Tabakhane is a historic neighborhood, quarter,

Mahalla is an Arabic word variously translated as district, quarter, ward, or "neighborhood" in many parts of the Arab world, the Balkans, Western Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and nearby nations. History Historically, mahallas were autonomous social ins ...

, or

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or m ...

of central

Nicosia Nicosia ( ; el, Λευκωσία, Lefkosía ; tr, Lefkoşa ; hy, Նիկոսիա, romanized: ''Nikosia''; Cypriot Arabic: Nikusiya) is the largest city, capital, and seat of government of Cyprus. It is located near the centre of the Mesaor ...

Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...

,Coexistence in the Disappeared Mixed Neighborhoods of Nicosia by Ahmet, A (Paper read at the conference: Nicosia: The Last Divided Capital in Europe, organized by the London Metropolitan University on 20th June 2011) named after the tannery which formerly existed just outside the city walls, near Paphos Gate. Its name is the Arabic and Turkish word for tannery. Tabakhane Nicosia

At the last census, conducted in 2011, Tabakhane had a population of 299, a sizable increase from its population of 204 in 2001. The neighborhood covers nine streets in the south-centre of Nicosia, forming a compact area just west of

Ledra Street Ledra Street ( el, Οδός Λήδρας ''Odos Lidras''; tr, Ledra Caddesi) is a major shopping thoroughfare in central Nicosia, Cyprus, which links North Nicosia, the part of the city under the control of the ''de facto'' Northern Cyprus, and ...

. It stretches around Germanou Patron Street (formerly Usta Kadi), from its junction with Rigenis Street to that with Alexander the Great Street. The junction at Arsinoe Street is its centre.Municipality/Community, Quarter and Street Index published by Ministry of Information (CILIS_streets_022011) According to the survey reported by George Jeffery (government architect) Tabakhane formerly extended as far west as Paphos Gate and was therefore close to the old site of the Tannery, which is now occupied by the Municipal Garden. But in 1912 the Quarter was reduced to its present bounds.Cyprus Gazette, 6 Dec 1912, No. 11541

Tabakhane Mesjid

Tabakhane Mesjid, the mosque for the neighbourhood (currently closed), is located in Arsinoes Street just east of its intersection with Pericles Street (formerly Kalkancı Street). The tanners originally had two mosques; one at the tannery — where there was also a shrine to their patron divine, analogous to the

patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...

of a guild or occupation in the West — and one in the residential area, namely Tabakhane Mesjid."Labour, Society and Politics in Cyprus during the Second Half of the 19th Century", by P. Katsiaouni, pub Nicosia 1996 (quoted in "Historic Nicosia" ed D. Michaelides, pub Nicosia 2012)

History

Tabakhane is one of 24 historic neighborhoods within the walls of Nicosia. Many Turkish Cypriot tanners formerly worked at the tannery and lived nearby in Tabakhane. During the Ottoman period it was counted as one of the Moslem quarters of Nicosia. Since then the Moslem character of the neighbourhood has waned, and in 1946, Tabakhane had a population of 757, consisting of 701 Greek Cypriots, twenty Turkish Cypriots, and 36 others. The last Turkish Cypriot in Tabakhane (Nezire Hanım of Pericles Street) died in 1960. The population of Tabakhane during British rule in Cyprus was as follows: In 1912 the boundary was redefined thus: From the point on the outside wall of the fortifications facing Mukhtar Street along Mukhtar Street, Kiatip Zade Street, Imam Eff. Street, Kofteros Street, Kalkanji Street, Kiatip Zade Street, Barouti Street, Hj. Christo Street, Kalkanji Street, Hj. Zannetto Street, Hissar Street, right up to the outside wali of the fortifications and thence along the outside wall of the fortifications to the point facing Mukhtar Street. These streets have subsequently been renamed:"Quarters of Nicosia" Prepared and published by the Dept. of Lands and Surveys, Cyprus, 1985, Revised 1997. Series DLS30. Scale 1:7500 : Mukhtar Street: Basil Boulgaroktonos St. : Kiatip Zade Street: Arsinoes St. : Imam Eff. Street: Alexios Comnenos St. : Kofteros Street: Alexander the Great St. : Kalkanji Street: Pericles St. : Barouti Street: Phokionos St. : HajiChristo Street: Apollo St. : HajiZannetto Street: Rigenis St. : Hissar Street: Pal.Patron Germanos St.

Tannery

The tannery was originally located just outside the Paphos Gate, now the site of the Municipal Gardens. It was moved to the area of

Köşklüçiftlik Köşklüçiftlik is a quarter of North Nicosia in Northern Cyprus. In 2011, it had a population of 2,939. Cityscape It is bordered by the Pedieos River in the west, the Kumsal Park separating it from Kumsal in the north, the Green Line in the ...

in 1886.Cyprus Gazette 6 Nov 1886, publ Nicosia by the Government of Cyprus. The tannery workers were members of an ancient Moslem ''

esnaf Esnaf is a Turkish word which means “corporation”. During the Early Modern Period belonging to a guild gave people a voice and was an important part of one's identity. Handicraft producers were linked to one another by a range of social, pol ...

'', or

guild A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular area. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradesmen belonging to a professional association. They sometimes ...

. Tanning, like butchery, requires the use of sharp knives, and Under Ottoman rule, it was a Muslim monopoly. The tanners worked within the framework of a traditional guild and had their own quarter of the city, Tabakhane. Work at the tannery was controlled by a council, represented on the Medji Idare (Nicosia district council). The guild's monopoly was abolished in 1879 by order of the high commissioner.

References

{{Quarters of Nicosia Neighbourhoods of Nicosia