Samatya ( el, Ψαμάθεια, pr. ''Psamatheia''; hy, Սամաթիա) is a quarter of the Fatih district of

Istanbul Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...

. It is located along the

Marmara Sea The Sea of Marmara,; grc, Προποντίς, Προποντίδα, Propontís, Propontída also known as the Marmara Sea, is an inland sea located entirely within the borders of Turkey. It connects the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea via the ...

, and borders to the west on the neighborhood of

Yedikule Yedikule ( en, Seven Towers) is a neighborhood of Fatih, Istanbul in Turkey. It is named after the seven-towered Yedikule Fortress, which surrounds the neighborhood. Urbanized in the 16th century, the neighborhood became a hub for industrial and a ...

(the "Castle of the Seven Towers").

Etymology

The name originates from the Greek word ''psamathion'' (), meaning "sandy", because of the great quantity of sand found in the quarter.

History

About 383 AD, the first monastic institution was established in Constantinople, at Psamatheia, at that time still outside the

walled city A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications with towers, bastions and gates ...

.Tsai, Kathryn (Dr). ''A Timeline of Eastern Church History''. Divine Ascent Press, CA, 2004. p.73. Church of Saint Menas 01

Up to recent times, Samatya was mostly inhabited by

Armenians Armenians ( hy, հայեր, ''hayer'' ) are an ethnic group native to the Armenian highlands of Western Asia. Armenians constitute the main population of Armenia and the ''de facto'' independent Artsakh. There is a wide-ranging diaspora ...

, who were settled here in 1458 by Sultan

Mehmet II Mehmed II ( ota, محمد ثانى, translit=Meḥmed-i s̱ānī; tr, II. Mehmed, ; 30 March 14323 May 1481), commonly known as Mehmed the Conqueror ( ota, ابو الفتح, Ebū'l-fetḥ, lit=the Father of Conquest, links=no; tr, Fâtih Su ...

,Müller-Wiener (1977), p. 200 and who own there the church of '' Surp Kevork'', also called ''Sulu Manastiri'' (Water's monastery) – previously an

Eastern Orthodox Eastern Orthodoxy, also known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholicism and Protestantism. Like the Pentarchy of the first millennium, the mainstream (or "canonical") ...

church which dates back to before the Ottoman conquest, and by

Greeks The Greeks or Hellenes (; el, Έλληνες, ''Éllines'' ) are an ethnic group and nation indigenous to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions, namely Greece, Cyprus, Albania, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, and, to a lesser extent, oth ...

, who have the churches of ''Hristos Analipsis'' and '' Haghios Menas''.Müller-Wiener (1977), p. 186 The quarter was destroyed in 1782 by one of the largest fires of Istanbul ever recorded.

Samatya today

In Samatya there is also an important public hospital, the Istanbul Educational and Research Hospita
İstanbul Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi
Samatya has a station (named "Kocamustafapaşa") on the suburban railway line

Sirkeci Sirkeci () is a neighborhood in the Eminönü quarter of the Fatih district in Istanbul, Turkey. The neighborhood borders to the north the mouth of the Golden Horn, to the west the neighborhood of Bahçekapı, to the east the Topkapı Palace a ...

-Halkalı. One of the most picturesque fish markets of Istanbul is placed in the quarter, just opposite the train station. Samatya is also a favorite place for Turkish directors. One of the most famous Turkish TV shows, '' Ikinci Bahar'' ("Second Spring"), as well as

Nuri Bilge Ceylan Nuri Bilge Ceylan (, born 26 January 1959) is a Turkish photographer, filmmaker and actor best known for the Palme d'Or winning '' Winter Sleep'' (2014). Early life Ceylan was born in Istanbul on 26 January 1959. His interest in photography sta ...

's ''

Three Monkeys ''Three Monkeys'' ( tr, Üç Maymun) is a 2008 Turkish film directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan. The film was Turkey's official submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 81st Academy Awards, and it made the January short ...

'', were filmed in Samatya.

Notable personalities

Hrachia Acharian Hrachia Acharian ( hy, Հրաչեայ Աճառեան, reformed spelling: Հրաչյա Աճառյան ; 8 March 1876 – 16 April 1953) was an Armenian linguist, lexicographer, etymologist, and philologist. An Istanbul Armenian, Acharian stu ...

- Armenian linguist *

Simon Agopyan Simon Agopian or Simon Hagopian at times Simon Agopyan ( hy, Սիմոն Հակոբյան; Western Armenian Սիմոն Յակոբեան, 1857 - 16 May 1921) was a prominent Ottoman Armenian landscape and portrait painter. Life Simon Agopian was ...

- Armenian painter *

Mihran Apikyan Mihran Apikyan ( hy, Միհրան Աբիկյան; 1855, Istanbul - 1938, Istanbul) was an Armenian and Turkish writer and educator of Armenian descent. He is also known as Mihran Efendi (before the Surname Law) and with his pen name Mihrî. He is ...

- Armenian writer and linguist *

Sevan Bıçakçı Sevan Bıçakçı () (born 1972) is a famed Turkish jeweller of Armenian descent. He is one of the few renowned jewelers in Turkey and is known around the world. He is considered a "star jeweler" in Turkey. Life and career Of Armenian descent, ...

- Turkish jeweller *

Levon Larents Levon Larents (Kirisciyan) ( hy, Լեւոն Լարենց (Քիրիշճեան), 1875–1915) was an Armenian writer, translator, journalist, editor, novelist, poet, and teacher. He was an editor of many newspapers around the world and the founder of ...

- Armenian writer *

Avedis Zildjian III :''Zildjian leads here. For people with the surname, see Zildjian (disambiguation)'' The Avedis Zildjian Company, simply known as Zildjian (), is a musical instrument manufacturer specializing in cymbals and other percussion instruments. Founded ...

- Armenian American cymbal maker

References

Sources

* * Quarters of Fatih {{Istanbul-geo-stub