Mimar Sinan Research Articles

Symbolism In The Mosques of Mimar Sinan: Inscriptions, Meanings, and Architectural Order

Architectural spaces not only consist of structural elements but also bear traces from the period in which they were built. These traces can be religion, culture, economy, power, technology, abstract concepts, or symbols. Worship places, in particular, contain diverse symbols and indicators due to their mission. Mosques specific to the Islamic religion also have various symbolic elements besides their original architectural features. It is seen in history that these elements are included in mosque architecture with abstract ornaments and calligraphy. In the mosques of Mimar Sinan’s period, the inscriptions mainly consist of Qur’ān verses. These verses are placed on many architectural elements, starting from the dome. The study aims to systematically question and reveal the relationship between these verses and the architectural elements where they are placed using the semiotic method. Five mosques, the richest in terms of the epigraphy program, were selected as samples for the study. All the inscriptions in the mosques were identified on-site, and their accuracy was ensured by comparing them with sources related to the period. In this study, the symbolism of the inscriptions in Mimar Sinan’s mosques, which has not been revealed before, is presented uniquely for each architectural element by reading them through the inscriptions and structural elements.

A Topological and Technological Transformation Model of Mimar Sinan’s Mosques to the Present

A Topological and Technological Transformation Model of Mimar Sinan’s Mosques to the Present

The Analysis of Square Kufic Calligraphy at Some Historical Buildings of Istanbul After the Classical Period of Mimar Sinan Until the Republic Era

Since the dissemination of Islamic art in Central Asia, square kufic calligraphy has held a significant place in the identity of Islamic architecture. Despite its earlier usage in Anatolia, it was rarely employed in Ottoman structures. Consequently, the square kufic script failed to become a prominent feature in mainstream calligraphy education or certification culture. Due to the lack of an education tradition and the abstract nature of the script, square kufic calligraphy poses challenges to readability. Nonetheless, there has been a growing interest in square kufic calligraphy in contemporary times, owing to its compatibility with modern aesthetics. The absence of a formalized education system has resulted in erroneous works during restoration or new designs. Consequently, there is a pressing need for scholarly research, documentation of historical examples, and detailed analysis of readings and compositions in this field. This article examines historical square kufic script examples in Istanbul’s historical buildings from the post-Mimar Sinan period to the beginning of the republic era. It provides detailed readings of the compositions, identifies any spelling errors, including missing or superfluous parts, and aims to offer corrective suggestions to prevent the recurrence of erroneous compositions in the future.

Assessment of Ecological Landscape Design: A Case Study Applying LEED Certification Criteria to BTU Mimar Sinan Campus

Assessment of Ecological Landscape Design: A Case Study Applying LEED Certification Criteria to BTU Mimar Sinan Campus

A poetic geography: placing urban literature in two districts of Istanbul, Türkiye

ABSTRACT This article presents a map of a ‘poetic geography’ of short literature that appeared in public in two districts on the Asian side of Istanbul, Türkiye between 2020 and 2023. I use Michel de Certeau’s concept of ‘Walking the City’ from his The Practice of Everyday Life (1984) to link space and time to map the literary material found in Istanbul’s Üsküdar and Kadıköy districts. A poetic geography contrasts with a literal map that reduces all traces to a geometrically consistent two-dimensional surface. Mapping a poetic geography offers the advantages of annotating short verbal expressions in their lived environments without the need to collect, control, and own literary fragments. After an introduction to ‘Walking Istanbul’ through a comparison of short literary fragments found in the Rasimpaşa (Kadıköy) and Mimar Sinan (Üsküdar) neighbourhoods, I offer a definition of short literary genres that includes the material, or space and time of rhetorical figures, topoi and tropes, as embodied practices. Including the material allows for both researchers and residents to annotate examples of short literature that are distributed in diverse materials across unique urban settings.

Development of a Method for Preservation Appraisal of Historic Transportation Structures and Its Application for the Masonry Bridges of Mimar Sinan

Social history is closely related to the history of transportation. Since the establishment of the first settlements, bridges have been fundamental elements along established land routes, providing mobility, accessibility, reliability, safety, and comfort to their users over the many elements that act as obstacles along these routes. Supporting commerce, trade, and unfortunately wars, these bridges were instrumental in the efficient use of time, enhancing the possibilities of development and progress through interaction between the groups of people using them. Although quite variable in type and dimensions, bridges are unique elements of civil engineering. The effort required to construct them was and remains very demanding in the time spent, techniques used, and resources consumed. Before the advances in construction methods beginning with the use of iron and steam engines following the Industrial Revolution, stone masonry arch construction with the use of timber false-works, masonry blocks, masonry piers, and timber piles, mechanisms of pulleys and levers provided the fundamental materials and techniques used to construct lasting bridges. Along the many examples of masonry arch bridges from far back in history, there is a unique group of stone masonry bridges dating back to the 16th century and constructed by a single polymath, Mimar Sinan. This article will investigate the characteristics of the bridges built by Sinan and their evaluation for preservation and implementation in contemporary urban life through a proposed preservation appraisal method.

Enhancing the worship experience: a quantitative approach to the Şehzade and Süleymaniye discussion

Süleyman I and Mimar Sinan stand as influential figures of the Ottoman Empire, leaving an indelible mark on Istanbul's cultural and architectural landscape. Built by Sinan for Süleyman the Magnificent, Şehzade Mehmed and Süleymaniye Mosques in particular have been subjects of debate. Şehzade is described by many scholars as a peak in sixteenth century Ottoman architecture, whilst Süleymaniye, built shortly after, is viewed as an architectural regression. This article investigates the transition from the symmetrical quatrefoil scheme of Şehzade to Süleymaniye’s basilica-like design with quantitative methods, based on certain design principles. Spatial perception, visibility, and daylight analyses were conducted on models and plan drawings based on 3D point cloud data obtained from terrestrial laser scanning. Spatial perception analyses suggest that Sinan intended to influence users’ perception with the formation of the superstructure. Resulting visibility levels of certain focal points in the sanctum area prove how they were pivotal in the design process. Finally, daylight analyses results indicate how daylight was also a significant design criterion for Sinan. Ultimately, the study demonstrates that Süleymaniye’s floor plan is an improved design addressing the spatial issues that exist in Şehzade, highlighting Mimar Sinan’s effort to enhance the worship experience.

Architectural Structure and Functions of the Külliye of Sofu Mehmed Paşa in Sofia with a Special Focus on its Medrese and Kütüphane

During the Ottoman rule, especially in its early centuries, high-ranking officers founded large waqf establishments which provided free education, health care and protection and served as poor-relief social institutions. One of these multifunctional complexes which served the whole Muslim community was founded in the center of the European province Rumeli by Sofu Mehmed Paşa, an Ottoman governor during the reign of Sultan Süleyman I. The waqf külliye in Sofia, designed by the great architect Mimar Sinan, comprised a Friday Mosque, a medrese with a manuscript library, a caravanserai and guest-houses, a bath-house, a hospice, a public kitchen, a bakery with storerooms. Various archival sources from the 17th - mid-19th centuries, provided rich data about its role in the economic, socio-cultural development and everyday life of the population and the guests of Sofia. The available data also enables Sofu Mehmed Paşa’s medrese and its significance in the Ottoman education system to be examined.

İstanbul’daki Bazı Tarihi Yapıların Ma’kılî Hatları Üzerine

The square kufıc (ma’ qıli) calligraphy, frequently employed as early as the 11th
 century in the architecture of the Great Seljuks and Anatolian Seljuks periods, gradually
 yielded its place to other calligraphic styles and penwork embellishments in Ottoman
 constructions. Conversely, compared to other script forms, an insufficient body of
 scientific research is dedicated to the accurate comprehension and thorough recognition of
 ma’qili calligraphic art. This unique calligraphic style, which is not traditionally imparted
 within conventional calligraphy education and is currently witnessing renewed interest in
 Islamic architecture and art across various countries, necessitates comprehensive studies
 to elucidate its nuanced reading and compositional logic.
 This article undertakes a detailed exploration of some Square Kufıc calligraphy from
 the era of Mimar Sinan in Istanbul to the period preceding Sinan’s time. In addition
 to analyzing the content and compositions of the inscriptions, specific errors and
 interpretations are also addressed.

A Model for Researching the Concept of Beautiful in Architecture: The Three Structures of Mimar Sinan

A Model for Researching the Concept of Beautiful in Architecture: The Three Structures of Mimar Sinan

Works done in the field of application of information technologies to libraries. (based on the creation of the technological model of the Azerbaijan University of Architecture and Construction Library)

One of the achievements in the field of education development in recent years is the emergence and development of digital libraries. This term began to be used in the late 80s in foreign publications in connection with the development of Project Gutenberg in 1971. This process is intensively developed and improved to this day. Depending on the level of development of the state (availability of high-speed Internet, financing of institutions, etc.), this process develops at different rates around the world and involves various public and private institutions. Digital libraries have become even more important during the COVID-19 pandemic as researchers and readers have been able to access vast amounts of resources at any time of the day during this challenging period when people have been confined to their homes. To date, the presence of an electronic library in the university has become an indicator of its respectability. There are certain criteria for university libraries, so they must cover scientific, educational and methodological literature in all taught disciplines. The main advantage of digital libraries is the confidence that they will deliver information better than it was in the past. At the same time, the creation and development of electronic libraries encounters a number of problems and difficulties. First of all, at present there is no clear understanding of what an electronic library is, what information systems should be attributed to this class, what are the requirements and evaluation criteria for them. In this article, we will analyze the emergence and development of the digital library, reveal the main obstacles to its development based on the creation of a technological model for the library of the Azerbaijan University of Architecture and Construction and the electronic library of the Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts in Turkey.

Investigation of Housing Projects for Rural Areas in Terms of Sustainability Criteria with Revit-The Case of Kayseri

To realize sustainable rural development, it aims to contribute to constructing rural dwellings that are sensitive to climate change and resistant to disasters, where resources are used efficiently. The study was carried out in five parts. In the first part, the study area was determined. Secondly, information about the subject was collected. The third part is the field study, and the architectural features of the old and new houses in the study area were determined. In the fourth chapter, the rural housing projects designed by TOKİ, the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, and Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University and the selected residences in the study area were modeled in the Revit program and analyzed based on the sustainability criteria. Finally, in the last section, the conclusions and recommendations are presented. It has been found that the housing projects prepared for the rural area are in a disadvantageous position in terms of solar orientation and daylight benefit compared to the residences in the study area and an advantageous situation in terms of energy consumption. This study is limited to examining the determined rural housing in terms of solar utilization and energy consumption characteristics of ecological sustainability. This study's findings indicate that sustainability analyses be made at the design stage of all buildings, especially rural residences. At this point, making these analyzes mandatory for obtaining construction permits may help increase energy-efficient construction. In the literature review, no study was found on examining rural houses according to the sustainability criteria with the Revit Program.

Using normative inquiry and co-design to embed inclusive design in social design education

Collaborations of universities with different stakeholders can extend students’ learning and result in capacity development among all the collaborators. The project described in this article, SIDe, involved partners from the UK and Turkey who develop a mechanism together to effectively embed inclusive design and co-design in social design education. The knowledge production through normative inquiry and the experience of a shared equal voice among all the partners resulted in the SIDe Model, enabling collaborators to understand their unique contributions. The model was tested with students from four different disciplines at the Faculty of Architecture, Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. This article offers original insights into how normative inquiry can be realized in course design and project execution to drive inclusion in social design education; it also provides the improved design process model – the SIDe model – to facilitate potential wider adoption of the good practice.

BURSA GÂLLE HANI’NIN MİMARI KOCA SİNAN MI?

Bursa’da yer alan Ali Paşa Kervansarayı, Mimar Sinan’ın eserlerine atfedilen kervansaray-han yapılarından biridir. Han, Yeni Gâlle Pazarı, Gâlle Hanı, Tahıl Hanı gibi isimlerle de anılır. Mevcut tahıl pazarının Bursa’da ihtiyacı karşılamakta yetersiz kalması nedeniyle Sadrazam Semiz Ali Paşa tarafından 16. yüzyılda inşa ettirilmiştir. Yapının Mimar Sinan’a atfedilmesinin dayanağı ise Sinan’ın eserlerinin listesini barındıran Tezkiretü’l-Bünyan ve Tezkiretü’l-Ebniye isimli yazmalarda yer almasıdır. Evliya Çelebi de Seyahatnamesi’nde bu bilgiyi doğrular. Çalışmamızda, bugün büyük kısmı şehirleşme nedeniyle yok olan kervansarayın gerçekten Mimar Sinan eliyle inşa edilip edilmediği veya şehir mimarlarının yapıya inşa ve inşa sonrası aşamalardaki etkileri araştırılacaktır. Bu araştırma ile şehir mimarlarının önem ve yetkinliklerine güncel bir örnek sunulması amaçlamaktadır.

Mimar Sinan Camilerinde Sütunların Formları, Dikey ve Yanal Yük Kapasiteleri

Along with the walls, columns are the main load-bearing elements in carrying vertical and horizontal loads in most historic masonry buildings. When the mosques of Mimar Sinan, the great Ottoman architect, are examined, it is seen that there is a wide variety in column forms. Motivated by this situation, in this study, the column forms in Sinan's a few mosques were investigated, their geometric dimensions were measured, and the vertical and lateral load carrying capacities of them were determined. The columns examined are the columns of Sinan Pasha, Kılıç Ali Pasha, Üsküdar Mihrimah Sultan, Selimiye, Şehzade and Süleymaniye mosques. Initially, the vertical capacities of the columns were calculated with both the classical stress equation and the Abaqus program, and very close results were obtained with the two calculation methods. Then, lateral load carrying capacities were calculated only by using of the Abaqus program. It has been once again seen and emphasized that height is also important, along with other relevant factors, on the lateral load capacities of the columns.

Samples of Kalemişi Work of the Çinili Bath Restoration with Zeyrek

Zeyrek Çinili Hamam, mimarisi, geleneksel ısınma sistemi ve süsleme elemanları
 açısından önem arz eden çifte bir hamamdır. 2010 yılında başlanan Çinili Hamam Koruma-
 Onarım ve Rehabilitasyon Projesi sonucunda yapının hamam işlevi ve ortaya çıkan
 kalemişleri korunacaktır.
 Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa’nın İstanbul’da tesis ettiği evkafına gelir getirmesi amacıyla
 bu yapı inşa edilmiştir. Zeyrek Çinili Hamam’ın bir inşa veya ihya kitâbesi olmamasına
 rağmen, Hassa Başmimarı Sinan tarafından inşa edildiği konusunda bir tereddüt bulunmamaktadır.
 Mimar Sinan’ın yaptığı yapıların listesini veren tezkirelerde ve Barbaros
 Hayrettin Paşa’nın vakfiyesinde hamamın adı geçmektedir. Mimar Sinan, Türk klasik
 hamamlarının temel ilkelerine bağlı kalmak koşuluyla, hamam mimarisi plan şemasında
 her zaman yeni arayışlar içinde olmuştur.
 Restorasyon çalışmaları sonucunda hamamın erkekler ve kadınlara ait soyunmalık
 kısımlarında yapıya ayrı bir boyut kazandıran kalemişleri gün ışığına çıkarılmıştır. Cibali
 yangınları sonrasında gerçekleşen onarımlarda yapılan ilk katman kalemişleri 1850
 senelerine aittir. Günümüze ulaşan en nitelikli kalemişleri ise 1850-1890 yılları arasına tarihlenir. 19. yüzyıla tarihlenen ve iki dönem şeklinde uygulanan kalemişleri bu makale
 ile ilk kez literatüre kazandırılmaktadır. Alt bölümlerin bezemeleri birbiri üstüne uygulanmış
 katmanlar halinde iken duvarların üst bölümlerinde ve kubbe geçişinde yer alan
 siyah-beyaz kalemişi ise tek katman halindedir. Klasik Dönem yapılarına 19. yüzyılda
 eklenen kalemişleri ile bu bezemeler arasında karşılaştırma yapılarak, benzerlikler örnekleri
 ile ortaya konulmuştur.

Detecting the ground-dependent structural damages in a historic mosque by employing GPR

This study aims to employ one of the most significant geophysical methods, known as the ground penetrating radar (GPR) method, in the determination of reasons for the underground cavities, the size of deformations and fractures in the ground and structure, the geometric behavior patterns, and the soil-structure interaction and changes in a historic structure. In addition to the instrumental examination, an observational investigation of the current situation of the mosque was also carried out. İskender Pasha Mosque, which is a rare mosque having a tabhane (guest house), is one of the important historical mosques regarded as built-in Mimar Sinan style in Diyarbakır, Turkey in 1552. The instrumental examination part of the study was conducted totally in 13 different regions of the mosque and its courtyard. Within this scope, 8 GPR measurements were taken on the ground of the mosque and its immediate environment and 5 GPR measurements were taken on the walls of the mosque. The GPR measurements indicated that there are serious subsidence anomalies under the mosque and its courtyard. Besides, there is a water table under the portico of the mosque which may lead to big problems in the future. In addition, observationally detected structural deteriorations were supported by geophysical GPR measurements. It was revealed that problems dealing with the leveling irregularities on the floor of the harim, portico, and courtyard are directly related to the anomalies under the ground. Moreover, it was achieved from both instrumental and observational investigations that the anomalies under the ground are directly the reasons for the anomalies in the walls of the mosque. GPR results demonstrated that this technique can be used effectively to determine anomalies in both the carrier system of the historic structures and the ground under the historic structures without any damage.

PREFACE

Abstract. This year the event of the Joint Geospatial Asia-Europe 2021 and GeoAdvances 2021 was held virtually from Casablanca, Morocco from 5 to 6th October. Sixty-two papers were received and 46 papers were accepted for the ISPRS International Archives. These papers could be categorized into three sub-disciplines – GIS, Geomatics, and Geo-computation (machine learning and applications). All accepted papers as revealed in this proceedings and presented at the conference. Several renowned researchers presented their works as keynotes, they are Prof Dr Peter van Oosterom (from TU Delft, the Netherlands), Prof Dr Volker Coors (from HfT Stuttgart, Germany), Dr Filip Biljecli (from National University of Singapore), Prof Dr Hassan Rhinane (from Hassan II University Casablanca, Morocco), Prof Dr Umit Isikdag (from Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Turkey), Assoc Prof Dr Gurcan Buyuksalih (Istanbul, Turkey), Prof Dr Sisi Zlatanova (from University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia), Assoc Prof Dr Lars Bodum (Aalborg University, Denmark), Prof Dr Andreas Buerkert (from University of Kassel, Germany). Presentations from Invited Speakers from various universities and research institutes from Philippines, Malaysia, Poland, Switzerland, Qatar, Indonesia, and Germany enhanced the conference academic standing.We would like to thank all reviewers for their diligent works on the feedbacks and comments on the assigned papers.Last, but not least, gratitude to all the volunteers mainly our research students for making sure all the online system runs smoothly.Enjoy!

ЗАМОК ТІГІНА У ФОРТЕЦІ БЕНДЕРИ

The Bender fortress - the largest fortification in Moldova, consisting of a castle and a stone-earth fortress, was used by the 14th Army of the Russian Federation until 2008. Therefore for a long time, it was inaccessible for field studies, which soon revealed the contradiction between the accepted history and architecture. Two historical documents - the history of Sultan Suleiman about the construction of the fortress in 1538 and the memoirs of a traveler of the 17th century. Evlia Celebi determined the official record of the foundation of the stone fortress called Benders, closing the topic of the fortress's history before the Ottoman rejection, previously known in the sources as Tighina. A study of the castle's architecture and its comparison with graphic materials and historical photographs revealed that the current state had preserved enough details and traces of structures dating back to its construction before the use of artillery in defense. Among them: traces of the upper battle on the towers, adaptations for the mosque of the second tier of the entrance tower, the absence of walls facing the courtyard of the prismatic towers, a filled-in ditch near the walls of the castle - all these features indicate that, according to one of the most likely versions, the builders of the castle Tighina were Genoese. An analysis of graphic images and photographs of the castle, made before the architectural degradation of the structure, revealed the missing details that indicate features characteristic of the period before the probable construction of 1538. The castle's architecture was two centuries older than it is currently dated based on historical research, corresponding to a time before the use of firearms and artillery. This is evidenced by the loss of the first moat arranged near the walls of the castle, the wooden galleries on the top of the towers, from which the exit openings to the galleries and sockets from the consoles have been preserved, the missing walls of the prismatic towers facing the courtyard, similar to fortresses in northern Italy. The arrangement of the mosque in the second tier of the entrance tower was carried out later, for which it was necessary to dismantle the stone vault of the entrance passage, replacing it 2.0 m lower with a flat ceiling, and to arrange the entrance to the mosque several steps below the fighting passage, etc. Round artillery loopholes replaced vertical embrasures for bow and arrow defense. The Tighinsky castle was not made of wood and earth; a stone made by Turkish builders did not replace it - it is the same castle mentioned in 1408 as a guardhouse and customs house, and the details indicate a specific time and architectural and cultural region of influence. During the Turkish period, the Upper Fortress and a second moat were built at a distance from the castle, along the inner edge of which, on three sides, bastions for artillery, characteristic of the 16th century, were arranged, from which a tower with a drawbridge was preserved - it seems that this is all that was preserved from Mimar Sinan's contribution to the strengthening of the Bender Castle.

Investigation of structural problems on the ground and walls of Diyarbakir Historical Behram Pasha Mosque by the georadar (GPR) method

Behram Pasha Mosque is one of the historical mosques, which is the work of Mimar Sinan [1], located in the southwest of Diyarbakır’s Suriçi Region. Georadar (GPR) method is one of the geophysical applications in which possible gaps, fractures, collapses, etc. damages are determined non-destructively on the walls and floors of historical buildings. Therefore, in one of the historic mosques in Diyarbakir Behram Pasha Mosque, expert geophysical engineers carried out the GPR scanning of the grounds and walls without damaging the mosque’s physical structure. In GPR surveys, the depth of investigation (penetration) was chosen as 20 m on the ground and 4 m on the wall. It is aimed to show the anomaly structures in the study area and its immediate surroundings due to the determination of the underground void structures and the continuity of the surface fractures at the research depth. In GPR studies, it has been determined that there are cracks and fractures on the walls of the mosque, of which the smallest was 12 cm and the largest was 40 cm, water leakage on the ground, deterioration due to corrosion, and partial collapses. The regions with the detected deformations are marked on the radar sections. The study was completed with the thought that the determined structural problems will contribute to the restoration and strengthening works to be done in the future in the mosque as an up-to-date guide.