FETHI PASHA YALI

As one of the finest structures along the Bosphorus, the late-18'h century Fethi Ahmed Pasha Yali decorates the Kuzguncuk district of Uskudar.

Though it is named after Fethi Pasha, he was not the first owner of the yali. While there were two different structures back then, Fethi Pasha acquired the currently non-extant harem section from a person named Ismet Bey, and the selamlik section from the Imperial Secretary General of the time. Ismet Beyzade Arif Hikmet Bey, who sold his property, was the chief of religious affairs during the reign of Abdulmecid. Known for his poetry, Arif Hikmet Bey was also the husband of one of Mihrimah Sultan's granddaughters. The only heirloom of Ismet, Bey that exists today is an inscription dated 1812 found on a fountain situated in the yali garden. After acquiring the structure located here, Fethi Pasha expanded and renovated the old building; it was eventually destroyed in a fire that struck in 1927. The section that exists today is the yali's selamlik section. Subsequent to Fethi Pasha's death the yali was left to his wife; it was handed down to her sons and grandchildren later on. Year later, Sevket Mocan , the grandson of Fethi Pasha's son-in-law, Sait Pasha, collected the share from all the heirs and became the owner of the yak After carrying out major repairs on the yali, Sevket Mocan had it painted pink, which was the reason it was also referred to as the Pembe Yak It remained with Sevket Mocan's daughters after his death. The structure changed ownership in 1990 after the sisters who lived at the yali split it into two sections.

Fethi Pasha Yali Inside

The yali's namesake, Fethi Pasha was the son of Hafiz Ahmed Aga of Rhodes. Employed in the Inner Palace during the reign of Mahmud II, Fethi Ahmed was assigned to set up a new army during this era awl was promoted to the rank of major. In 1828, Fetid Ahmed was promoted to Colonel as a result of the good deeds he demonstrated during the Ottoman- Russian War. In 1831, Fethi Ahmed was promoted to the rank of General. Subsequently appointed as Ambassador to Vienna, Fethi Ahmed Bey was promoted to Marshal up on his return to Istanbul. After a stint as Governor of Aydin, Fetid Pasha was appointed as Ambassador to Paris; later on he served as the Chairman of the Meclis-i Vala an assembly which convened during the reign of Mahmud II), Minister of Defense and Top' it Marshal ship.

Married to Abdulmecid sister Atiye Sultan, the pasha was also the son-in-law of Mahmud II. Fethi Pasha had two sons, Besim Pasha and Celaleddin Pasha. The latter married AbdulHamid II 's sister, Sultan, who moved to this yali situated in Kandilli. Nevertheless, later on the Sultan Abdulmecid II held the pasha responsible for the Sultan AbdulAziz and had him tried in the infamous Yildiz house, where he was sentenced to exile at Taif. With her husband Celaleddin Pasha passing away in exile.

Cemile Sultan was offended with the sultan; she vacated the yak, moved to Erenkoy, where she lived the rest of her life. Open to Occidental culture and an intellectual, Fethi Pasha attained his true fame as the founder and pioneer of Turkish museology. In compiling artifacts related to the conquest of Istanbul, Fethi Pasha became responsible for the creation of Istanbul's first military museum, housed at the Church of Hagia Eirene, in 1846. The Pasha passed away in 1858 at the age of 56. While the kitchen north of the selamlik section was devastated in a blaze in 1922-23, the women's quarters were used as a tobacco depot and burned down in 1927; the selamlik visible today is the final remaining section of the Fethi Pasha Yali. This elderly yali has managed to remain intact thanks to a thorough renovation carried out in 1948. This two-story- yali is an example of an old Turkish building style. It conveys a lively aura with the indentions that sit atop wooden braces of the front facade of the karniyarik plan yali.

Fethi Pasha Yali Garden Bosphorus

Sitting atop walls without columns, the two halls, one large and one small, on the upper floor are different from those of similar yaks. Rather than opening seaside and towards the woods, they are arranged north south and end-to-end, with the rooms on the seaside and towards the woods of each of the two halls. These rooms achieve different measurements with the overhang suspended with wooden braces and columns; five of them are relatively plain while the others are European style, adorned in separate designs and styles. It is possible to see interior decor which was used centuries ago. For instance, the large table setting in the center of the upper floor hall dates to the time of Fethi Pasha. As is seen with other examples along the Bosphorus, there is a large wooded area behind this fine yali. Replete with pines, planes and firs, there are two pavilions dated to the time of Fethi Pasha nestled in these woods. The woods were transferred over to the municipality on the condition that no other structures were to be built on the land in the future. It is said that the splendid marble pool found in the garden of the yali's harem is the twin of a similar pool in the Barberini Palace in Rome.

Fethi Pasha Yali Bosphorus

In addition to the Fethi Pasha Yali representing one of the most important structures found along the Bosphorus, its decoration and architecture represents the creme de la crčme of Its lifestyle.