Kurtuluş is a neighbourhood of the Şişli district of Istanbul that was originally called ''Tatavla,'' meaning 'stables' in Greek (). The modern Turkish name means "liberation", "salvation", "independence" or "deliverance". On 13 April 1929, six years after the Republic of Turkey was founded, a fire swept through the neighbourhood and largely destroyed it, with 207 houses going up in flames. The name was changed to Kurtuluş to mark the rebuilding of the area. Once a predominantly Greek Orthodox and

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...

neighbourhood, its population today mostly consists of Turks who moved there after the Republic of

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

was founded in 1923. There is still a small population or

Greeks Greeks or Hellenes (; , ) are an ethnic group and nation native to Greece, Greek Cypriots, Cyprus, Greeks in Albania, southern Albania, Greeks in Turkey#History, Anatolia, parts of Greeks in Italy, Italy and Egyptian Greeks, Egypt, and to a l ...

Armenians Armenians (, ) are an ethnic group indigenous to the Armenian highlands of West Asia.Robert Hewsen, Hewsen, Robert H. "The Geography of Armenia" in ''The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiq ...

and

Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

, as well as some

Kurds Kurds (), or the Kurdish people, are an Iranian peoples, Iranic ethnic group from West Asia. They are indigenous to Kurdistan, which is a geographic region spanning southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northern Iraq, and northeastern Syri ...

who are relatively recent economic migrants. Kurtuluş is served by the Osmanbey Metro station and innumerable buses from Taksim. It is adjacent to Pangaltı, Feriköy and Dolapdere.

History

The quarter started life in the 16th century as a residential area for

from the island of

Chios Chios (; , traditionally known as Scio in English) is the fifth largest Greece, Greek list of islands of Greece, island, situated in the northern Aegean Sea, and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, tenth largest island in the Medi ...

who were settled here to work in the principal dockyards of the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

in the neighbouring Kasımpaşa quarter; they originally lived in Kasımpaşa but retreated uphill to a new area when their church there was turned into a mosque. In 1793 Sultan Selim III decreed that only Greeks would be allowed to live in Tatavla, a distinction it shared with the small Aegean town of Ayvalık. In 1832, a fire completely destroyed the neighbourhood, with 600 houses and 30 shops going up in flames. During the 19th century Tatavla's population reached around 20,000 and it hosted several Orthodox churches (Hagios Demetrios, Hagios Georgios and Hagios Eleftherios), schools and tavernas; it was nicknamed ''Little Athens'' because of its Greek character. It was typically a residential area for Greeks of more modest income. Nevertheless, a number of grand houses were built in the late 19th century, some of which still stand today, especially along Kurtuluş Caddesi. Despite the turmoil of the Balkan War, followed by

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and the Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922) and then the devastating fire, the neighbourhood continued to be home to a large Greek population (as well as a significant Armenian and Jewish population). However, the riots of 1955 persuaded most of the Greeks that the time had come to emigrate.

Culture

Tatavla used to be famous for the lively Baklahorani carnival, an annual event organised by the Greek Orthodox community on Clean Monday, the last Monday before

Lent Lent (, 'Fortieth') is the solemn Christianity, Christian religious moveable feast#Lent, observance in the liturgical year in preparation for Easter. It echoes the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring Temptation of Christ, t ...

. It took place during 19th century and perhaps earlier. This was banned by the Turkish authorities in 1943, but was revived in 2010. A vivid description of pre-First World War Tatavla is to be found in Maria Iordanidou's 1963 novel Loxandra, which is based on the experiences of her grandmother.''Loxandra'', English translation 2017, by Maria Iordanidou, pub. Harvey, pp. e.g. 26-28

References

External links

* Şişli Belediyesi (Şişli Municipality). ''Tarihçe'' (Brief history). https://web.archive.org/web/20100302202602/http://www.sislibelediyesi.com/yeni/sisli/t1.asp?PageName=tarihce Retrieved 15 September 2009. * A Journey through Kurtuluş, a Mirror of Turkey Old and New, Evan Pheiffer, 2 April 2020. https://www.resetdoc.org/story/a-journey-through-kurtulus/. Retrieved 16 October 2020. {{DEFAULTSORT:Kurtulus Şişli Quarters in Istanbul Greeks in Istanbul Jews and Judaism in Istanbul Armenians in Istanbul

History

Culture

See also

References

External links