Narrative of Travels in Europe, Asia, and Africa, in the Seventeenth Century, Vol. IIEvliya Çelebi
History
Narrative of Travels in Europe, Asia, and Africa, in the Seventeenth Century, Vol. II
Evliya Çelebi
Caucasus, South -- Description and travel; Istanbul (Turkey) -- Description and travel; Turkey -- History
The Seraï of the Sultán is situated on the banks of the river,
surrounded by delightful gardens, curious trees, and many seats; it
is cultivated by a master gardener (Usta), and fifty gardeners, who
wear yellow caps. The Seraï of Mahommed Páshá is close to the mosque;
within the castle is the Seraï of Sultán Bayazíd, and many others,
faced with brick; there are altogether two hundred and forty mosques.
Among them is the mosque of Bayazíd II. In his youth Bayazíd was first
made governor of Trebisonde, and then of Amasia; his father, Mahommed
II, having died at Máldepeh, he went to Constantinople to ascend the
throne, but gratefully remembering that he was made Emperor at Amasia,
he freed the inhabitants from all contributions, and built this mosque,
one hundred feet square: the mihráb, minber, and mahfil of the Muëzzins
are of elegant workmanship. The cupola is not very large, but adorned,
like those of other imperial mosques, with circles for suspending lamps
and other ornaments. The chronograph on the gate opposite the Kiblah
gives the date of its building, 892 (1486), it has two minarehs, and in
the middle of the court-yard a water-basin for ablutions. The mosque
of Kúchúk Aghá, opposite the river Chekerek; the mosque of Bayazíd
Páshá, covered with lead, and paved with marble; the mosque of Mohammed
Páshá, covered with lead, and one minareh; the mosque of Khizr Elias,
a large building, covered with lead; the mosque of Mekkeme, built of
wood, as also is the minareh; the mosque Fethie, formerly a Christian
church and convent; the mosque of Yogúrch Páshá, who was Vezír to
Mohammed I.; the mosque of Gokmedresse, covered with lead, but without
a minareh; besides a great number of Mesjids. There are ten colleges,
the most elegant of which is that of Sultán Bayazíd; nineteen houses
for reading the Korán; at that of Sultán Bayazíd there are more than
three hundred Háfizes (who know the Korán by heart); ten houses of
tradition; and two hundred schools for boys, some of which are covered
with lead. There are forty convents for Dervishes, the best of which
is that of Jelál-ud-dín Rúmí, and ten dining establishments; at that
of Sultán Bayazíd all the poor dine twice a day. Of the Caravánseraïs,
that of Sultán Bayazíd is covered with lead, as is also that of Bairám
Páshá, the Vezír of Murad IV. The Kháns are lead-covered, with iron
gates, besides those for merchants (Khoja), there are those for single
men (Mújerred); these last have their own gatekeepers, and are shut up
every night, so that those who do not come home before the hour for
closing are not let in, and those who are within cannot go out till the
gates are thrown open in the morning, when every person goes to his
work.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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