Evaluating Repairs and Interventions of the Fethiye Camii through the Perspective of Contemporary Conservation Ethics and Principles

Year 2019, Issue: 22, 401 - 427, 11.10.2019

Mine Esmer

Abstract

Fethiye Camii is located in Istanbul in the
Fatih district amidst the historic neighborhood
of Çarşamba. The current structure is comprised
of the churches of the Monastery of
Pammakaristos in the XIV. Regio built during
the Byzantine period. From the monastery,
nothing but two churches, four cisterns and a
burial chamber survive. In the Ottoman rule,
Pammakaristos was first in use as a monastery
for nuns and a little later it was put in use as the
Greek Patriarchate. At the end of the 16th century,
the churches of the monastery were converted
to a mosque called Fethiye to commemorate
the conquest of Azerbaijan and Georgia.
The monument has come to our day under this
name. In 1963, a section of the monument was
inaugurated as the Fethiye Museum. Fethiye
Camii has possessed various identities and has
served many functions and communities over
time. Currently the monument presents complex
problems of architectural history and conservation.
Multiple repairs throughout its long
history have resulted in various transformations
in its physical appearance. The very recent restoration
work begun in the museum section in
April 2018 has demonstrated the necessity of
evaluating the monument’s state of preservation.
This article examines its past repairs according
to internationally accepted values and
puts a special emphasis on 20th century repairs.

Keywords

Constantinople , Istanbul , Middle and Late Byzantine Period Churches , Fethiye Camii and Museum , Pammakaristos Monastery Churches , Preservation , Conservation , repair , Intervention , Contemporary principles of conservation

References

• Altan, K. 1938. “Fethiye Camii.” Arkitekt 10–11: 296–99.
• Altuğ, K. 2003. “İstanbul’da Bizans Dönemi Sarnıçlarının Mimari Özellikleri ve Kentin Tarihsel Topografyasındaki Dağılımı.” PhD thesis, Istanbul Technical University.
• Asutay-Effenberger, N. 2007. “Zum Datum der Umwandlung der Pammakaristoskirche in die Fethiye Camii.” Byzantion 77: 32–41.
• Ayvansarayi, H. 2001. Hadikatü’l Cevami İstanbul Camileri. İstanbul: İşaret Yayınları.
• Breuning, H.J. 2004. Reprint. Von und zu Buchenbuch: Orientalische Reyß Deß Edlen und Besten Hans Jacob Breuning. Hildesheim, 1612.
• Comnena, A. 1928. The Alexiade. Translated by E.A. Dawes. London: Routledge.
• Crusius, M. 1584. Turcograeciae Libri Octo: Quibus Graecorum Status Sub Imperio Turcico, in Politia et Ecclesia, Oeconomia et Scholis. Basel.
• De La Torre, M. ed. 2002. Assessing the Values of Cultural Heritage. Research Report, Los Angeles: The Getty Conservation Institute.
• Esemenli, D. 1993. “Dalgıç Ahmed Ağa.” In İslam Ansiklopedisi. Vol. 8, 431–32. İstanbul: Türk Diyanet Vakfı Yayınları.
• Esmer, M. 2013, “İstanbul’da Orta Bizans Dönemi’ne ait Üç Anıt ile Çevrelerinin Bütünleşik Olarak Korunması için Öneriler.” Tasarım+Kuram Dergisi 15: 35–55.
• Esmer, M. 2012. “İstanbul’daki Orta Bizans Dönemi Kiliseleri ve Çevrelerinin Korunması İçin Öneriler.” PhD thesis, Istanbul Technical University.
• Eyice, S. 1995. “Fethiye Camii.” In Dünden Bugüne İstanbul Ansiklopedisi. Vol. 3, 373. İstanbul: Tarih Vakfı Yurt Yayınları.
• Eyice, S. 1980. Son Devir Bizans Mimarisi. İstanbul: Türkiye Turing ve Otomobil Kurumu Yayınları.
• Forschheimer, P., and J. Strzygowski. 1893. Die Byzantinischen Wasserbehaelter von Konstantinopel. Wien: Verlag der Mechitharisten.
• Hallensleben, H. 1963–64, “Untersuchungen zur Baugeschichte der ehemaligen Pammakaristos Kirche, der heutigen Fethiye Camii in Istanbul.” IstMitt 13–14: 128–93.
• İnalcık, H. 2015. Devlet-i Âliye, Osmanlı İmparatorluğu Üzerine Araştırmalar I. İstanbul: Türkiye İş Bankası Kültür Yayınları.
• Janin, R. 1975. Les Eglises et les monasteres des grand centres byzantins. Paris: Institut français d’études byzantines.
• Karaman, S., and Dağlı, Y., ed. 2008. Günümüz Türkçesiyle Evliya Çelebi Seyahatnamesi: İstanbul. 2 vols. İstanbul: Yapı Kredi Yayınları.
• Mango, C. ed. 1978. The Mosaics and Frescoes of St. Mary Pammakaristos (Fethiye Camii) at Istanbul, by Hans Belting, Cyril Mango, Doula Mouriki. Washington, D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks Center for Byzantine Studies.
• Mango, C. 1951. “The Byzantine Inscriptions of Constantinople.” AJA 55.1: 52–66.
• Mango, C., and J.W. Hawkins. 1962–63. “Report on Field Work in Istanbul and Cyprus.” DOP 18: 319–40.
• Mazlum, D. 2004. “Fethiye Camii’nin 18. yy. Onarımları.” Sanat Tarihi Defterleri 8: 168–75.
• Müller-Wiener, W. 2007. İstanbul’un Tarihsel Topografyası. İstanbul: Yapı Kredi Yayınları.
• Pachymeres, G. 2009. Bizanslı Gözüyle Türkler. İstanbul: İlgi Kültür Sanat Yayınları.
• Pervititch Insurance Map.1929. Plate no: 26, Istanbul Atatürk Library, Digital Archive for maps. Schneider, A.M. 1939. “Arbeiten an der Pammakaristos Kirche.” AA: 188–96.
• Schweigger, S. 2004. Sultanlar Kentine Yolculuk 1578–1581. İstanbul: Kitap Yayınevi.
• Selânikî Mustafa Efendi. 1989. Tarih-i Selânikî I (971-1003/1563-1595), edited by M. İpşirli. Ankara: Türk Tarih Kurumu.
• Sözer, T. 1981. “Fethiye Camii (Pammakaristos Manastırı) Güney Kilisesi (Parekklesion) Resim Sanatı.” Master’s thesis, İstanbul University.
• Tamer, C. 2003. İstanbul Bizans Anıtları ve Onarımları. İstanbul: Türkiye Turing ve Otomobil Kurumu Yayınları.
• Tanışık, İ.H. 1943. İstanbul Çeşmeleri, İstanbul Ciheti. İstanbul: Maarif Matbaası.
• Underwood, P.A. 1956. “Notes on the Work of the Byzantine Institute in Istanbul.” DOP 9/10 : 291–94.
• van Millingen, A. 1912. Byzantine Churches in Constantinople, Their History and Architecture. London: Macmillan and Co.
• Wulzinger, K. 1913. “Byzantinische Substruktionbauten Konstantinopels Kapitell II, Zisterne bei der Fethije Dschami.” JdI 28: 374–76.
• Yavuz, Y. 1981. Birinci Ulusal Mimarlık Dönemi ve Mimar Kemalettin Bey. İstanbul: İTÜ Mimarlık Fakültesi.
• Url-1- https://www.icomos.org/en/167-the-athens-charter-for-the-restoration-of-historic-monuments
• Url-2- http://orcp.hustoj.com/2016/04/02/icomos-charter-principles-fora-the-analysis-conservation-andstructural- restoration-of-architectural-heritage-2003/
• Url-3- https://www.icomos.org/Paris2011/GA2011_CIVVIH_text_EN_FR_final_20120110.pdf