The Baglarbasi neighborhood on the Asian side of Istanbul has always had a sizable Armenian population. Although they have recently been crowded out by immigrants from villages on the Black Sea coast, the Armenian influence in the district is still visible from
schools,
houses,
churches and ultimately, graves. Here is one of the largest Armenian graveyards of Istanbul. It was established in 1558, when the Ottoman Empire held sway over one third of Eurasia.
But it's not this graveyard that I want to show you today. A kilometer or so away from the big graveyard stands this enigmatic structure that is locally known as the "Armenian Crypt," although its Armenian origins and its function as a crypt are both not certain.
The structure has been standing for as long as I can remember (+-15 years,) but I distinctly remember it being in a better condition in the past.
Its "front" is decorated with these circular medallions, which used to have pictures of a woman's face in the past. As you can see, vandals have hacked the beautiful portraits away at some point in the last decade.
The "back" is unadorned and is connected to water pipes. So this thing is almost certainly not a crypt. Perhaps it was a water reservoir or a fountain?
Whatever it is, this structure will not last much longer if someone doesn't take measures to protect and restore it.
The Baglarbasi neighborhood on the Asian side of Istanbul has always had a sizable Armenian population. Although they have recently been crowded out by immigrants from villages on the Black Sea coast, the Armenian influence in the district is still visible from schools, houses, churches and ultimately, graves. Here is one of the largest Armenian graveyards of Istanbul. It was established in 1558, when the Ottoman Empire held sway over one third of Eurasia.
But it's not this graveyard that I want to show you today. A kilometer or so away from the big graveyard stands this enigmatic structure that is locally known as the "Armenian Crypt," although its Armenian origins and its function as a crypt are both not certain.
The structure has been standing for as long as I can remember (+-15 years,) but I distinctly remember it being in a better condition in the past.
Its "front" is decorated with these circular medallions, which used to have pictures of a woman's face in the past. As you can see, vandals have hacked the beautiful portraits away at some point in the last decade.
The "back" is unadorned and is connected to water pipes. So this thing is almost certainly not a crypt. Perhaps it was a water reservoir or a fountain?
Whatever it is, this structure will not last much longer if someone doesn't take measures to protect and restore it.
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