“Water’s journey echoes life’s own.” This is what comes to mind when standing before the Halid Ağa Çeşmesi.
Welcome to the story of the Halid Ağa Çeşmesi. It is a beautiful fountain in Kadıköy Istanbul. This fountain whispers tales of philanthropy. It also echoes resilience through the ages.
The Halid Ağa Çeşmesi was built in 1794 or 1795. Halid Ağa was Darüssaade Agha. He dedicated his life to service. He later became Haremeyn-i Şerifeyn Evkafı Nazırı. Halid Ağa passed away in 1798. He was buried in Eyüp at the Mihrişah Valide Sultan Külliyesi. His marble tomb is adorned with reliefs.
Halid Ağa sponsored a water route in Kadıköy. Other aghas built mosques there. The water route and two fountains cost 26929 kuruş. It also cost 54 akçe. The expense was recorded in 1794. The main inscription is by Arif Bey. He was an âmedî hulefâsı.
The Halid Ağa Çeşmesi has three inscriptions. The main inscription is in four couplets. It praises Sultan Selim Khan. It also praises Halid Ağa for building the fountain. It invites people to drink and pray for him. The poem wishes the fountain to be like Kevser. Kevser is a river in Paradise. It also wishes that its water will be life-giving.
The second inscription reveals a restoration. Sultan Mahmud II ordered it in 1838. Şair Zever Efendi wrote five couplets about this repair. This inscription suggests the water route was restored too. The third inscription mentions Pertevniyal Valide Sultan. She was Sultan Abdülaziz’s mother. She also restored the water route. Poet Agâh noted that she rediscovered the water source. This likely happened around 1868-69.
Kadıköy has few historical landmarks. This fountain graced its main street. In the 1930s the police station was demolished. The Halid Ağa Çeşmesi stood alone after this event. The fountain was moved in the 1940s. It was moved to a side street. Shops were built in its place. In the late 1970s Kadıköy Municipality wanted to move it. The plan was to place it near the Armenian church in Altıyol. This plan never materialized.
Neglect took its toll. Trash filled its basins. The marble darkened from fires. The Halid Ağa Çeşmesi is a three-faced marble structure. It showcases the Baroque style. This style was popular in the late 18th century. The fountain features inner arches with Baroque profiles. Small columns separate these arches. The main inscription sits above the central arch. The inscriptions of Mahmud II and Pertevniyal Valide Sultan are above. They are on the façade. Sadly someone defaced the seals on these inscriptions. They were erased by an eager revolutionary.
Halid Ağa had another fountain in Haydarpaşa. It stood near a prayer site. The exact design and original inscription are unknown. Şair Zever Paşa wrote that Sultan Abdülmecid rebuilt it in 1839. This fountain was next to a hospital. Its inscription was removed around 1927. The fountain was then partially buried.
The Halid Ağa Çeşmesi in Haydarpaşa reflected the Empire style. This style was common during Abdülmecid’s time. The rectangular frame had rubab carvings. A rubab is a stringed instrument. The arch had a subtle Baroque curve.
This fountain embodies the artistic transition. It mirrors the Western influences of the 19th century.
The Halid Ağa Çeşmesi serves as a reminder. Art endures. Acts of kindness ripple through time. Let its story inspire. Let’s cherish our heritage. Let’s preserve it for generations.