On the Street: Raise Your Head : Old Taksim Barracks and the pedestrianization project

Old Taksim Artillery Barracks and surroundings

http://www.hayal-et.org/i.php/site/building/taksim_klas

The barracks was erected during the reign of Selim III in parallel to the modernization projects in army and administration instutions. Taksim barracks was used by the modernized artillery troops and by creating such a military center, the new militia ( alternative for traditional janissary organization) was isolated from the city life and the court. Thereby, the new militia would not be available to invade court like the janissaries did during the crises and especially sultans preferred to build new barracks in remote places like Levent and Selimiye, away from the court. Another barracks, which was also named Selimiye referring to the name of the sultan,was also built in Asian side in order to keep the military reforms safe and away from the janissary resistance. Since the janissary organisation was powerful with its deeply penetrated network in the society and could easily benefit from the conservative reactions against modernization and westernization projects, Selim III and successor sultans tried to get rid of janissaries and made military reforms in sparsely resided parts of the city.

Selimiye Barracks ( Üsküdar, 1800)

However, this precaution did not work and on 1808 the revolt by Kabakçı Mustafa -old army member- result in the first ruinate of the Taksim Barracks and attack to new army. Taksim barracks was one of the symbols of ongoing modernization project and raising in the recently urbanizing part of the city called as Pera or Beyoglu - with western look. Even Beyoglu gained its character in second half of 19 th century, the construction of the barracks was signaling other construction projects like water distribution and sewage systems that accelerated urbanization.

The gate of the barracks was famous with its onion-shaped domes and the facade was designed with an eclecticism of oriental styles of Indian-Mughal, Russian and classical Ottoman architecture. I am not sure about but I guess that Taksim Barracks was one sample of Ottoman Baroque ( Dolmabahçe Palace, Pertevniyal Valide Mosque ) or Empire styles, please share your ideas if you have any information. Also, there is no certain information about the architect of the building, but should be a member of Armenian Balyan family, probably Krikor Balyan.

Taksim Barracks ( 1803-1806 )

http://wowturkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=668

http://www.mimdap.org/?p=101566

Also,I think there are other contemporary samples looks similar with barracks like Serasker gate of Istanbul University ( Dar-ül Finun, 1865) which was built after the abolition of janissary organization in Beyazıt Square.

Istanbul University Serasker Gate ( Beyazit Square, 1865)

http://www.kitabeler.net/tarihi-yapi-kitabeleri/96-istanbul-universitesi-beyazit-giris-kapisi.html

The water distribution system encountered in pedestrinization project (2013)

Maksem buildings ( water distribution resorvoirs ) behind the statue

The entrance of the building ( the picture below) was oriented on the way going to Şişli-Harbiye direction and on the square there was series of shops with a common roof. As you see from the picture, Taksim Monument of Republic was already erected (1928), so the date of the picture might be between 1928-1940, before the demolition of barracks. Another interesting point is that the modern apartments are raising in Talimhane - where before only the military practices took place on an empty field - and actually this picture shows the changed function of the barracks and surroundings. Especially the ring between Taksim and Şişli is only allotted for residence from now on.

In the picture below, we can not see the building covering the series of shops anymore and Talimhane is already flourished as a region for residence (on the left corner where is now a lively hostel district).

Inside the Barracks

The barracks was partly destroyed -once more- in 1909 due to the upraising of the soldiers against the changed political order and re-organization of the military after the declaration of II. Constitutional Monarchy. Barracks was ruined and did not have a comprehensive restoration which was signalling that the function of the building is not goning to be the same anymore .

During the WW I years and Republican period barracks was used for football matches, many of them were important in Turkish sport history because first international matches took place here and in the social memory barracks was remembered as the ""Taksim Stadium"" for a long time.

http://www.hayal-et.org/i.php/site/building/taksim_klas

After Destruction of the Barracks

Talimhane, Harbiye, Şişli and Nişantaşı was already filled with high buidings at the time when the barracks was demolished. Probably the Armenian cemeteries along Harbiye was also demolished because the area further than the barracks also seem empty - today Divan and Hilton hotels, Military House, TRT buildings exist in the place of cemeteries.

The picture below shows Armenian and Catholic Armenian Cemetries belonging to Surp Agop Foundation between Taksim Barracks and Harbiye Military School (the big building on the left corner) - taken at beginning of 1940s. The cemetries are moved to Mecidiyeköy 2 km away from the former place, where was just empty fields at 1940s.

http://mobile.istanbul.net.tr/istanbul-Rehberi/istanbul-Fotograflari/siyah-beyaz-eski-istanbul-fotograflari/surp-agop-mezarligi-1940/98/2

http://www.habervesaire.com/news/ermeni-mezarlari-uzerinde-2102.html

The area where today the subway exit exists, is organized as a square after the demolition of the series of shop. AKM (Atatürk Kültür Merkezi) and Marmara hotel that define the siluette of Istanbul is not erected and even from Taksim it is possible to see Çamlıca Hills on Asian side.

Taksim Square and Istiklel Avenue around 1970s

Ongoing Pedestrinization Project

The red line shows the area going to be pedestrinized where the constructions continue along Tarlabasi Boulevard and Cumhuriyet Avenue. The yellow lines show the motorway and the arrows show the traffic direction, probably Tak-ı Zafer Avenue is also included to the pedestrinized area.

The projected view of the square after pedestrinization and reconstruction of the barracks. The motor way is passing through Sıraselviler, front of Marmara Hotel and AKM and follows Mete Avenue.