Türbes

By Gül Demir and Niki Gamm, *Istanbul türbe exhibit provides glimpse of 'gateway to eternity'* - Hürriyet Daily News - Istanbul, Turkey // Saturday, September 4, 2010

Gateway to Eternity: Turbeler” in the Private Stables at Topkapı Palace is the Türbeler Museum Directorate’s first-ever exhibition and provides visitors a fascinating glimpse at the effects found in some of the türbes (mausoleums) from around Istanbul

Found from Beykoz to Topkapı and from Üsküdar to Fatih, “türbes” (mausoleums) for prominent figures from the Ottoman era dot the landscape of Istanbul. Often overlooked, a new exhibition at Topkapı Palace is offering visitors a new chance to catch a glimpse of the cultures that produced the türbes, as well as the treasures that lie within them.

“Gateway to Eternity: Türbeler” at the Private Stables at Topkapı Palace is the first-ever exhibition from the Türbeler Museum Directorate and is part of “Ramazan Istanbul,” a project of the 2010 Istanbul European Culture Capital.

Türbes are frequently found in Turkey’s larger cities and are almost always associated with mosques, containing the remains of members of the imperial Ottoman family, prominent politicians or prominent Sufi (mystic) leaders.

Istanbul has the most with around 300 türbes, 117 of which are overseen by the Istanbul directorate, located on Sultanahmet Square. Thirty-five of the agency’s türbes, meanwhile, are open to visit.

The türbes include works of classical Ottoman architecture such as those built by Mimar Sinan [d. 1588], from the late classical period like the imperial architects Davud Ağa and Sedefkar Mehmed Ağa, all the way to the works of Mimar Kemaleddin, who was one of the national architects during the Westernization period. This historical and spatial variety is rarely found elsewhere in the world.

In general an Ottoman türbe is a dome supported by low walls with the typical banding of two layers of brick and one of stone. Dressed stone was generally used for the materials and could be clad in marble siding if the deceased was particularly wealthy or important, such as a sultan. The walls would be pierced by windows so that one could observe the contents and pray without actually entering the structure or it might not have walls at all. In the latter case the dome would be supported on columns.

Türbes are usually located within mosque complexes or in the many cemeteries located around the city. In the case of the Sufi mystic orders, the founder’s türbe and his principal followers could be found within the grounds of the order’s lodge. They could and can still be visited and have an important place in Turkish-Islamic culture as well as in architectural history.

Usually these türbes were part of a foundation that would be set up by the deceased; in turn, donations to the foundation would be provided for the upkeep of the mausoleum.

Money would be allocated for the facility’s upkeep and a salary and expenses for someone who would take care of the türbe. In the case of the türbes that belonged to the leaders of the dervish sects, the money for maintaining them might come from the pockets of wealthy followers or, in the case of mendicant sects, from begging for donations on the streets.

The person responsible for the upkeep might offer rose oil and rose water to guests, as well as food and drink like aşure pudding, sherbet or sugar candy. Such gifts would be considered part of the expenses or might be met by donations.

Donating to the türbes

Donating used items or decorative items to the türbes was widespread during the Ottoman era and many important period works have been accumulated in such türbes.

Türbes carry an importance both architecturally and historically that is related to the people buried in them and in Turkish-Islamic beliefs. The various items that are to be found in the türbes offer a selection of items that range from the artistic to the personal.

Among these items on display in the exhibition are relics such as the hair of the Prophet Mohammed, sacred items and Ka’aba covers; calligraphic plaques, some of which were produced by such sultans as Mahmud II, Abdülmecid and Abdülaziz; handwritten Qurans; items used personally by Sufi sheikhs such as Yahya Efendi, Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi and Karacaahmed and placed in the türbes following their deaths; and a whole variety of small handicraft items.

“Hırkas” (short mantles or coats), headgear and walking sticks, the backpack that Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi used, shirts on which writing occurs that belonged to Hüdayi and Yahya Efendi and artwork signed by calligrapher Rakam Efendi are included. At the same time there are examples of the holy relics that were collected when Yavuz Sultan Selim conquered Egypt in 1517.

Visitors to the exhibit can view various items that were collected from türbes between the 16th-17th centuries and the 20th century. Objects include everything from the hanging candle holder that Sultan Ahmed I donated to the Eyüp Sultan türbe to the items use to serve guests at the türbe of Zeynep and Kamil Paşa, such as a sugar bowl and an aşure jug.

The display of plaques handwritten by the Ottoman sultans, Mahmud II, Abdülaziz and Abdülmecid has to be considered as part of a special collection. The sultans took lessons in calligraphy from important calligraphic instructors while they still were princes. One can find many of these works that belonged to the sultans in mosques, palaces, tekkes (Sufi lodges) and türbes.

The clothing of the Sufi orders, known as their “dowry,” is attributed to the gifts that were lowered to the Prophet Mohammed during his ascent to heaven and has an important place in the cultural heritage of the Ottoman period. The ritual clothing like the headgear, belt, walking stick and bath clogs have been displayed as the dervishes’ dowry.

The many items include the mantle and skullcap of Karacaahmed who settled in Üsküdar prior to the conquest of Istanbul and the mantle, walking stick and leather inner shoe of Yahya Efendi, whose mother breast-fed Süleyman the Magnificent. Also on display are the walking stick, headgear, packsaddle and robe of Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi. They make up an attractive and interesting collection.

The items were chosen from the türbes of Sünbül Efendi, Aziz Mahmud Hudai, Merkez Efendi, Yahya Efendi, Eyüp Sultan, Karacaahmed, Nurredin Cerrahi and Ramazan Efendi. In addition there were candlesticks, low tables, incense burners, rose water flasks and book rests.

Some of the rare treasures belonging to the directorate include a covering of the Ka’aba, a covering of the Prophet’s Tomb. Among these works are such important examples as a plaque made of tiles brought from the Tomb of the Prophet, a plaque made up of the leaves of a tree that the Prophet Mohammed planted and the Kadem-I Saadet curtain signed by Hattat Rakim Efendi with the official signature of Mahmut II.

Many items like the candlesticks made from valuable metals that the members of the imperial dynasty donated and the Qurans written by local calligraphers signal that the türbes reflect the fabric of society. Many of the works exhibited for the first time provide a source for Turkish and foreign visitors, as well as historians and art historians to better understand Ottoman society.

Ramadan is one of the times when families visit the graves of loved ones to offer prayers for their souls and sometimes to offer petitions for help with this or that problem.

Although such visits are not made to the türbes of sultans, some visit the burial sites of dervish leaders, who have come to be regarded as saints, to seek help. Women especially come to tie ribbons on the iron grills of the türbe or even attach a written plea for marriage, children or good health. While such visits are not encouraged by orthodox Muslim authorities, the practice has survived until the present day.

Whatever the case, from now until Sept. 19, 2010, people don’t need to peer into a türbe window to see what’s inside it – they can just visit “Gates to Eternity: Türbeler” at the Topkapı Palace Museum.

Picture: From left to right: A 19th century aşure jug, a turban worn by a dervish leader, part of the inner curtain of the Ka'aba, and hair from the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh). Photo: HDN.