Part 23

The mesjids built by Sinán are: the Rustam Páshá, at Yení-bághcheh; the Sinán Páshá, in the same place; the Muftí Cheví Zádeh, at the Cannon-gate; that of his own name, at Yení-bághcheh; that of Emír Alí, near the custom-house, on the land side; the Uch-básh (three heads), near the above; the Defterdár Sheríf Zádeh; the Sirmákesh, at the top of Yení-bághcheh, near Lutfí Páshá; the Khoajehgí Zádeh, near Mohammed II.; the Takíájí Ahmed Chelebí, near the Selivrí-gate; the Dabbágh Hájí Hamza, at the Aghá’s meadow; the mesjid of the lady of Ibrahim Páshá, near the Kúm-kapú; the mesjids of the goldsmiths; of the tailors; of the Aghá, at St. Sophia; of Sheikh Ferhád, near Lanka-bostán; of Kurekjí Báshí, without the Kúm-Kapú; of Yáyá Báshí, within the Fener-gate; of Abd-sú Báshí, near the mosque of Selím I.; of Husain Chelebí; of Hájí Eliás; of La’l Zádeh Dámád Chelebí; of Dokhání-Zádeh, near old Mustafá Páshá’s mosque; of Kádhí-Zádeh, near Chokúr-hammám; of the gun factory, in the corn-market; of the Seráï Aghásí, without the Adrianople-gate; of Eliás-Zádeh, without the Cannon-gate; of the Sarráf-Zádeh, in the same quarter; and of Hamdullah Hamídí Chelebí, at Súlí Monástir. All these mesjids were built by the famous architect, old Sinán, the builder of the mosque of Sultán Soleïmán, who erected no fewer than three thousand and sixty buildings, consisting of kháns, mosques, imárets, colleges, schools, palaces, &c. It was he who built the round cupola, entirely of marble, for his monument, near the mosque of Sultán Soleïmán, in the corner of the palace of the ághá of the Janissaries, adjoining the Fountain-house. He died one hundred and seventy years old. On the stone placed at his head is an inscription in letters of gold, in the Kara-hisárí Hasán Chelebí hand, which is a most exquisite performance.

There are many other mosques and mesjids in Constantinople, but those which we have described are the most remarkable for their architecture.

SECTION XVII.

_Of the Medresehs or Colleges._

The first college founded at Constantinople after its conquest by Sultán Mohammed was that of Ayá Sofía; the next was the foundation of the eight colleges on the right and left, that is, on the north and south of Sultán Mohammed’s mosque; these eight colleges may be compared to eight regions of Paradise. The Sultán also founded a school for the reading of the Korán on a spot adjoining the college, and on the east a hospital for the poor. This hospital is a model for all such foundations. On the north and south of the eight colleges are the cells of the students (_sokhté_), three hundred and sixty-six in number, each inhabited by three or four students, who receive their provisions and candles from the trust (_wakf_). There is also a conservatory (_dár-uz-ziáfat_), and a kitchen lighted by seventy cupolas, which may be compared to the kitchen of Kaikáús, where the poor are fed twice a day. Near this refectory there is a cárávanseráï, and a large stable capable of holding three thousand horses and mules.

The medreseh of Sultán Báyazíd is situate on the south side of the grand court of his mosque. The Sheikh-ul-Islám is the chief lecturer, and superintends its affairs.

The medreseh of Sultán Selím, near Yení-bághcheh, at the Koshk of Khaljílar, was built by Sultán Soleïmán, but dedicated to the memory of his father. Its revenue was derived from the Yení-bághcheh (new garden), which originally was one mile long and half a mile broad. On this very spot Sultán Selím pitched his camp when he came to the empire, and received the act of obeisance.

The medreseh of Sultán Soleïmán, on the north and south of this mosque, consists of four schools, one for the traditions (_dár-ul-hadíth_), one for reading the Korán (_dár-ul-kiráa’t_); a separate one for medicine, with an hospital and an asylum for the insane, numerous baths, a cáravánseráï, a stable, and a boys’ school.

The college of the Prince Mohammed was built by Sinán, and is famous for its learning.

The college of Sultán Ahmed I. adjoins the mosque of the same name.

The college of Kara Mustafá Páshá is near Parmák-kapú (finger-gate).

The college of Mo’íd Efendí is near the Kádhí Cheshmeh.

The college of Hámid Efendí, at the Fílyúkúshí (Elephant’s hill).

The college of Hasan Páshá, near the palace of Jánpúlád Zádeh, is a fine lofty building, and the lower part of it is ornamented with shops.

The college of Esmakhán Sultán, is within the Adrianople gate.

The colleges of Kadhí Mahmúd Efendí; of Murád Páshá; of Dávud Páshá; of old Alí Páshá; of Mesíh Páshá; of Rustam Páshá; of Chevízádeh; of Kapenkejí; of Báshjí Ibrahím Beg; of Altí-marmar; of Nishánjí Mohammed Beg; of Kúrekjí-báshí; of Kara Pírí Páshá, near Soúk-koyú; of Afzal Zádeh; of Mardumíeh, near the Kizil Maslak; of Mollá Kúrání, the khoájeh of Sultán Mohammed II.: being offended with the Sultán he left him and went to Egypt, but subsequently returned at the Sultán’s request, and was present at the siege of Constantinople; the college of Revání, an eloquent man of the time of Sultáns Selím I. and Soleïmán, a native of Adrianople, and was buried near the Kirk Cheshmeh (Forty Fountains) before his own mosque; the college of Etmekjí Zádeh Ahmed Páshá, the Defterdár of Sultán Ahmed I.; of Sunnat Khatún; of Fatima Sultáneh; of Uch Básh (three heads); of Núr-ad-dín Hafr, within the Adrianople gate, built by Sinán; of Farrúkh Kehiyá; of Mená; of Ak-hesám-ad-dín, near the bath of Sultán Selím; of old Ibrahím Páshá; of Khásekí Sultán; of Kahriéh, built by Sinán; of Khásekí, in the women-market, also built by Sinán, at the expense of Sultán Soleïmán; of the Válideh of Sultán Othmán II. near the Ak-seráï; of Makbúl Ahmed Páshá; of Iskender Páshá; of Súfí Mohammed Páshá; of Ibrahím Páshá, near the Isá-kapú (gate of Jesus); of Ja’far Aghá; of the Treasurer, Ahmed Aghá; of Moavil Emír; of Omm-valad; of the Kádhí Asker Dervísh Efendí; of Khoajehkí Zádeh, near the Sultán Mohammed II.; of Aghá Zádeh; of Defterdár Abd us-salám Beg; of Tútí Kádhí; of Sháh Kúlí Hakím Mohammed Chelebí; of Husain Chelebí; of Emír Sinán Chelebí; of Daraghán Yúnus; of Kárjí Soleïmán; of Hárjí Khatún; of Defterdár Sherífeh Zádeh; of Kádhi Hakím Chelebí; of Bábá Chelebí; of Germástí Zádeh; of Segbán Alí; of Bezestán Kehiyásí; of Kowájilar; of Imám Zádeh; and of Kor Ahmed Páshá. Fifty of these colleges were built in the time of Sultáns Selím I. and Soleïmán, by the famous architect Sinán.

SECTION XVIII.

_Of the Dár-ul-kirá of Constantinople._

Each grand mosque has a _dár-ul-kirá_, or school for the reading of the Korán, the most remarkable of which is the _dár-ul-kirá_ of Sultán Soleïmán. Those of Khosrou Kehiyá, near the mosque of Etmekjí Zádeh Ahmed Páshá; of Sa’dí Chelebí; of Muftí Zádeh; and of Bosnalí Ahmed Páshá, were all built by the celebrated architect Sinán.

SECTION XIX.

_Of the Mekteb, or Boys’ Schools._

Each imperial mosque has a school attached to it. There are besides these, the schools of Kara Mustafá Páshá, opposite the monument of the same name: it is a large establishment; the school of Khosrou Páshá, near the Yeníbághcheh; of Aghá Kapú-sí, near the mosque of Sultán Soleïmán, which is attended by three or four hundred boys; of Pápás Oghlí, near the corn-market; of Aáshik Páshá; of Alí Jemálí, at Zírek; and of Mohammed Páshá, in the quarter of Khoájeh Páshá.

SECTION XX.

_Of the Dár-ul-hadíth, or Tradition Schools._

The traditions are read at all the Imperial mosques according to the principles of _Moslem_ and _Bokhárí_. The schools built especially for that object are: the dár-ul-hadíth of Hasan Efendí, near Keskindeh; of Mollá Is’hák Chelebí, built A.H. 926; and of Dámád Mohammed Efendí, near the mosque of Sinán.

SECTION XXI.

_Of the Tekíeh, or Convents of Dervíshes._

The most ancient of these is the one founded by Mohammed II., within the grand gate of Ayá Sófíya, and is called Sirkejí Tekíeh. It was founded when Moslema and Eyúb besieged Constantinople, and was afterwards turned into a nunnery; but on Mohammed’s conquering Constantinople he again made it a convent. Its first Sheikh was Oveis, who had the charge of seventy-four disciples. He was buried at Damascus, near Belál the Abyssinian: may God sanctify his secret state! The other tekíehs are those of Ak-shems-ud-dín, near Alí Páshá; of Emír Najárí; of Sofílar; of Khoájeh Mustafá Páshá; of Umm-sinán; of Sívásí; of Táváshí Mohammed Aghá, near Ayá Sófiya; of Erdebílí; of Sunbul Efendí; and of Gulshení at Ak-Seráï.

SECTION XXII.

_Of the Imáret, or Refectories._

Praise be to God! who, according to the sacred text of the Korán: “There is no beast on the earth for which God hath not made a provision,” has provided a plentiful supply for the poor by the foundation of Sultán Mohammed II. at the new palace, in which food is distributed to them three times a day; at the Imáret of Sultán Báyazíd twice; the same at the imárets of Sultán Selím I.; Soleïmán; Prince Mohammed; Ahmed; Eyúb; Khasekí Sultán, near the women-market; Vafá Sultán; Prince Jehángír, near the Top-kháneh; Mehrmáh Sultán, at Scutari; Válideh of Murád IV.; Ibráhím Khán; and of Othmán Khán. May God extend His mercy to them all! Besides these there are some hundreds of kitchens attached to the various convents; but the above are the old establishments of the Sultáns and Princes, where the poor receive a loaf of bread and a dish of soup every day. I, the humble Evliyá, who during a period of fifty-one years have visited the dominions of eighteen different monarchs, have no where seen such establishments.

SECTION XXIII.

_Of the Tímáristán and Moristán, or Hospitals._

The Tímár-kháneh of Mohammed II., which consists of seventy rooms, covered with eighty cupolas, is attended by two hundred servants, a physician-general, and a surgeon. All travellers who fall sick are received into this hospital, and are well attended to. They have excellent food twice a day; even pheasants, partridges, and other delicate birds are supplied. If such are not at hand in the hospital, it is provided by the charter of foundation that they shall be furnished from the imárets of Sultán Soleïmán, his son Prince Mohammed, Sultán Ahmed I., Khásekí Sultán, Vafá Sultán, Eyúb Sultán, Prince Jehángír, Mehrmáh Sultáneh, and of the Válideh’s mosque at Scutari. There are musicians and singers who are employed to amuse the sick and insane, and thus to cure their madness. There is also a separate hospital for infidels. The hospital of Sultán Soleïmán is an establishment so excellent, that the sick are generally cured within three days after their admission, it being provided with most able physicians and surgeons. The mosques of Báyazíd and Selím have no hospitals attached to them. The hospital of Sultán Ahmed is chiefly for the reception of insane persons, on account of the purity of its air. The attendants are remarkable for their patience and good-nature, the reason of which is, that they are under the immediate inspection of the Kizlar-ághásí, who himself attends to inquire into the state of the sick. The hospital of the Khásekí, near the women-market, is also an excellent institution.

SECTION XXIV.

_Of the principal Palaces of Constantinople._

One of the grandest of these is that of Ibráhím Páshá, the Vezír of Sultán Soleïmán, on the At-maidán, in which two thousand pages of the seráï were formerly educated. It is next in point of magnitude to the imperial seráï. The Seráï of Mehrmáh, near the mosque of Sultán Báyazíd, consists of seven hundred separate apartments. But even larger than this is the seráï of Siyávush Páshá, to the north of the mosque of Sultán Soleïmán, which has three hundred rooms, seven baths, fifty shops, and stables more extensive than those of the imperial palace. The others are: the seráï of the ághá of the Janissaries, near the mosque of Sultán Soleïmán; the seráï of Tekelí Mustafá Páshá; of Dallák Mustafá Páshá; of the Defterdár (who was hanged) Mustafá Páshá, near the Soleïmániyeh; of Pertev Páshá at the Vafá; of Sevgelún Moslí Sultáneh, within the corn-market; of Perinjí Zádeh, at Zírekbáshí; of Korshúnlí Sultáneh, in the same place; of Moralí Mustafá Páshá, near the place of the Ajemoghláns; of Kapújí Murád Páshá, near the ink-makers’ row; of Silihdár Mustafá Páshá, near the mosque of Soleïmán; of Khoájeh Vezír Mohammed Páshá, near the mosque of the Sháhzádeh; of Kana’án Páshá, near the old Seráï; of Músá Páshá, near Khoájeh Páshá; of Kara Mustáfá Páshá, near Ak-Seráï; of Sokollí Mohammed Páshá, near the Aláï Koshk; of Melek Ahmed Páshá, near Ayá-Sófiya, with three baths and two hundred apartments; of Reís Ismáíl, near Mahmúd Páshá; of Khán Zádeh Sultán, or Bairám Páshá, near Ayá-Sófiya; of Wárwár Alí Páshá, near Sultán Ahmed’s mosque; of Emírgúneh Zádeh Yúsuf Páshá, near the stable-gate; of Mokábilijí Hasan Efendí; of the Kapúdán Hasan Páshá, near Ayá-Sófiya; of Aísha Sultáneh, near Ak-Seráï; of Ján Pulád Zádeh Husain Páshá; of Juván Kapijí the Vezír, otherwise the Seráï of Rustam Páshá, near the convent of Khoájeh Ahmed Sultán; of Ankabút Ahmed Páshá; of Khoájeh Ibrahím, better known by the name of Jinjí Khoájeh; of Sáleh Páshá, near Mahmúd Páshá; of Kapúdán Síávush Páshá, near the harbour of galleys; of Ak-Mohammed Páshá, near the Jinjí Maidán; of Balátlí Solák Chelebí; of Husain Aghá, near the mosque of Sultán Selím; the barracks of the Janissaries, near the Orta Jámi’; the palace of Ibrahím, the inspector of the arsenal, near the Vafá, for which the humble writer composed a chronograph.

The following palaces were built by the architect Sinán during the reigns of Sultáns Selím I. and Soleïmán: The imperial palace of Sultán Mohammed II. having been burnt down, it was rebuilt by Sultán Soleïmán, who also restored the Galata Seráï, which was built by Sultán Báyazíd. Sinán also built the palace of Yení-kapú; of Mohammed Páshá, in the galley-harbour; of Mohammed Páshá, at Ayá Sófíya; of Rustam Páshá, Vezír of Sultán Soleïmán; of Kojeh Alí Páshá; in the place of Gúzel Ahmed Páshá’s palace, in the Hippodrome, was built the mosque of Sultán Ahmed I.; the seráï of Ferhád Páshá, near Sultán Báyazíd; of Pertev Páshá, on the Vafá; of Kojeh Sinán Páshá, at the Hasán place; of Súfí Mohammed Páshá, near Khoájeh Páshá; of Mohammed Aghá, near Yení-bághcheh; of Sháh Khúbán, near the fountain of Kásim Páshá.

SECTION XXV.

_Of the Grand Kháns for Merchants._

The first is the Khoájeh Khán, near the Mahmúd Páshá, in which all the great Persian merchants have their establishments. It has seventy rooms. The khán of Mahmúd Páshá has one hundred and twenty rooms; the Kebejílar Khán one hundred rooms: this is the residence of the rich Bulgarian merchants; the khán of Pírí Páshá, eighty rooms; Eskí Khán, two hundred rooms: it was built by Bairám Páshá, the Vezír of Sultán Murád IV., and is called the khán of the captives (_asír_), because all captives are bought and sold here: it has seventy apartments, and an office for receiving the _penjek_ or slave duty, a fifth of the value; the khán of Angora, for the dealers in woollen goods (_súf_), one hundred rooms; the khán of Pertev Páshá, two hundred rooms; the khán of Ferhád Páshá, near the Bezestán, two hundred rooms; Kilíd Khán, two hundred rooms; the khán of the Valídeh Kosím, mother of Murád IV., was originally the palace of Jarráh Mohammed Páshá, but having fallen into decay it was rebuilt by the Válideh, and consists of three hundred warehouses, so that this khán, and that of Mahmúd Páshá, are the largest in Constantinople. In one corner is a koshk, which raises its head to the skies, and commands a magnificent view: its stables are capable of holding one thousand horses and mules: it has a mosque in the centre; the Kiaghid Khán, near Mahmúd Páshá; Kátir Khán, near Takht-ul-kala’; the khán of the honeymarket, inhabited by Egyptian merchants; Ketán Khán; Katá Khán; the khán of Rustam Páshá; the khán of old Yúsuf Páshá; the khán of the Muftí; Chokúr Khán; Súlú Khán; the khán of the tallow-market; and the khán of the Zendán-kapú. All these kháns are in that quarter of the town called Takht-ul-kala’: they are extensive buildings, and are covered with lead. The Juván Kapújí Khán is in the centre of the raisin-market. The new khán of Kara Mustafá Páshá, Grand Vezír to Sultán Mohammed IV., near Khoájeh Páshá, is a small but strong building. The khán of Kopreilí Mohammed Páshá, Grand Vezír to Mohammed IV., though, like the last mentioned, a new building, near the poultry-market, is not inferior, as regards solidity, to the Válideh Khán. It has upwards of two hundred and twenty apartments.

SECTION XXVI.

_Of the Cárávánseráis._

The Elchí Khán (Ambassador’s Khán), even in the time of the infidels, was a khán for strangers, but it was endowed after the conquest by Ikbál Páshá; the cárávánserái of Mohammed II.; of Báyazíd II.; of Selím I.; of Soleïmán; of Khásekí Sultáneh; of Ahmed I.; of the Kapújílar, near Ayá-Sófiya, where two great kháns stand opposite to each other; of Kojeh Mohammed Páshá; of the Vafá; of the At-Maidán; of Sinán Páshá; Báklálí Khán, near the palace of Melek Ahmed Páshá; and of Alí Páshá, near the Bít-bázár (louse-market). These were all built by Sinán Páshá.

SECTION XXVII.

_Of the Barracks (Bekár oda)._

The most extensive barracks are those called _Yolgechen_, which consist of four hundred rooms, and, in case of necessity, can hold one thousand armed men. The odas of Sultán Murád IV. are eight in number, and, like the former, have their officers and inspectors. Sultán Soleïmán one day being offended with the Janissaries, said to them: “Be silent, or I will subdue you by the shoe-makers at Merján-chárshu (the coral-market). This threat having spread, forty thousand Janissaries assembled instantly, armed with clubs and bludgeons, and with cries of “Allah! Allah!” entered the imperial court. The Emperor, roused by these shouts, came out, and said, “Well, my brave fellows, what is the matter?” They replied, “You have this day declared your intention of putting down the Janissaries by the shoe-makers, and we now wait for your orders. We have on the instant assembled forty thousand men, but if you will wait till to-morrow we shall have forty thousand more.” Pleased with their bravery, the emperor told them they might ask for a favour. They, therefore, asked that the price of a pair of _pápújes_ and _mests_ (slippers and leather-socks) should be fixed at between one and two hundred akcha, which was immediately granted.

The odas of the armoury are near the Mahmúd Páshá; those of Pertev Páshá and Hiláljí, near the Soleïmáníeh; forty odas for unmarried men on the At-maidán; forty at Búyúk Karamán; the odas of Yedek Páshá; and seven odas of Gharíbs, near the corn-market. Each of these barracks can contain from one to two thousand men.

SECTION XXVIII.

_Of the Fountains ornamented with Chronographs._

In the times of the infidels there was no other fountain except that called Kirk-chesmeh (supplied by the aqueduct of Valens). In other parts of the town they collected the water in cisterns, five of which were filled partly with rain-water, and partly from the aqueduct. Sultán Mohammed II., having finished his mosque, built two hundred fountains; Báyazíd built seventy, and Soleïmán seven hundred. Their number was shortly increased to thousands by the vezírs. Sultán Soleïmán repaired the aqueduct, and increased the quantity of water carried to Constantinople. The principal fountains are the following: the fountain of Haider Páshá, near the bath of the same name; that of the Beglerbegs, beyond the ditch between the Aderneh-kapú and the Top-kapú; of the Imáms, erected to the memory of Hasan and Husain, who died of thirst in the plain of Kerbelá; the fountain of Skander Beg, without the gate leading to Eyúb; of Sultán Murád III., without the gate of Eyúb, on the sea-shore, beneath the _sháhneshín_ (projecting window) of the palace of Fátima Sultána; the Souk-chesmeh (cold fountain), near the Alái koshk; the fountain of Kara Mustafá Páshá, near his sepulchral monument; of Hasan Beg, the son of Fátima Sultána, near the Okjílar Báshí; of the Kehiyá of the Janissaries, Soleïmán Aghá, near the Sernáj Khán; of Alí Páshá, near the custom-house on the land side; of Kátib Husain, near the convent of Oghlán Sheikh at Ak-seráï; of Hájí Mansúr, near the monument of Aáshik Páshá; of the Válideh Kosum, near the Yení-kapú; of Ibrahím Páshá, near the mosque of the princes; of Hasan Páshá, near the palace of Jánpúlád Zádeh; of Kharájí Mohí-ad-dín, before his mosque, near that of Sultán Mohammed II.; of Mahmúd Páshá, near the new Bezestán; of Mesíh Páshá, near the market of Alí Páshá; and of Hasan Aghá, the chief of the Khás-oda, within the corn-market, in the quarter of the Arabajílar.[8]

[8] We have left the chronographs of these fountains untranslated, as they possess no poetical merit.

SECTION XXIX.

_Of the Sebíl-khánehs, or Water Houses._

The Sebíl-khánehs were built to the memory of Hasan and Husain, who suffered martyrdom from thirst on the plain of Kerbelá. They are all adorned with chronographs. The Sebíl of Músá Páshá, near the Aláï Koshk; the Sebíl of Kana’án Aghá, opposite the grand gate of Ayá Sófiyah; of A’áishá Sultána, at the Okjílar-báshí; of Mustafá Aghá, the chief of the treasury, near the mosque of Ayá Sófiyah; of Erdebílí, near Ayá Sófiyah; of Kapúdán Kosse Alí Páshá, in the corn-market; of Abbás, the Kizlar Aghá, near the fountain of Lálalí; of Ibrahím Páshá, the Kehiyá of Kopreïlí Zádeh, near the Vafá; and the Sinán Páshá, the conqueror of Yemen, near the factory of the Sirma-kesh (gold-wire).

SECTION XXX.

_Of the Principal Baths._