
''Türbe'' refers to a Muslim
mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type o ...
,
tomb
A tomb ( ''tumbos'') or sepulchre () is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes. Placing a corpse into a tomb can be called '' immurement'', alth ...
or
grave
A grave is a location where a cadaver, dead body (typically that of a human, although sometimes that of an animal) is burial, buried or interred after a funeral. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of buria ...
often in the Turkish-speaking areas and for the mausolea of
Ottoman sultans, nobles and notables. A typical türbe is located in the grounds of a
mosque
A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard.
Originally, mosques were si ...
or complex, often endowed by the deceased. However, some are more closely integrated into surrounding buildings.
Many are relatively small buildings, often domed and
hexagonal
In geometry, a hexagon (from Greek , , meaning "six", and , , meaning "corner, angle") is a six-sided polygon. The total of the internal angles of any simple (non-self-intersecting) hexagon is 720°.
Regular hexagon
A regular hexagon is d ...
or
octagon
In geometry, an octagon () is an eight-sided polygon or 8-gon.
A '' regular octagon'' has Schläfli symbol and can also be constructed as a quasiregular truncated square, t, which alternates two types of edges. A truncated octagon, t is a ...
al in shape, containing a single chamber. More minor türbes are usually kept closed although the interior can be sometimes be glimpsed through metal grilles over the windows or door. The exterior is typically masonry, perhaps with tiled decoration over the doorway, but the interior often contains large areas of painted tilework, which may be of the highest quality.
Inside, the body or bodies repose in plain
sarcophagi
A sarcophagus (: sarcophagi or sarcophaguses) is a coffin, most commonly carved in stone, and usually displayed above ground, though it may also be buried. The word ''sarcophagus'' comes from the Greek σάρξ ' meaning "flesh", and φ� ...
, perhaps with a simple
inscription
Epigraphy () is the study of inscriptions, or epigraphs, as writing; it is the science of identifying graphemes, clarifying their meanings, classifying their uses according to dates and cultural contexts, and drawing conclusions about the wr ...
, which are, or were originally, covered by rich cloth drapes. Usually these sarcophagi are symbolic, and the actual body lies below the floor. At the head of the tomb a wooden pole was sometimes surmounted by a white cloth Ottoman turban (for men) or by a turban carved in stone.
Earlier examples often had two or more storeys, following the example of the
Ilkhanate
The Ilkhanate or Il-khanate was a Mongol khanate founded in the southwestern territories of the Mongol Empire. It was ruled by the Il-Khans or Ilkhanids (), and known to the Mongols as ''Hülegü Ulus'' (). The Ilkhanid realm was officially known ...
and Persian tombs on which they were modelled; the
Malek Tomb is a good example of this. The Ottoman style is also supposed to reflect the shape of the tents used by the earlier nomadic Ottomans and their successors when on military campaigns. Sultans often had their tombs built during their lifetimes, although those of other family members (and some sultans) were constructed after their deaths. The vital organs of Sultan
Murad I
Murad I (; ), nicknamed ''Hüdavendigâr'' (from – meaning "Head of state, sovereign" in this context; 29 June 1326 – 15 June 1389) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1362 to 1389. He was the son of Orhan Gazi and Nilüfer Hatun. Mura ...
, assassinated just after his victory at the
Battle of Kosovo in 1389, were buried in a
türbe there while the rest of his body was carried back to his capital at
Bursa
Bursa () is a city in northwestern Turkey and the administrative center of Bursa Province. The fourth-most populous city in Turkey and second-most populous in the Marmara Region, Bursa is one of the industrial centers of the country. Most of ...
to be buried in a second türbe.
Etymology
The word is derived from the
Arabic
Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
''turbah'' (meaning ''"soil/ground/earth"''), which can also mean a
mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type o ...
, but more often a funerary complex, or a plot in a cemetery.
Famous ''türbes''
Istanbul
Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
is home to the ''türbes'' of most of the Ottoman sultans as well as to many of the grand viziers and other notables. Turkey also has ''türbes'' associated with several
Sufi
Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism.
Practitioners of Sufism are r ...
saints
In Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Anglican, Oriental Orth ...
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 ...
.
Süleymaniye Mosque complex
The
Süleymaniye Mosque
The Süleymaniye Mosque (, ) is an Ottoman imperial mosque located on the Seven hills of Istanbul, Third Hill of Istanbul, Turkey. The mosque was commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent () and designed by the imperial architect Mimar Sinan. An ...
complex in Istanbul includes some of the most famous ''türbes'', including that of
Suleyman himself (1550s) – perhaps the most splendid of all Ottoman ''türbes –'' and that of his wife
Hürrem Sultan, with some extremely fine tilework. In a street close to the complex is the small ''türbe'' of its famous architect
Mimar Sinan
Mimar Sinan (; , ; – 17 July 1588) also known as Koca Mi'mâr Sinân Âğâ, ("Sinan Agha (title), Agha the Grand Architect" or "Grand Sinan") was the chief Ottoman Empire, Ottoman architect, engineer and mathematician for sultans Suleiman ...
, in what was his garden.
Konya
In
Konya
Konya is a major city in central Turkey, on the southwestern edge of the Central Anatolian Plateau, and is the capital of Konya Province. During antiquity and into Seljuk times it was known as Iconium. In 19th-century accounts of the city in En ...
the grounds of the 12th-century
Alâeddin Mosque contain two conical-roofed early ''türbes'' containing the remains of members of the
Seljuk Rum dynasty. The town is also home to the ''türbe'' of
Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, which is a major
shrine
A shrine ( "case or chest for books or papers"; Old French: ''escrin'' "box or case") is a sacred space">-4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ...: ''escri ...
and
pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a travel, journey to a holy place, which can lead to a personal transformation, after which the pilgrim returns to their daily life. A pilgrim (from the Latin ''peregrinus'') is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) w ...
point. In Konya, as in Kayseri, ''türbes'' are also referred to as ''
Kümbets''.
Bursa
The Ottoman capital before the conquest of
Constantinople
Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
in 1453,
Bursa
Bursa () is a city in northwestern Turkey and the administrative center of Bursa Province. The fourth-most populous city in Turkey and second-most populous in the Marmara Region, Bursa is one of the industrial centers of the country. Most of ...
is home to the ''türbes'' of most of the earlier sultans including
Osman I
Osman I or Osman Ghazi (; or ''Osman Gazi''; died 1323/4) was the eponymous founder of the Ottoman Empire (first known as a bey, beylik or emirate). While initially a small Turkoman (ethnonym), Turkoman principality during Osman's lifetime, h ...
and his son,
Orhan
Orhan Ghazi (; , also spelled Orkhan; died 1362) was the second sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1323/4 to 1362. He was born in Söğüt, as the son of Osman I.
In the early stages of his reign, Orhan focused his energies on conquering mos ...
. ''Türbes'' in the grounds of the lovely
Muradiye Complex
The Muradiye Complex () or the Complex of Sultan Murad II, the Ottoman sultan (reigned 1421–1451, with interruption 1444–46), is located in Bursa, Turkey. It is part of the historic UNESCO World Heritage Site.
History
The mosque complex com ...
contain the remains of
Murad II
Murad II (, ; June 1404 – 3 February 1451) was twice the sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1421 to 1444 and from 1446 to 1451.
Early life
Murad was born in June 1404 to Mehmed I, while the identity of his mother is disputed according to v ...
and several princes. The
Yeşil Türbe (Green Türbe), a large three-story tower in the grounds of the
Yeşil Mosque, houses the beautifully tiled sarcophagus of
Mehmed I. Much of its exterior is covered with plain blue tiles, despite the name of the tomb suggesting that they are green.
Bulgaria
In Bulgaria, the heptagonal ''türbes'' of dervish saints such as Kıdlemi Baba, Ak Yazılı Baba,
Demir Baba and
Otman Baba served as the centers of
Bektashi
Bektashism (, ) is a tariqa, Sufi order of Islam that evolved in 13th-century western Anatolia and became widespread in the Ottoman Empire. It is named after the wali, ''walī'' "saint" Haji Bektash Veli, with adherents called Bektashis. The ...
tekkes (gathering places) before 1826. The türbe of
Haji Bektash Veli
Haji Bektash Veli (; ; ; ) was an Islamic scholar, Mysticism, mystic, Wali, saint, sayyid, and philosopher from Greater Khorasan, Khorasan who lived and taught in Anatolia.C. Olsen: Celibacy and Religious Traditions. Oxford University Press. 1st ...
is located in the original Bektashi tekke (now a museum) in the
town
A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city.
The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
that now bears his name and remains a site for
Alevi
Alevism (; ; ) is a syncretic heterodox Islamic tradition, whose adherents follow the mystical Islamic teachings of Haji Bektash Veli, who taught the teachings of the Twelve Imams, whilst incorporating some traditions from shamanism. Differing ...
pilgrims from throughout Turkey.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
At the peak 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 ...
, under
Gazi Husrev-beg Sarajevo
Sarajevo ( ), ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'' is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 2 ...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina, became one of the biggest and most important Ottoman cities in the Balkans after Istanbul, with the largest marketplace (modern day
Baščaršija
Baščaršija (Serbian Cyrillic alphabet, Cyrillic: Башчаршија; ) is Sarajevo's old bazaar and the historical and cultural center of the city. Baščaršija was built in the 15th century when Isa-beg Ishaković founded the city.
Bašča ...
), and numerous mosques, which by the middle of the 16th century numbered more than 100. By 1660, the population of Sarajevo was estimated to be over 80,000. Husrev-beg greatly shaped the physical city, as most of what is now the Old Town was built during his reign. The
Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque
Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque (, ) is a mosque in the city of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Built in the 16th century, it is the largest historical mosque in Bosnia and Herzegovina and one of the most representative Ottoman structures in the Balkan ...
(Bosnian: Gazi Husrev-begova Džamija, Turkish: Gazi Hüsrev Bey Camii), is a mosque in Sarajevo historic marketplace Baščaršija, and it was built in 16th century. It is the largest historical mosque in Bosnia and Herzegovina and one of the most representative
Ottoman structures in the Balkans. Gazi Husrev-beg's turbe is located in the mosque courtyard.
Travnik
Travnik ( cyrl, Травник) is a town and a municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the administrative center of the Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, ...
, in modern Bosnia and Herzegovina, became the capital of the Ottoman province of Bosnia and residence of the Bosnian viziers after 1699, when
Sarajevo
Sarajevo ( ), ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'' is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 2 ...
was set ablaze by
Prince Eugene of Savoy
Prince Eugene Francis of Savoy-Carignano (18 October 1663 – 21 April 1736), better known as Prince Eugene, was a distinguished Generalfeldmarschall, field marshal in the Army of the Holy Roman Empire and of the Austrian Habsburg dynasty durin ...
. The Grand Viziers were sometimes buried in Travnik, and türbe shrines were erected in their honour in the heart of Old town of Travnik, where they stand today.
Hungary
The türbe of Idrisz Baba stands in
Pécs
Pécs ( , ; ; Slovak language, Slovak: ''Päťkostolie''; also known by #Name, alternative names) is List of cities and towns of Hungary#Largest cities in Hungary, the fifth largest city in Hungary, on the slopes of the Mecsek mountains in the c ...
, Hungary and was built in 1591. It features an octagonal base and domed
sepulchre, with
ogee-shaped lower windows and circular upper windows on the facade. It is one of only two surviving türbes of its kind in Hungary (the other is the
Tomb of Gül Baba), and plays an important role in the record of
Ottoman architecture
Ottoman architecture is an architectural style or tradition that developed under the Ottoman Empire over a long period, undergoing some significant changes during its history. It first emerged in northwestern Anatolia in the late 13th century an ...
in Hungary.
Not much is known about the Turkish person entombed in the türbe of Idrisz Baba; however, he was considered to be a holy man with the power to work miracles. It was later used as a storage facility for gunpowder. The türbe has been furnished with a mausoleum, embroidered sheet, and prayer mat by the Turkish government. Both the türbe of Idrisz Baba and the türbe of Gül Baba are places of pilgrimage for Muslims.
See also
*
Gonbad and Kümbet, Persian and Seljuk equivalents.
*
Gongbei (Islamic architecture)
''Gongbei'' (; from '' gonbad'', meaning "dome", "cupola"), is a term used by the Hui and Uyghur Muslim populations of China in the Northwestern region to indicate an Islamic shrine complex centered on the grave (''qabr'') of a Ṣūfī ...
(China)
Notes
References
*
Levey, Michael; ''The World of Ottoman Art'', 1975, Thames & Hudson,
*
* Meri, Josef F.
''The cult of saints among Muslims and Jews in medieval Syria'' Oxford Oriental monographs, Oxford University Press, 2002,
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Turbe
Ottoman architecture
Turkish words and phrases