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The Zincirlikuyu Cemetery ( tr, Zincirlikuyu Mezarlığı) is a modern burial ground residing on the European part of Istanbul, Turkey. It is administered by the Metropolitan Municipality. Many prominent figures from the world of politics, business, sports and arts rest here. The cemetery is located on the

Büyükdere Avenue Büyükdere Avenue ( tr, Büyükdere Caddesi) is a major avenue which runs through the districts of Şişli (Esentepe quarter), Beşiktaş (Levent quarter) and Sarıyer (Maslak quarter) on the European side of Istanbul, Turkey. It begins at Şi ...

Zincirlikuyu Zincirlikuyu is a quarter of the Şişli district on the European side of Istanbul, Turkey. Part of Esentepe neighborhood, it is situated on a hilltop on the district border to Beşiktaş in the east. Having undergone redevelopment in recent year ...

, Şişli district between Esentepe and Levent neighborhoods. It is Istanbul's first cemetery established in a contemporary structure. Planned in 1935, the burial place reached in the 1950s to its boundaries of today. It has an area of , which is full, excluding family graves. A mosque within the cemetery, built and donated by the Turkish entrepreneur İbrahim Bodur, was opened to service on 2 April 2004. The mosque is specially constructed for burial prayers, and has a capacity of 500 people. The office of the İstanbul Cemeteries Administration is located in the building at the entrance of the cemetery. Over the gate of the cemetery a

verse Verse may refer to: Poetry * Verse, an occasional synonym for poetry * Verse, a metrical structure, a stanza * Blank verse, a type of poetry having regular meter but no rhyme * Free verse, a type of poetry written without the use of strict me ...

from the Qur'an reminds "''Her canlı ölümü tadacaktır''" (''Every living thing will taste death'').

Notable burials

Listed in alphabetical order of family names:

A

Makbule Abasıyanık Makbule Abasıyanık (1883 – 22 January 1963) was a Turkish female writer and philanthropist. Biography Makbule Abasıyanık was born in 1883. As the mother of the short story writer Sait Faik Abasıyanık (1906 – 1954), she influenced hi ...

(1883–1963), writer and philanthropist * Sait Faik Abasıyanık (1906–1954), short story writer * Behiye Aksoy (1933–2015), singer *

Yıldırım Aktuna Yıldırım Aktuna (1930 – September 29, 2007) was a Turkish psychiatrist, politician, district mayor and government minister in a number of cabinets. Early years He was born 1930 in Istanbul. After completing the high school in Karşıyak ...

(1930–2007), psychiatrist and politician *

Zeki Alasya Zeki Alasya (18 April 1943 – 8 May 2015) was a Turkish actor and film director. Alasya was of Turkish Cypriot descent and was related to Kıbrıslı Mehmed Kamil Pasha. Biography Alasya was born in Istanbul. After studying at Robert College, ...

(1943–2015), actor and film director *

Sadri Alışık Sadri Alışık (born Mehmet Sadrettin Alışık; 5 April 1925 – 18 March 1995) was a Turkish stage and movie actor, and one of the most loved comedians in Turkey. He was the husband of Çolpan İlhan. Biography He was a prolific actor, ap ...

(1925–1995), film actor * Cahit Aral (1927–2011), engineer and former government minister * Oğuz Aral (1936–2004), political cartoonist *

Mübeccel Argun Mübeccel Argun Tek (190926 April 1982) was a Turkish sportswoman, teacher of physical education and radio presenter, who worked for the BBC Turkish in London, United Kingdom. Early years Mübeccel was born to Ottoman Army officer Hüsamettin ...

(1909-1982), sportswoman, teacher of physical education and radio presenter *

Duygu Asena Duygu Asena (19 April 1946 – 30 July 2006) was a Turkish journalist, best-selling author and activist for women's rights. Biography She was born in Istanbul as the daughter of Nihal and Muhtar Asena. His father was in the sesame business. His g ...

(1946–2006), columnist, best seller author and activist for women's rights *

Falih Rıfkı Atay Falih Rıfkı Atay (1894– 20 March 1971) was a Turkish journalist, writer and politician between 1923 and 1950. Biography Falih Rıfkı was the son of Halil Hilmi Efendi, an imam. He was educated in Istanbul, Ottoman Empire. Falih began his ...

(1894–1971), journalist, writer and politician

B

* Turhan Baytop (1920–2002), botanist * Refet Bele (1881–1963), general * Ekrem Bora (1934–2012), film actor *

Behice Boran Behice Boran (1 May 1910 – 10 October 1987) was a Turkish Marxist politician, author and sociologist. As a dissenting political voice from the left, Boran was repeatedly imprisoned for her work and died in exile after the Turkish military co ...

(1910–1987), Marxist sociologist, politician and author * Orhan Boran (1928–2012), comedian, radio and TV host * Rıza Tevfik Bölükbaşı (1869–1949), philosopher, poet and politician *

Erol Büyükburç Erol Büyükburç (8 August 1936 – 12 March 2015) was a Turkish singer-songwriter, pop music composer, and actor. Early years and family life Büyükburç was born on 8 August 1936 in Adana. After primary school in his hometown and commerce-h ...

(1936–2015), pop music singer, composer and actor * Erol Bulut (1955–2021), romantic surrealist painter, professor of fine arts

C–Ç

* İhsan Sabri Çağlayangil (1908–1993), politician, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Senate * Faruk Nafiz Çamlıbel (1898–1973), poet and politician

D

Belgin Doruk Belgin Doruk (28 June 1936 – 26 March 1995) was a popular Turkish film actress. Biography Belgin Doruk was born in Ankara, Turkey in 1936. While she continued her education in a high school she took part in a competition and became first alon ...

(1936–1995), film actress *

Gürdal Duyar Gürdal Duyar (20 August 1935 – 18 April 2004) was a Turkish people, Turkish sculptor, known especially for his monuments to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Atatürk and Bust (sculpture), busts of famous people. His art is characterized by a Modern scul ...

(1935-2004), sculptor

E

Nejat Eczacıbaşı Mehmet Nejat Ferit Eczacıbaşı (; January 5, 1913–October 6, 1993) was a chemist, industrialist, entrepreneur and philanthropist, and a second-generation member of the notable Turkish Eczacıbaşı family. He was the founder of Eczacı ...

(1913–1993), chemist and businessman * Şakir Eczacıbaşı (1929–2010), pharmacist, photographer and businessman *

Çetin Emeç Çetin Emeç (1935 – 7 March 1990) was a prominent Turkish journalist and columnist, who was assassinated. Early life He was born to Selim Ragıp Emeç, journalist and later co-founder of the Democratic Party, and his wife Rabia Emeç. He had ...

(1935–1990), journalist *

Refik Erduran Ahmet Refik Erduran (February 13, 1928 – January 7, 2017) was a Turkish playwright, columnist and writer. He wrote thirty plays and eight books, and was a columnist for twenty years; he was named "The Most Successful Playwright" by the Turkish M ...

(1928–2017), playwright, columnist and writer, * Nihat Erim (1912–1980), jurist, politician and Prime minister * Muhsin Ertuğrul (1892–1979), actor and director *

Suphi Ezgi Suphi is a Turkish name of Arabic origin (صبحي) that may refer to *Suphi Nuri İleri (1887–1945), Turkish politician and writer *Hamdullah Suphi Tanrıöver (1885–1966), Turkish poet and politician *Mehmet Suphi Kula (1881–1948), Turkish m ...

(1869–1962), military physician and musicologist, componist

F

Fahire Fersan Fahire Fersan (1900 – 3 January 1997) was a Turkish female classical kemençe virtuosa. Private life Fahire Fersan was born to Faik Bey and his spouse Şem'inur Hanım in Istanbul, then Ottoman Empire in 1900. Her father was the chamberlain of O ...

(1900–1997), classical kemençe virtuosa *

Defne Joy Foster Defne Joy Foster (September 2, 1975February 2, 2011) was an American-Turkish actress, presenter and VJ. Biography Defne Joy Foster was born in İncirlik, Turkey. She was born to her Turkish mother Hatice from İzmir, Turkey and American father ...

(1975–2011), Afro-American actress, presenter, VJ

G

Ayşen Gruda Ayşen Gruda (22 August 1944 – 23 January 2019) was a Turkish actress and comedian. Biography Ayşen Gruda was born on 22 August 1944 in Istanbul. Her sisters Ayten and Ayben also went on to become actresses. Gruda appeared in several musica ...

(1944–2019), actress, *

Cemal Nadir Güler Cemal Nadir (13 July 1902 – 27 February 1947) was a Turkish people, Turkish cartoonist. Güler is the surname he assumed after the Surname Law of 1934. Biography Cemal Nadir was born in Bursa, Ottoman Empire on 13 July 1902. His father Şevket ...

(1902–1947), cartoonist, * Aysel Gürel (1929–2008), actress and lyricist *

Melahat Gürsel Melahat Gürsel (1900 – 23 February 1975) was the First Lady of Turkey from 27 May 1960 until 28 March 1966 during the presidency of her husband Cemal Gürsel. Melahat was born in 1900. Her father was the chief engineer on the Ottoman cruiser ...

(1900–1975), 4th First Lady (1960–1966), *

Müslüm Gürses Müslüm Gürses (; 5 July 1953 – 3 March 2013), born Müslüm Akbaş and called Müslüm Baba (literally: ''Father'' ''Müslüm''), was a popular Turkish arabesque singer and actor. Personal life He was born on 7 May 1953 in an adobe hut in ...

(1953–2013), singer and actor

H

Fikret Hakan Fikret Hakan (born Bumin Gaffar Çitanak; 23 April 1934 – 11 July 2017) was a prolific Turkish film actor and a recipient of the honorary State Artist, a title awarded by the Turkish government. Hakan was born as Bumin Gaffar Çitanak in 1934 to ...

(1934– 2017), actor * Vahit Melih Halefoğlu (1919–2017), politician and diplomat,

I–İ

Rıfat Ilgaz Rıfat Ilgaz (7 May 1911 – 7 July 1993) was a Turkish teacher, writer and poet. Biography He was born in Cide, in the Kastamonu Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire (present-day Turkey). Ilgaz was one of Turkey’s best-known and most prolific poets ...

(1911–1993), poet and story writer, * Ayhan Işık (1929–1979), film actor * Erdal İnönü (1926–2007), scientist and statesman * Abdi İpekçi (1929–1979), journalist and intellectual * İsmail Cem İpekçi (1940–2007), politician, journalist and statesman * Benal Nevzat İstar Arıman (1903–1990), poet, writer and politician being as one of the first 18 female members of the Turkish parliament *

Fatma Hikmet İşmen Fatma Hikmet İşmen (1918 – May 9, 2006) was a Greek-born Turkish agricultural engineer with a specialization in plant pathology, as well as a politician who served as a senator for the socialist Workers Party of Turkey from 1966 to 1975. ...

(1918–2006), agricultural engineer, socialist politician, former senator

J

Remzi Aydın Jöntürk Remzi Aydın Jöntürk (September 15, 1936 – September 2, 1987) was a Turkish filmmaker, actor, screenwriter, and producer. He directed more than 72 feature films in his long career. Jöntürk is credited for creating and directing some of t ...

(1936–1987), film director, film producer, screenwriter, painter and poet

K

Feridun Karakaya Feridun Karakaya (1928 – April 24, 2004) was a well-known Turkish comedy actor. Biography Karakaya educated in Kabataş Erkek Lisesi. He took part in several stage and film productions between years 1955 and 2002. He is best remembered wi ...

(1928–2004), comedy actor * Refik Halit Karay (1888–1965), writer and journalist, * Ömer Kavur (1944–2005), film director, film producer and screenwriter * Orhan Kemal (1914–1970), novelist *

Neriman Köksal Neriman Köksal (born Hatice Kökçü; 17 March 1928 – 23 October 1999) was a Turkish actress. She appeared in more than one hundred films from 1950 to 1996. Selected filmography References External links * * 1928 births 1999 deat ...

(1928–1999), actress *

Yaşar Kemal Yaşar Kemal (born Kemal Sadık Gökçeli; 6 October 1923 – 28 February 2015) was a Turkish writer and human rights activist and one of Turkey's leading writers. He received 38 awards during his lifetime and had been a candidate for the Nobel ...

(1923–2015), novelist *

Ali Kılıç Ali Kılıç or Kilij Ali also known as Kılıç Ali Bey (born as Suleiman Asaf, 1890; Istanbul, Constantinople - July 14, 1971; Istanbul) was a Turkish people, Turkish officer of the Military of the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman Army and Turkish Lan ...

Türk Parlamento Tarihi Araştırma Grubu, ''Türk Parlamento Tarihi, Millî Mücadele ve T.B.M.B. I. Dönem 1919–1923 – III. Cilt: I. Dönem Milletvekillerin Özgeçmişleri'', Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi Vakfı Yayınları, Ankara, 1995, , p. 423. (1889–1971), officer of the Ottoman Army, politician and army officer of the

Republic of Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...

Dündar Kılıç Dündar Kılıç (real name Dündar Alikılıç) (1935 – 10 August 1999) was an infamous boss in the Turkish underworld. He earned himself the nickname of being the ' godfather of godfathers'. Early life and rise in underworld Dündar Kıl ...

(1935–1999), mob boss *

Suna Kıraç Suna Koç Kıraç (born Suna Koç; June 3, 1941 – September 15, 2020) was a Turkish businesswoman and a billionaire. Early years Suna Koç was born to Vehbi Koç (1901–1996), the wealthiest businessman of Turkey, and his wife Sadberk (1908� ...

(1941–2020), member of

Koç family The Koç family is a Turkish family of business people founded by Vehbi Koç, one of the wealthiest self-made people in Turkey. His grandsons, the third generation of the Koç family, today run Turkey's largest group of companies, Koç Holding, ...

, businesswoman and museum founder, * Lütfi Kırdar (1887–1961), Governor and Mayor of Istanbul, Minister of Health and Social Security *

Vehbi Koç Ahmet Vehbi Koç (20 July 1901 – 25 February 1996) was a Turkish entrepreneur and philanthropist who founded the Koç Holding, Koç Group, one of Turkey’s largest groups of companies. During his lifetime he came to be one of Turkey's wea ...

(1901–1996), entrepreneur and once Turkey's wealthiest person * Mustafa Koç (1960–2016), businessman and chairman of Turkey's largest congloromerate

Koç Holding Koç Holding A.Ş. () is the largest industrial conglomerate in Turkey, and the only company in the country to be listed on the Fortune Global 500 as of 2016. The company, headquartered in Nakkaştepe, Istanbul, is controlled by the Koç family, ...

M

* Şaziye Moral (1903–1985), stage, film and voice actress

N

Behçet Necatigil Behçet Necatigil (16 April 1916 – 13 December 1979) was a leading Turkish author, poet and translator. Biography Behçet was born in Istanbul, Ottoman Empire, in 1916. He graduated from the Teachers' High School ( tr, İstanbul Yüksek ...

(1916–1979), poet * Muhterem Nur (1932–2020), film actress and pop music singer

O–Ö

Meral Okay Meral Okay (, née Katı; September 20, 1959 – April 9, 2012) was a Turkish actress, film producer and screenwriter. Early life Okay was born on September 20, 1959 in Ankara to military judge Ata Katı and Türkan as the second child. During h ...

(1959–2012), actress and screenwriter *

Yaman Okay Yaman Okay (1951 – 19 February 1993) was a Turkish actor. He won the 1981 Golden Orange Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in '' On Fertile Lands''. Okay was married since 1984 to actress and screenwriter Meral Okay. He died ...

(1951–1993), actor * Ali Fethi Okyar (1880–1943), diplomat, politician, Prime Minister and Speaker of the Parliament *

Vedat Okyar Vedat Okyar (August 1945 – 20 July 2009) was a Turkish international footballer who later became a sports journalist. Early life Vedat Okyar was born in Bursa August 1945. He played amateur football for Yücespor and Adaletspor before becomi ...

(1945–2009), footballer and sports journalist *

Gündüz Tekin Onay Gündüz Tekin Onay (31 May 1942 in Çankırı – 4 January 2008 in İstanbul, Turkey) was a Turkish footballer and coach who also trained Istanbul club Beşiktaş between 1976 and 1977. He is known for his success in discovering starlets and f ...

(1942–2008), footballer and coach of

Beşiktaş J.K. Beşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü (), also known simply as Beşiktaş (), is a Turkish sports club founded in 1903 that is based in the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul. The club's football team is one of the Big Three in Turkey and one of the most ...

* Zeki Ökten (1941–2009), film director *

Coşkun Özarı Coşkun Özarı (January 4, 1931 – June 22, 2011) was a Turkish football player and coach. Born 1931 in Istanbul, Coşkun Özarı joined Galatasaray as a very young student. After graduating from Galatasaray Lycee, he first appeared in the Ga ...

(1931–2011), footballer and national team coach *

Attila Özdemiroğlu Attila Özdemiroğlu (5 January 1943 – 20 April 2016) was a Turkish composer, arranger and music producer. He was best known for his award winning film scores in the 1970s and 1980s. Career Born on 5 January 1943 in Ankara, Özdemiroğlu got ...

(1943–2016), composer and arranger.

R

* Türkan Rado (1915–2007), first ever Turkish female professor of jurisprudence *

Halit Refiğ Halit Refiğ (5 March 1934 – 11 October 2009) was a Turkish film director, film producer, screenwriter and writer. He made around sixty films, including feature films, documentaries and TV serials. He is considered to be the pioneer of the N ...

(1934–2009), film director, film producer and screenwriter

S–Ş

* Mehmet Sabancı (1963–2004), businessman *

Sakıp Sabancı Sakıp Sabancı (7 April 1933 – 10 April 2004) was a Turkish business tycoon and philanthropist. Biography He was the second son of a cotton trader and worked in his father's business without completing high school. He was the head of Turkey' ...

(1933–2004), entrepreneur and Turkey's second richest man *

Hasan Saka Hasan Saka (1885 – 29 July 1960) was a Turkish politician, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Prime Minister of Turkey. Political career He graduated from "Mülkiye Mektebi" (School of Civil Service) in 1908. Hasan Saka started working for ...

(1885–1960), politician and Prime minister * Şükrü Saracoğlu (1887–1953) Prime minister and president of Fenerbahçe S.K. * Türkan Saylan (1935–2009), Prof. Doctor, educator * Timur Selçuk (1946–2020), singer, pianist, conductor and composer, * Müzeyyen Senar (1918–2015), Turkish classical music singer *

Ömer Seyfettin Ömer Seyfettin (11 March 1884, Gönen – 6 March 1920, Istanbul), was a Turkish writer from the late-19th to early-20th-century, considered to be one of the greatest modern Turkish authors. His work is much praised for simplifying the Turkish ...

(1884–1920), novelist *

Aydan Siyavuş Aydan Siyavuş (15 May 1947 - 11 January 1998) was a Turkish basketball coach and former basketball player. He coached a number of teams like Kadıköyspor, Eczacıbaşı, Efes Pilsen, Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe, Çukurova, Darüşşafaka, Karşıyak ...

(1947–1998), basketball coach * Meriç Soylu (1973–2012), director * Mümtaz Soysal (1929–2019), professor of constitutional law, political scientist, politician, human rights activist, senior advisor, columnist and author, * Sevgi Soysal (1936–1976), female novelist *

Ruhi Su Mehmet Ruhi Su (1912 – 20 September 1985) was a Turkish opera singer, Turkish folk singer and saz virtuoso of probable Armenian

(1912–1985), folk music singer * Kemal Sunal (1944–2000), film actor and comedian *

Atıfet Sunay Atıfet Sunay (1903 – 21 October 2002) was the First Lady of Turkey from 28 March 1966 until 28 March 1973 during the presidency of her husband Cevdet Sunay. Atıfet was born in Üsküdar, Istanbul, then Ottoman Empire in 1908. The family move ...

(1903–2002), fifth First Lady of Turkey, *

Zati Sungur Hasan Zati Sungur (March 10, 1898 – July 6, 1984) was an internationally recognized Turkish stage magician. Early years Hasan Zati Sungur was born in Bursa on March 10, 1898. He got interested in stage magic during his primary school years. He ...

(1898–1984), stage magician *

Ferhan Şensoy Osman Ferhan Şensoy (26 February 1951 – 31 August 2021) was a Turkish actor, playwright and director. Private life Şensoy was born in Çarşamba district of Samsun Province in northern Turkey on 26 February 1951. After attending Galatasaray ...

(1951–2021), actor, playwright, theatre director and writer, * Turgay Şeren (1932–2016), goalkeeper and football manager

T

* Naim Talu (1919–1998), economist, banker, politician and Prime minister * Ali Tanrıyar (1914–2017), physician, politician, government minister and sports club president * Safiye Ayla Targan (1907–1998), female singer *

Abdülhak Hâmid Tarhan Abdülhak Hâmid Tarhan (born Abdülhak Hâmid; January 2, 1852 – April 12, 1937)Some sources state Feb 2,1852 was an early 20th-century Turkish playwright and poet. He was one of the leading lights of the Turkish Romantic period. He is ...

(1852–1937), poet and playwright *

Necdet Tosun Necdet Tosun (August 3, 1926 – May 10, 1975) was a Turkish actor and film producer. Biography Born in Burhaniye, Tosun started out in life working in the hospitality industry. His appearance attracted a film crew that arrived in Burhaniye. Sin ...

(1926–1975), actor *

Erdal Tosun Erdal Tosun (April 9, 1963 – November 30, 2016) was a Turkish actor. Biography Born in Istanbul to actor Necdet Tosun and the older brother of actor Gürdal Tosun, he graduated from Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University in 1982 and began his career ...

(1963–2016), actor *

Gürdal Tosun Gürdal Tosun (14 March 1967 – 30 August 2000) was a Turkish actor. Biography Born in Istanbul to actor Necdet Tosun and the younger brother of actor Erdal Tosun, he followed in the footsteps of his father. Despite taking exams for three conse ...

(1967–2000), actor *

Ahmet Kutsi Tecer Ahmet Kutsi Tecer (4 September 1901 – 23 July 1967) was a Turkish poet and politician. Biography Born in Jerusalem, Tecer studied philosophy and started his career as a philosophy teacher. Then, he worked in the Ministry of National Edu ...

(1901–1967), educator, poet and politician *

Talat Tunçalp Talat Tunçalp (1 October 1915 – 1 January 2017) was a Turkish cyclist. He was born in Istanbul, Ottoman Empire in the mid-to-late 1910s, though his birth year was reported as both 1915 and 1917. He took up cycling and won his first sprint ...

(1915–2017), Olympian road cyclist, * Yusuf Tunaoğlu (1946–2000), footballer *

Reha Oğuz Türkkan Reha Oğuz Türkkan (born 12 October 1920, Constantinople (modern city), Constantinople - died 18 January 2010) was Turkish people, Turkish academic, journalist and a leading ideologue of Racism in Turkey, Turkish racism. During his lifetime he ...

(1920–2010), writer

U–Ü

Selçuk Uluergüven Selçuk Uluergüven (1 January 1941 – 8 January 2014) was a Turkish people, Turkish actor. Career In 1962, Seçuk Uluergüven began his theatre career at Meydan Stage in Ankara. In the following years, he acted on stage at Ankara Sanat The ...

(1941–2014), theatre, film and television series actor * Nejat Uygur (1927–2013), actor, comedian

Y

* Hakkı Yeten (1910–1989), footballer and coach of

* Yankı Özkan Yıldırır (1972-2014), business woman

Footnotes

{{commons category, Zincirlikuyu Cemetery Cemeteries in Istanbul Şişli Sunni cemeteries