Bourgeois Wealth, Architecture, and Urbanization: The Azaryan Family in Late Ottoman Istanbul

Year 2023, Volume: 5, 67 - 93, 31.12.2023

Aslıhan Günhan

https://doi.org/10.53979/yillik.2023.5

Abstract

Istanbul’s urbanization in the late nineteenth century was highly influenced by private investors and land commodification practices. This article focuses on one of these investors, the Azaryan family, and particularly Bedros and Josef Azaryan, and explores how they participated in the capitalistic urbanization of Istanbul. Through an examination of their investments in Ayazpaşa (Gümüşsuyu) and in Büyükdere, the article unveils different complexities of urban modernization, land commodification, and building construction. Focusing on the Azaryan waterside mansion (yalı) in Büyükdere and the Azaryan Palas in Ayazpaşa, this article positions the Azaryan family as influential actors capable not only of representing their wealth through architecture but also of negotiating with the state to resolve construction disputes. It therefore sheds light on themes such as patronage, finance, visual power, land tenure, and architectural labor. Working through an array of sources such as tendering documents, embassy correspondences, private notebooks, maps, and survey drawings, the article portrays the polyvocal and fragmented dynamics of capitalistic urbanization in late Ottoman Istanbul.

Keywords

Azaryan Family, Büyükdere, Ayazpaşa, urban modernization, Armenian bourgeoisie

Thanks

I would like to thank the editors of this special issue for their detailed feedback and the participants of the workshop “Capitalistic Urbanization in Late Ottoman Istanbul: Armenian Agencies” that took place at ANAMED in July 2022. I would also like to thank Esra Akcan for her comments on earlier versions of this research.

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