age of 22. When the mosque was totally damaged during the big fire in the 19.century. It was rebuilt by conntractor (foreman) Yani Kalfa and Todori Kalfa ( at the minaret ) and architect is unknown but strongly probably ( Sarkis Balyan ) with the order of Abdülhamit II. The Cihangir Mosque has one dome, two minarets and vaulted beautiful windows and interiorly decorated with distinctive examples of the line art . Baroque styled Cihangir Mosque looks similar to Dolmabahçe and Ortaköy Mosque.