The Foucault Pendulum of the Phanar Greek Orthodox College in Istanbul: The First in Istanbul?

Year 2023, Volume: 24 Issue: 2, 723 - 741, 06.07.2023

Panagiotis Lazos

https://doi.org/10.26650/oba.1284348

Abstract

Foucault’s pendulum is one of the most important scientific achievements of the French physicist Léon Foucault. The performance of the experiment in 1851 was the first tangible proof of the Earth’s rotation. The relative technical simplicity and beauty of the experiment led to many repetitions of it, the manufacture of related pendulums by scientific instrument manufacturers, and the permanent or temporary installation of such pendulums in educational institutions for teaching as well as aesthetic reasons. The Phanar Greek Orthodox College in İstanbul is the oldest operating school of the city’s Greek community. After many moves during the first four centuries of its operation, the College found a permanent home in an impressive privately owned building in Fener in 1881. The building hosts a rich collection of scientific instruments, acquired mainly in the last quarter of the 19th century by French manufacturers and at the beginning of the 20th by Germans and Austrians. In 1912 special changes were made to the building to house a Foucault pendulum which was manufactured by the German company Max Kohl. This paper presents the history of this device, which is one of the first (perhaps the first) used in the Ottoman Empire.

Keywords

Foucault pendulum, Phanar Greek Orthodox College, Max Kohl, Istanbul, Physics, Greek School

Thanks

I would like to thank DR. Seref Etker, the discussions with which led to the writing of this article, Prof. Dr. Feza Günergun for her help and support and Mr Athanasios Aggelidis for his deep devotion to the Phanar Greek Orthodox College and his help in the study of its collection.

İstanbul Fener Rum Ortodoks Lisesi’nin Foucault Sarkacı: İstanbul’da Bir İlk mi?

Abstract

Foucault sarkacı, Fransız fizikçi Léon Foucault’nun en önemli başarılarından biridir. Bu alet ile 1851 yılında gerçekleştirilen deney, Yer’in döndüğüne ilk somut kanıtı getirmiştir. Deneyin teknik basitliği ve güzelliği çok kere tekrarlanmasına ve bilimsel alet yapımcıları tarafından çok sayıda sarkacın üretilmesine sebep olmuştur. Böylelikle sarkaçlar, gerek öğretim amaçlı olarak gerekse estetiği sebebiyle eğitim kurumlarında kalıcı veya süreli olarak yer bulmuştur. İstanbul’daki Fener Rum Ortodoks Lisesi, Rum toplumunun bu şehirde faaliyette bulunan en eski okuludur. Kuruluşunu izleyen ilk dört yüz yıl içinde çok kez yer değiştiren okul, 1881’den beri Fener semtinde, özel mülk olan heybetli binasında eğitim vermektedir. Okulun çok zengin bir bilimsel alet koleksiyonu vardır. Aletlerin büyük kısmı 19. yüzyılın son çeyreği Fransız ve 20. yüzyıl başı Alman ve Avusturyalı üreticilerinin elinden çıkmıştır. Aralarında, Alman şirketi Max Kohl tarafından üretilen ve 1912’de satın alınan bir Foucault sarkacı vardır. Aletin gelmesiyle okulun binasında özel değişiklikler yapılmıştır. Bu çalışma, Osmanlı İmparatorluğu’ndaki ilk sarkaç olabileceğini düşündüğümüz aletin hikâyesini sunmaktadır.

Keywords

Foucault sarkacı, Fener Rum Erkek Lisesi, Max Kohl, Istanbul, Fizik, Rum okulu

References

• Brenni, Paolo. “The Evolution of Teaching Instruments and their Use Between 1800 and 1930.” Science & Education 21 (2012):191-226. google scholar
• Challis, J. “A Mathematical Theory of M. Foucault’s Pendulum Experiment.” The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science 3, 19 (1852), 331-334. google scholar
• Crane, Richard H. “The Foucault Pendulum as a Murder Weapon and a Physicist’s Delight.” The Physics Teacher 28, 5 (1990): 264-269. google scholar
• Eker, Zeki, Osman Demircan, Halil Kırbıyık, and Selçuk Bilir. “Astronomy in Modern Turkey.” In Organizations, People and Strategies in Astronomy, Vol. 2. Edited by Andre Heck, 195-216. Duttlenheim: Venngeist, 2013. google scholar
• Esmer Mine, Ömer Dabanlı, Ruba Kasmo, Lana Kudumovic, Aynur Çiftçi, and Cesur E. Selcen. “Mekteb-i Kebir ya da Kırmızı Mektebi Belgelemek.” Mimar.ist 22, 74 (2022): 72-82. google scholar
• Foucault, Leon. “Demonstration physique du Mouvement de Rotation de la Terre au Moyen du Pendule.” ComptesRendus de l’Academie des Sciences 32 (1851): 135-138. google scholar
• Kohl, Max. Physikalische Apparate, Preisliste 21. Chemnitz, 1905. google scholar
• Kruglak, Haym, Larry Oppliger, Rene Pittet, and Steele Stanley. “A Short Foucault Pendulum for a Hallway Exhibit.” American Journal of Physics 46 (1978): 438-440. google scholar
• Lazos, Panagiotis, Vlahakis, N. George, and Constantine Skordoulis. “Instruments and Laboratories in the Schools of the Greek Community of İstanbul, 1850-1960.” In Scientific Instruments Between East and West. Edited by Neil Brown, Silke Ackermann, and Feza Günergun, 168-86. Brill, 2020. google scholar
• Leonard, E. Byron. “A Short Foucault Pendulum for Corridor Display.” The Physics Teacher 19 (1981): 421-423. google scholar
• Lycee Zographeion, Constantinople (l’e.ra) 1907-1908. İstanbul, 1908. google scholar
• Oprea, John. “Geometry and the Foucault Pendulum.” The American Mathematical Monthly 102, 6 (1995): 515-522. google scholar
• Roberts, Westropp. “A Foucault Pendulum at Dublin.” Nature 51 (1895): 510-511. google scholar
• Tobin, William and Brian Pippard. “Foucault, His Pendulum and the Rotation of the Earth”. Interdisciplinary Science Reviews 19, 4 (1994): 326-337. google scholar
• Weinhold, F. Adolf. Physikalische Demonstrationen. Leipzig: Von Quandt & Handel, 1881. google scholar
• Ανεστίδης, Σταύρος Θ.. Πατριαρχικής Μεγάλης του Γένους Σχολής Πάνθεον. Δεκαεπτά Προσωπογραφίες. Αθήνα: Σύνδεσμος των εν Αθήναις Μεγαλοσχολιτών, 2019. google scholar
• Βετσόπουλος, Βασίλειος. “Οι δάσκαλοί μου της Πόλης”. Αρχείον Θράκης 161 (1969): 200-202. google scholar
• Γριτσόπουλος, Τάσος. Πατριαρχική Μεγάλη του Γένους Σχολή, Vol.2. Αθήνα: PUBLISHER?, 2004. google scholar
• Έκθεσις των πεπραγμένων εν τη Μ. Σχολή κατά το σχολικόν έτος 1949-50. Φανάριον, 1950. google scholar
• Ιωάννου, Αθανάσιος. Πραγματεία περί της ατομικότητας των στοιχείων, Εναίσιμος επί διδακτορία διατριβή. Εν Αθήναις: Εκ του τυπογραφείου των καταστημάτων Ιωάννου Νικολαϊδου, 1894. google scholar
• Ιωάννου, Αθανάσιος. Μαθήματα Χημείας Ανοργάνου και Οργανικής. Εν Κωνσταντινουπόλει: Εκ του τυπογραφείου Κ. Μακρίδου και Ι. Αλευρόπουλου, 1921. google scholar
• Κατάλογος των βιβλίων και οργάνων των φροντιστηρίων και εργαστηρίων του Εθνικού Πανεπιστημίου, Τόμος Β’. Εν Αθήναις: Εκ του τυπογραφείου Παρασκευά Λεώνη, 1914. google scholar
• Κλεόβουλος, Ευστάθιος. Λογοδοσία περί του σχολικού έτους 1856-1866 της εν Κωνσταντινουπόλει Μεγάλης του Γένους Σχολής. Εν Κωνσταντινουπόλει: Τύποις Ανατολικού Αστέρος, 1866. google scholar
• Κλεόβουλος, Μιχαήλ. Έκθεσις των πεπραγμένων εν τη Πατριαρχική Μεγάλη του Γένους Σχολή κατά το σχολικόν έτος 1912-1913. Εν Κωνσταντινουπόλει: Τύποις Αδελφών Γεράρδων, 1914. google scholar
• Λάζος, Παναγιώτης. “Ο φυσικομαθηματικός Αιμίλιος Καρούσος (1886-1970), 45 χρόνια προσφοράς.” In Η Λογιοσύνη της Πόλης. Εκπαιδευτικοί και λογοτέχνες της σύγχρονης περιόδου, edited by Ευαγγελία Αχλάδη and Σάββας Τσιλένης, 67-83. Σισμανόγλειο Μέγαρο - Γενικό Προξενείο της Ελλάδας στην Κωνσταντινούπολη & Εταιρεία Μελέτης της καθ’ ημάς Ανατολής. 2023. google scholar
• Μέξης Απόστολος. Η εν Χάλκη Ιερά Θεολογική Σχολή. Ιστορικά σημειώματα (1844-1935). Κωνσταντινούπολη, 1933. google scholar
• Παλαμάς, Γρηγόριος. Έκθεσις της πνευματικής και υλικής καταστάσεως της Μ. Του Γένους Σχολής, κατά το σχολικός έτος 1878-1879. Εν Κωνσταντινουπόλει: Τύποις Ανατολικού Αστέρος, 1879. google scholar
• Παλαμάς, Γρηγόριος. Έκθεσις της πνευματικής και υλικής καταστάσεως της Μ. Του Γένους Σχολής, κατά το σχολικόν έτος 1879-1880. Εν Κωνσταντινουπόλει: Πατριαρχικό Τυπογραφείο, 1880. google scholar
• Παλαμάς, Γρηγόριος. Έκθεσις της πνευματικής και υλικής καταστάσεως της Μ. Του Γένους Σχολής, κατά το σχολικόν έτος 1880-1881. Εν Κωνσταντινουπόλει: Πατριαρχικό Τυπογραφείο, 1881. google scholar
• Τσιλένης, Σάββας. “Η Μεγάλη του Γένους Σχολή στην Κωνσταντινούπολη και ο αρχιτέκτονάς της Κωνσταντίνος Δημάδης”. The world of Buildings 16, (1998): 100-112. google scholar
• Ημερολόγιο του έτους 1906. Εν Κωνσταντινουπόλει: Εθνικά Φιλανθρωπικά Καταστήματα εν Κωνσταντινούπολει, 1905. google scholar
• Ημερολόγιον Ελπίς του 1914, Εκδιδόμενον επιμέλειαι των μαθητών του Ζωγράφειου Γυμνασίου. Εν Κωνσταντινουπόλει: Τυπογραφικά Καταστήματα Δ. Πρωτόπαππα, 1914. google scholar
• Ault, Alicia. “How Does Foucault’s Pendulum Prove the Earth Rotates?” Smithsonian Magazine. Accessed April 24, 2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-does-foucaults-pendulum-prove-earth-rotates-180968024/ google scholar
• Chemnitz-Gestern-Heute.De. “Max Kohl Chemnitz - Mit Geschick und Sorgfalt zum Erfolg.” Accessed February 14, 2023. https://chemnitz-gestern-heute.de/max-kohl-chemnitz/ google scholar
• Deutsches Museum. “Foucault’s Pendulum - See the Earth Rotate.” Accessed January 12, 2023. https://www. deutsches-museum.de/en/museum-island/exhibitions/foucaults-pendulum google scholar
• Mohammad, Jasmin. “Max Kohl” in: Sachsische Biografie, hrsg. vom Institut für Sachsische Geschichte und Volkskunde e.V. Accessed February 14, 2023. https://saebi.isgv.de/biografie/Max_Kohl_(1853-1908) google scholar
• United Nations. “United Nations Gifts.” Accessed January 12, 2023, https://www.un.org/ungifts/foucault-pendulum google scholar
• United Nations Photo Digital Asset Management System. Accessed January 12, 202. https://dam.media.un.org/ CS.aspx?VP3=DamView&VBID=2AM94S7SH9_C&PN=1&WS=SearchResults&FR_=1&W=1280&H=577 google scholar