Sultantepe, Istanbul
Encyclopedia
Sultantepe is a neighborhood in the municipality of Üsküdar
on the Asian side of Istanbul
, Turkey
. The name Sultantepe means "sultan hill."
The traditional Sultantepe neighborhood is centered on a public square at the top of a hill overlooking the historic center of Üsküdar. Because of governmental reorganization, the present official neighborhood now includes the traditional neighborhood on the hilltop and hillsides in addition to almost all of the former Hacı Hesna Hatun neighborhood, parts of the former Selmanağa neighborhood, and parts of the İcadiye
and Kuzguncuk
neighborhoods.
During Byzantine
times, there was a building with marble columns, possibly a church, on the hilltop.
During Ottoman
times, according to one source, the neighborhood was selected as a residence by a woman in Suleiman the Magnificent
's court, Hacı Hesna Hatun (Lady Hesna the Hajji
), the nursemaid of his daughter Mihrimah Sultan. As Mihrimah grew up and Hesna prepared for retirement, Hesna asked Mihrimah for a site from which she could watch the sultan and his palace
. Mihrimah gave her the land that is now Sultantepe and had a residence built for her there. According to another source, Mihrimah had tuberculosis and her doctors sent her to Sultantepe for the healthier air. Hesna accompanied her and had a mosque built there.
Sultantepe is mostly a residential neighborhood. Retail businesses are concentrated along Selmani Pak Avenue on the southern edge of the neighborhood and around the square on top of the hill.
Schools in the neighborhood include Sultantepe Elementary School, Halide Edip Adıvar High School, and Üsküdar Commerce High School. A school was founded in the Sultantepe house of Turkish novelist and educator Halide Edip Adıvar
in 1925 and again in 1937; the house, however, collapsed in 1939. The present Sultantepe Elementary was built on its site.
Mosques in the neighborhood include Hacı Hesna Hatun (first built 16th century, rebuilt 1900, repaired 1957), Bâkî Efendi (built 1644, repaired 1875), and Mirzâzâde (built 1730-1), around the top of the hill; Sheyh Mustafa Devati and Abdi Efendi, in the former Selmanağa neighborhood; and Abdurrahman Ağa (built 1766-7, rebuilt or repaired 1832-33, 1965, and 1995) in Paşalimanı.
One of the most important historical sites of the neighborhood is the Özbekler Tekkesi (Uzbeks
' Dervish Lodge), first built in the 1750s for pilgrims from Central Asia
, possibly on the place where such pilgrims traditionally pitched their tents. The tekke
was run by the Naqshbandi
order and was rebuilt in 1844. It played a role in the Turkish War of Independence
as a refuge and meeting place for members of the resistance, communications center, hospital, and weapons depot. To the northeast of the lodge is the tekke's cemetery, which holds the graves of the tekke's shaykhs
and others associated with the tekke. Among those buried there are Münir Ertegün
, Nesuhi Ertegun
, and Ahmet Ertegun
. At the entrance to the cemetery is the tomb of Ali Rıza Efendi, about whom nothing is known except that he died at age 15.
The largest green space in the area is the Fethi Paşa Korusu
(Fethi Pasha Grove), on the northeastern edge of the neighborhood.
Üsküdar
Üsküdar is a large and densely populated municipality of Istanbul, Turkey, on the Anatolian shore of the Bosphorus. It is bordered on the north by Beykoz, on the east by Ümraniye, on the southeast by Ataşehir, on the south by Kadıköy, and on the west by the Bosphorus, with the areas of Beşiktaş,...
on the Asian side of Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. The name Sultantepe means "sultan hill."
The traditional Sultantepe neighborhood is centered on a public square at the top of a hill overlooking the historic center of Üsküdar. Because of governmental reorganization, the present official neighborhood now includes the traditional neighborhood on the hilltop and hillsides in addition to almost all of the former Hacı Hesna Hatun neighborhood, parts of the former Selmanağa neighborhood, and parts of the İcadiye
İcadiye
İcadiye is a neighborhood in the Üsküdar municipality on the Asian side of Istanbul, Turkey. It is centered on İcadiye Hill and is bordered on the north by Kuzguncuk, on the east by Altunizade, on the south by Selami Ali, and on the west by Sultantepe...
and Kuzguncuk
Kuzguncuk
Kuzguncuk is a neighborhood in the Üsküdar district on the Asian side of the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey. The neighborhood is centered on a valley opening to the Bosphorus and is somewhat isolated from the main part of the city, being surrounded by nature preserves, cemeteries, and a military...
neighborhoods.
During Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
times, there was a building with marble columns, possibly a church, on the hilltop.
During Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
times, according to one source, the neighborhood was selected as a residence by a woman in Suleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman I was the tenth and longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1520 to his death in 1566. He is known in the West as Suleiman the Magnificent and in the East, as "The Lawgiver" , for his complete reconstruction of the Ottoman legal system...
's court, Hacı Hesna Hatun (Lady Hesna the Hajji
Hajji
Hajji or El-Hajj, is an honorific title given to a Muslim person who has successfully completed the Hajj to Mecca, and is often used to refer to an elder, since it can take time to accumulate the wealth to fund the travel. The title is placed before a person's name...
), the nursemaid of his daughter Mihrimah Sultan. As Mihrimah grew up and Hesna prepared for retirement, Hesna asked Mihrimah for a site from which she could watch the sultan and his palace
Topkapi Palace
The Topkapı Palace is a large palace in Istanbul, Turkey, that was the primary residence of the Ottoman Sultans for approximately 400 years of their 624-year reign....
. Mihrimah gave her the land that is now Sultantepe and had a residence built for her there. According to another source, Mihrimah had tuberculosis and her doctors sent her to Sultantepe for the healthier air. Hesna accompanied her and had a mosque built there.
Sultantepe is mostly a residential neighborhood. Retail businesses are concentrated along Selmani Pak Avenue on the southern edge of the neighborhood and around the square on top of the hill.
Schools in the neighborhood include Sultantepe Elementary School, Halide Edip Adıvar High School, and Üsküdar Commerce High School. A school was founded in the Sultantepe house of Turkish novelist and educator Halide Edip Adıvar
Halide Edip Adivar
Halide Edip Adıvar or Halide Edib Adivar was a Turkish novelist and feminist political leader...
in 1925 and again in 1937; the house, however, collapsed in 1939. The present Sultantepe Elementary was built on its site.
Mosques in the neighborhood include Hacı Hesna Hatun (first built 16th century, rebuilt 1900, repaired 1957), Bâkî Efendi (built 1644, repaired 1875), and Mirzâzâde (built 1730-1), around the top of the hill; Sheyh Mustafa Devati and Abdi Efendi, in the former Selmanağa neighborhood; and Abdurrahman Ağa (built 1766-7, rebuilt or repaired 1832-33, 1965, and 1995) in Paşalimanı.
One of the most important historical sites of the neighborhood is the Özbekler Tekkesi (Uzbeks
Uzbeks
The Uzbeks are a Turkic ethnic group in Central Asia. They comprise the majority population of Uzbekistan, and large populations can also be found in Afghanistan, Tajikstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Pakistan, Mongolia and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China...
' Dervish Lodge), first built in the 1750s for pilgrims from Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
, possibly on the place where such pilgrims traditionally pitched their tents. The tekke
Khanqah
A Khanqah, Khaniqah , ribat, zawiya, or tekke is a building designed specifically for gatherings of a Sufi brotherhood, or tariqa, and is a place for spiritual retreat and character reformation...
was run by the Naqshbandi
Naqshbandi
Naqshbandi is one of the major Sufi spiritual orders of Sufi Islam. It is considered to be a "Potent" order.The Naqshbandi order is over 1,300 years old, and is active today...
order and was rebuilt in 1844. It played a role in the Turkish War of Independence
Turkish War of Independence
The Turkish War of Independence was a war of independence waged by Turkish nationalists against the Allies, after the country was partitioned by the Allies following the Ottoman Empire's defeat in World War I...
as a refuge and meeting place for members of the resistance, communications center, hospital, and weapons depot. To the northeast of the lodge is the tekke's cemetery, which holds the graves of the tekke's shaykhs
Shaykh of Sufism
A Shaykh , , of Sufism is a Sufi who is authorized to teach, initiate and guide aspiring dervishes. The shaykh is vital to the path of the novice sufi, for the shaykh has himself travelled the path of mysticism...
and others associated with the tekke. Among those buried there are Münir Ertegün
Münir Ertegün
Mehmet Münir Ertegün was a Turkish legal counsel in international law to the "Sublime Porte" of the late Ottoman Empire and a diplomat of the Turkish Republic during its early years...
, Nesuhi Ertegun
Nesuhi Ertegun
Nesuhi Ertegun was a Turkish record producer and executive of Atlantic Records and WEA International.-Background:Born in Istanbul, Turkey, Nesuhi and his family, including younger brother Ahmet, moved to Washington, D.C...
, and Ahmet Ertegun
Ahmet Ertegun
Ahmet Ertegün was a Turkish American musician and businessman, best known as the founder and president of Atlantic Records. He also wrote classic blues and pop songs and served as Chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and museum...
. At the entrance to the cemetery is the tomb of Ali Rıza Efendi, about whom nothing is known except that he died at age 15.
The largest green space in the area is the Fethi Paşa Korusu
Fethi Pasa Korusu
Fethi Paşa Korusu is a large park in Istanbul, Turkey, on the hillside coming right down to the Bosphorus shore in the area called Paşalimanı. It is located between Kuzguncuk and Sultantepe neighborhoods in district Üsküdar on the...
(Fethi Pasha Grove), on the northeastern edge of the neighborhood.