“Where is Matbaacılar Sitesi Cami?” I hear you ask. Let me tell you its story.
The story of Matbaacılar Sitesi Cami is not directly available. However, we can explore a similar historical transformation. Let us consider the Arap Mosque. It stands as a testament to Istanbul’s rich and layered past. Originally, it was not a mosque at all. It was a Roman Catholic church. Dominican friars erected it in 1325. It was near an earlier chapel dedicated to Saint Paul.
Imagine stepping back in time. Picture the Latin Empire of Constantinople. This was after the Fourth Crusade. In 1233, the small chapel dedicated to Saint Paul emerged. Then, in 1299, Friar Guillaume Bernard de Sévérac bought a house nearby. He established a monastery. Twelve friars joined him there. By 1307, Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos moved the Dominicans. They went to Pera, a Genoese-held suburb.
In 1325, a grander church arose near the chapel. It was dedicated to San Domenico. But locals still called it San Paolo. In 1407, Pope Gregory XII granted indulgences. This encouraged visitors. It helped maintain the monastery of San Paolo.
Now, fast forward to the Ottoman period. After the Fall of Constantinople, things changed. The church, Mesa Domenico to the Turks, stayed in Genoese hands. But between 1475 and 1478, Sultan Mehmed II transformed it. It became a mosque. It was then known as Galata Camii or Cami-i Kebir. The friars relocated in 1476. They moved to San Pietro in Galata.
Towards the end of the 15th century, Sultan Bayezid II reassigned the building. He gave it to Muslims from Spain. They had fled the Spanish Inquisition. They migrated to Istanbul. This is how it got its current name, Arap Camii or Arab Mosque.
Over the centuries, the Arap Mosque underwent several repairs and renovations. Sultan Mehmed III fixed the building. In the late 17th century, houses nearby were removed to reduce noise. After the Great Fire of Galata in 1731, the mother of Mahmud I, Saliha Sultan, renovated it. She changed the windows and portal from Gothic to Ottoman style. After another fire in 1808, Adile Sultan, daughter of Mahmud II, repaired the mosque again. In 1868, she built a şadırvan or fountain for ritual ablutions.
Between 1913 and 1919, Giridli Hasan Bey extensively restored the mosque again. During this restoration, Genoese tombstones were discovered. They dated back to the 14th and 15th centuries. These were moved to the Istanbul Archaeology Museum.
In the early 2010s, the Arap Mosque underwent a major restoration. It finished in 2013. An inscription inaccurately stating the mosque’s founding in 715 AD was added.
The Arap Mosque’s architecture is unique. It was erected in the style of Italian mendicant order churches. It features a three-nave rectangular base. It has a square sanctuary with ribbed groin vaults. The Gothic-style portal, lancet windows and the bell tower that became a minaret set it apart. The building resembles churches in Italy.
Inside, the flat wooden roof and wooden galleries date from the 1913-1919 restoration. Rests of paintings were discovered near the Mihrab during the same restoration. On the north side, there is a courtyard with a şadırvan.
Today, the Arap Camii stands as the largest mosque on the Galata side of the Golden Horn. It remains one of the most interesting mosques in Istanbul. Its Italian Gothic architectural style is well-preserved. Its church belfry has remained practically unaltered. This transformation mirrors the ever-changing nature of Istanbul itself. A city where layers of history intertwine. Where echoes of different cultures resonate through its stones.