Istanbul Sebil-Kuttabs in the Westernization Period

Abstract

Sebils, which have an important place in water architecture, were constructed from the 15th century to the 19th century in the Ottoman Period. These charitable structures, which were built for the water need of people, became monumental structures in the capital city, Istanbul, especially together with the westernization period. During this period, the sebils were constructed together with the primary schools, in which children were given literacy and religious education. This mixed structure, called sebil-kuttab, was firstly recorded in the 15th century during the Mamluk period in Egypt. Although the sebil-kuttab was first built in Anatolia by Mimar Sinan in the 16th century, it became common in the 18th century in Egypt, especially in the Ottoman period. Sebil-Kuttabs were constructed only in Istanbul in Anatolia. 6 sebil-kuttabs which built in Istanbul during the Westernization period and reached today have been identified. Of these buildings, the ground floor of which was designed as a sebil and the first floor as a school, 4 of them were constructed in the 18th century and 2 of them were constructed in the 19th century. Istanbul sebil-kuttabs are important for their architectural and ornamental features, their westernization period characteristics, and reflecting the effects of Egyptian architecture. © 2023, Abidin Temizer. All rights reserved.