Tombstones whisper tales of a bygone era. We stand before the Sultan II. Mahmut Türbesi. This tomb is more than a mere structure. It is a testament to Ottoman history and artistry.
Sultan Abdulmecid built this tomb for his father, Mahmud II. It was completed in 1840. The Sultan II. Mahmut Türbesi stands on Divanyolu Street in the Çemberlitaş neighborhood. This area falls within Istanbul’s Fatih district.
After Mahmud II’s death in 1839, Abdulmecid commissioned the Dadyan brothers to design a fitting tomb. Esma Sultan, Mahmud II’s sister, donated the land. She had a mansion on this very plot. Some attribute the design to Engineer Abdulhalim Efendi. Others credit Garabed Balyan. Regardless, the Sultan II. Mahmut Türbesi complex includes a tomb, fountain, burial ground, and guard rooms.
Inside this Sultan II. Mahmut Türbesi lie more than just Mahmud II. Sultan Abdülaziz and Sultan Abdülhamid II also rest here. Nearby, Abdülhalim Efendi constructed the Mekteb-i Maarif-i Adliye and a library. This school was originally planned as a madrasah. However, after the burning of the Babıâli, it served a temporary purpose. It housed the offices until the new Sublime Porte was finished.
The Sultan II. Mahmut Türbesi itself showcases the Empire style. White marble clads the octagonal structure. Steps lead up to the tomb. Embossed wreaths and flowers adorn its dome. Inside, Mehmet Haşim’s calligraphy graces a marble inscription. Queen Victoria I gifted a crystal chandelier that hangs from the dome. Gilded wall clocks, presents from Napoleon III, flank the door.
In 1861, the courtyard transformed into a hazire. It became a cemetery attached to the Sultan II. Mahmut Türbesi. Statesmen, writers, and poets found their final resting place here. Their tombstones showcase Ottoman stonework.
Mahmud II, the 30th Ottoman Sultan, reigned from 1808 to 1839. He was a reformer. He famously abolished the Janissaries. Also, he replaced the turban with the fez. However, his reign also saw the execution of Patriarch Gregory V and the loss of Greece.
Abdülaziz, Mahmud II’s son, is also entombed here in Sultan II. Mahmut Türbesi. He ruled during a prosperous period. He was the first Sultan to ride a train and visit Western Europe. Abdülaziz modernized the Ottoman Navy. Sadly, he was deposed and met a tragic end.
Abdülhamid II, the 34th Sultan, completes the trio within the Sultan II. Mahmut Türbesi. His reign marked a period of decline. He earned the nicknames “Red Sultan” and “Abdül the Damned”. He was later deposed and imprisoned.
Notable figures rest in the cemetery of Sultan II. Mahmut Türbesi. Authors Ziya Gökalp and Muallim Naci are among them. Also, Hekim İsmail Pasha and Said Halim Pasha are buried here. Ertuğrul Osman, the “Last Ottoman,” also rests here. He would have been Sultan from 1994. Near him lies Osman Nami Osmanoğlu. He was an Ottoman prince and grandson of Abdülhamid II. The Sultan II. Mahmut Türbesi stands as a silent witness to Ottoman history. It encapsulates reform, prosperity, decline, and remembrance within its marble walls.