Could a cemetery hold the key to understanding a city’s soul? Here at the Kayabaşı Mezarlığı, the stories etched onto these tombstones whisper tales of Istanbul’s vibrant past. Kayabaşı Mezarlığı, once known as Ayayorgi, meaning “St. George,” and later Azatlı, reveals layers of history. The name Kayabaşı itself, meaning “rocky head” in Turkish, reflects the terrain. This area has witnessed remarkable transformations over centuries. Before it became a final resting place, Kayabaşı played a vital role in the Ottoman era. Nearby, the Yarimburgaz Cave holds ancient fossils and the remnants of a Byzantine cave-church and monastery. The Azatlı Gunpowder Mill, built in 1795, supplied the Ottoman Army until its destruction during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78. The Greco-Turkish population exchange of 1923 brought Muslim families from Kovitsa, Greece, to Kayabaşı. These families, skilled in animal husbandry, found a new home amongst the remnants of the previous Orthodox community. Traces of their lives remain: water wells, tile drain ruins, and church wall fragments. Even some of the houses built by the Orthodox inhabitants still stand today, alongside those constructed by the newly arrived Muslim families. The current mosque, built in the 1950s, incorporates materials from a demolished church, a poignant symbol of the area’s evolving identity. Kayabaşı Mezarlığı stands as a testament to Istanbul’s resilience and its ever-changing cultural landscape. The lives lived and lost here, amidst the echoes of ancient caves and gunpowder mills, contribute to the intricate tapestry of this city’s history. As you wander through Kayabaşı Mezarlığı, remember that these stones speak not just of endings, but of the continuous cycle of life, death, and renewal.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to