Ottoman Architecture: A Travel Through Time Essay

The pansys be among the neat builders in history. Their computer computer computer architecture is basically focussed on the social system of mosques which were not wholly meant for ghostlike purposes plainly to a fault to compress social functions. Among the architects who make a epithet in the nance imperium is Sinan, the proud architect. As the head architect of the fagot pudding stone during grand Turk Suleymans reign, he intented mosques that exemplified beauty and grace. He derived his ingestion from the tough pudding stones Hagia Sophia.The paper contains a discussion of the ripening of pouffe architecture. It traces the roots of the b pitiful cheat from Iznik tiles and moves on to the clearal occlusive or the thriving age quilt architecture, the limit of westsideward influence, the revival of quaternaryteenth and 15th ampere- morsel designs and the trends that moved(p) 19th coulomb drag architecture. It in addition elaborates on the p revalent designs during these periods and how they were achieved. At the end of the paper, thither is a curtly discussion of the Byzantine water tankaa, the Yerebatan Sarnici or the sinking palace.tuffet Architecture A trip Through Time The Ottoman Empire is considered as one of the greatest and to the richlyest degree ca aimful civilizations that thrived in the modern period, include the primal fourteenth snow permanent into the twentieth coulomb. The empires result of glory in the sixteenth degree centigrade represents one of the highschool of human optimism, nontextual matter and creativity. They reinforced the largest and most influential Moslem empires of the modern ground,influencing the Muslim world as well and europium in their military expansions (Hooker, 1996).There be deuce sources of Ottoman architecture the nurture of mod architectural forms in Anatolia, p deviceicularly Manisa, Iznik, Bursa and Seeuk during the fourteenth and 15th centuries and Christian art (Telerama, n. d. ). The early Ottoman period which started in the fourteenth speed of light was the peak of Turkish architecture. During this period Ottoman art was in seek for parvenu ideas to form a certain air it can call its own. In this request for its own identity, single-domed, tiered and sublime-angled mosques were given birth (Sansal, 2008).Many liberal arts were too developed during this period such as the production of Iznik tiles, used in decorating mosques and another(prenominal) structures. Artists from Tabriz introduced to the Ottoman empire the technique of creating the tiles. fit in to Goodwin (cited in Telerama, n. d. ), the floral motifs of Iznik tiles were utilized to symbolise a common motif of Moslem artparadise garden. From Iznik tiles, Ottoman architecture gradually developed to give vogue to the classical architectural means or the of the era of the domes.This period started when the Ottoman empire captured Constantinople, the se at of eastern Christendom and making it its capital. It is here where they introduced various innovations in the arts and architecture. The Ottoman hold in Constantinople led to the conversion of the great Byzantine church, the Hagia Sophia, to an imperial mosque. This architectural became the source of inspiration of the Ottoman architects (Yalman, n. d. ). The neat Mosque or the Ulu Cami which was construct in Bursa is the out trammel Seljuk mosque that was converted into a dome.During this period, the construct of Christian churches and the renovation of those in disrepair was prohibited by the Ottomans. The Ottoman rulers sole(prenominal) tolerated the building of mosques for their Muslim faith. During this period, the protrudes of the mosques included inner and external courtyards. The inner courtyard is inseparable from the mosque. to a greater extent than than than just a place of worship, mosques during the Ottoman period were looked upon by society as an inter connection of city figurening and communal life.As seeming(a) in the pictures of structures during this period, beside the mosque were dope kitchens, hospitals, theological schools, Turkish baths and tombs (Sansal, 2008). The architectural style during the late 14th and 15th centuries dilate mosques with a large dome on a dress up over a prayer hall that has a angular shape. Others include mosques with deuce domes in a single line. Steirlin said that the two important domes, set one behind the other, are the distinguishing feature of a form of mosque that prevailed in the Ottoman world (cited in Telerama, n. d. ).Mehmed II, sixth successor to the Ottoman buttocks, ascended the Ottoman throne in 1444, ending his reign in 1481. During his rule, he introduced an ambitious rebuilding design for the empire. He tasked his architects to construct palaces and mosques, where the people could break spiritual and social activities. Among the notable structures built during this peri od were the Old palace, the Topkapi palace and Fatih coordination compound (Yalman, n. d. ). The Topkapi palace, built in 1478, served as the central office of the sultans and the center of the Ottoman government for four hundred categorys.Being the seat of power for a long time, the original design of the palace changed through time. The architects during this period displace inspiration from Byzantine, Turkic and Perso-Islamic artistic repertoires. off from these art forms, the Ottoman architects were excessively swayed by Renaissance art. Mehmed II was fascinated with the development of art in western Europe as well as Persian art. As a result thereof, European and Iranian artists infiltrated the Ottoman court and affected the kind of art and structures that were built during this period (Yalman, n. d. ).However, Mehmed IIs building programs scarce indicated the start of the flourishing of art and architecture in the Ottoman society. The Ottoman empire reached its zenith of splendor and power during the reign of grand Turk Suleyman I, also known as The smart as a whip. Being an avid fan of the arts and architecture, Ottoman architecture also began to divvy up shape during his rule. Sinan, his architect, dominated Ottoman art. He patterned the structures that he built later on Byzantine customs dutys and derived great influence from Hagia Sophia (MSN Encarta Online Encyclopedia, 2008).Mosques and religious complexes were built by Sinan and hundreds of public buildings were erected end-to-end the Ottoman empire. These buildings contributed to the dissemination and flourishing of Ottoman culture to the world (Yalman, n. d. ). Sinan built more(prenominal) than 300 structures in the Ottoman empire. He constructed at least 120 buildings in Constantinople and another 200 widely upset a hybridizing the empire. As the imperial architect, he took Ottoman architecture to new heights of style and grace (Whiting, 2000).Among the famous structures that h e built were the following the Sehzade kulliye (1548), and the Suleyman kulliye (after 1550) and his masterpiece, the Selim mosque at Edrine, Tur (1569-1575). These buildings invent clarity and logic in plan and elevation. Every part was intended for a purpose and contributes to the whole structure, no supererogatory element was added. The central feature of architecture during the reign of Sinan is the dome everything that was added to the building should attendant and subordinate it.A cascade of descend half domes buttresses and vaults as well as open spaces were the prevalent designs during this period. The masterpieces which Sinan created was the final ne plus ultra of two great traditions a rhetorical and aesthetic tradition that had been indigenous to Istanbul since the construction of the Byzantine church of Hagia Sophia in the sixth century and the other Islamic tradition of domical construction dating to the 10th century (The Ottomans, 2002). The unsubdivided yet aest hetic converge that Ottoman architects exhibited in their craft is repayable to their military training.Sinan and other Ottoman architects were initially trained to be military engineers (The Ottomans, 2002). Sinan was the nous architect of the Ottoman empire. He draw his inspiration from the Hagia Sophia, a 1000 year old Christian basilica of the Byzantine empire. In creating his masterpiece, the Suleymaniye Mosque (1550-57) in Istanbul, he achieved the imprint of percipient through the use of 138 arch windows. He also used a rich marble sheathing and stalactite decorations. Sinan also hook oned the design of Hagia Sophia, adding a lilliputian twist.Instead of a central-domed square with two flanking half domes, he created a all over square and surmounted it with a freehanded central dome which he set on a high drum and ringed it with refineder domes with minarets on the corners of the atomic domes (MSN Encarta online encyclopedia, 2008). The mosque which Sinan built w as more than just a mosqueit was a complex of buildings housing baths, dope up kitchens, schools and shops. The innovation that he introduced to the design of the Hagia Sophia eliminated the use of columns thus, there are no obstructions to view, light and air (Roberson, 1998).Windows, domes and arches dominated the 16th and seventeenth century Ottoman architecture. The Sinan style architecture emphasizes unity and coordination. No matter how small a part is, it is not neglect hence the architect sees to it that its design compliments with the whole. During this period, Ottoman architecture played a greater role than just building structures. The proliferation of building mosques and other edifice delimitate Ottoman power. The imperial architects followed a centralised design and implemented this throughout the empire.They also followed a standardized architecture to Ottomanize the at a time Mamluk territories. However, the architectural designs that were prevalent in the provi nces did not exactly copy the architectural designs of structures in the capital of the empire. The designs in the rural areas had to align with the available materials and skilled labor. The structures which were patronized by the provinces were the fountains, avanserais and building complexes which transformed the functions of the cities. Most of the mosques also exhibited hemisphirical domes and pencil-shaped minarets (Zeitlian, 2004).According to Baer (1989, p. 687), the highly articulated exteriors of Ottoman architecture reversed the standard Islamic preference in mosques which is to stress the privileged at the expense of the exterior. However, the greatness of Ottoman architectures Golden epoch waned in the 18th century, when architects deviated from classical architectural principles and adopted European styles. Baroque, Ampir and Rococo styles as well as excessive horse opera decorations influenced the architecture of the period. Fountains also proliferated the structu res that were then built (Sansal, 2008).Sinans influence to Ottoman architecture almost disappeared in the 19th century. During this period, Abdul Aziz and Sultan Abdulhamit II and other architects began to search for an internationalistic identity of Ottoman architecture. In their quest for this identity, the architects did not look back to the classic Ottoman architecture of Sinan but to precedent architectural stylesthe 14th and 15th century style in Turkey, 12th to 14th century styles in Andalusia particularly Seville and Granada in Spain and the 17th and 18th century styles in Moghul India.The innovations that 19th century architects introduced were more evident in the interior instead than the exteriors, which extended to be influenced by the West. They maintained an outward acceptance of western traditions and culture but kept the core and the heart of their craft to Islamic traditions. The prevalence of this kind of art exemplifies not just a simple act of change, but an indication of the empires visions. The Ottoman rulers in the second half of the 19th century accented their leadership of the Sunni Muslims worldwide, thus the need to adopt foreign architectural styles and infusing it with Islamic traditions.The style that prevailed during this period is known as the new Ottoman Caliphal Islamic style. This style engaged carved and painted woods with Kufi calligraphy, onion plant domes, horseshoe arches, towers and finials, use of flat areas of low relief and an exterior style of tile work (Duggan, 2002). According to Kuban (2001), the 19th century Ottoman architecture was not only limited to the erection of mosques. This period also gave way for the building of churches however, literature delving on this century of Ottoman architecture break in to touch this topic.Ottoman architecture remained to be Muslim from the capture of Constantinople until the 18th century. During this period, the renovation and building of Christian churches was prohi bited. Thus, no development on church architecture emerged. However, this rule changed by the end of the 18th century when legal and social rights were given to non-Muslims. By the 19th century, churches were built, some of them even adopting the styles that were employed in mosques such as the archs which were evident on the churchs interior.However, onwards growth of Ottoman architecture in Constantinople, the city already housed great architectural works. Aside from the famous Hagia Sophia, a splendiferous architectural piece by itself, the Basilica cisterna was built. It is located about southwestern United States of the famous Hagia Sophia and served as one of the historic structures of Istanbul. This cistern contained a great number of marble columns that arose out of the water, thus the parent sinking palace. The cistern was built during the rule of Emperor Justinianus. It is believed that seven railway yard slaves worked on the cistern.The water that placed on such c istern came from the Egrikap? Water dispersal Centre in Belgrade Forest. The plan for the cistern was created by a conclave of German divers. Within the cistern are 336 columns which reflect the corinth and dor types, are nine meters high and are arranged in 12 rows. The support for the ceiling are cross shaped vaults and round arches. Since its foundation, the cistern has undergone legion(predicate) reparations and restorations. The cistern which can hold up to 100,000 tons of water, provided the water utilized in the palace of the Byzantine empire.During the conquest of the Ottomans, the cistern supplied water to the Topkapi palace. However, after the Ottomans have schematic their own water facilities, they ceased using the cistern as they preferred to use trial water rather than still water. The cistern remained to be a secret from the west until the discovery by Dutch traveller who was studying the remains of the Byzantine empire. The cistern was transformed into a museum after undergoing reparations and restorations from 1985 to 1987.The cistern again went through deep modify in 1994 (Yerebatan Sarnici, n. d. ). Despite the numerous years that passed, the influences of Ottoman architecture still remain to be a source of care and inspiration in the erection of buildings. The useful designs of Sinan, the employment of numerous windows to allow more air and light to circulate and the emptying of the use of too much columns in a structure to give more emphasis to the center serve as great contribution to modern daylight architecture.