How many battles do you think this admiral witnessed? We are standing before the Tomb of Hayreddin Barbarossa. This is the final resting place of a legendary Ottoman admiral. His naval victories secured Ottoman dominance over the Mediterranean in the 16th century.
The Tomb of Hayreddin Barbarossa is located in Beşiktaş near the ferry port. It is a place where his fleet once gathered. The Istanbul Naval Museum and Barbaros Monument are also nearby. The building marks the start of Barbaros Boulevard.
Hayreddin Barbarossa was also known as Hızır Hayreddin Pasha. He was born on the island of Lesbos around 1478. He died in Istanbul in 1546. This admiral’s life was one of adventure. He began as a corsair and rose to become Kapudan Pasha. That means Grand Admiral of the Ottoman Navy.
Mimar Sinan designed the Tomb of Hayreddin Barbarossa. Construction was completed in 1541. The tomb still has its original features. Inside are four sarcophaguses. Hayreddin Barbarossa wanted a candle lit on his tomb every night. He left money in his will for this purpose.
The Ottoman Navy used to visit the mausoleum. They conducted ceremonies before major expeditions. The Turkish Navy continues this tradition today.
The Tomb of Hayreddin Barbarossa is open to the public on special occasions. These include the Cabotage Festival on July 1st. Also, it is open on Naval Martyrs Memorial Day on April 4th.
Next to the Tomb of Hayreddin Barbarossa stands a monument. It was erected in 1944. It resembles the bow of a ship and stands 11.5 meters tall. Artists Zühtü Baranoğlu and Hadi Baran created it. The statue uses 6900 kg of bronze. One side shows Barbarossa meeting Süleyman the Magnificent. The other side depicts the Naval Battle of Preveza. Lines from Yahya Kemal Beyatlı’s poem are on the back.
Hayreddin Barbarossa’s legacy is immense. He established Ottoman supremacy in the Mediterranean. Few Ottoman admirals ever matched his naval power.
Verses by Yahya Kemal Beyatlı are on the back of the statue. They ask about the roar on the sea’s horizon. Is it Barbarossa returning from Tunis or Algiers? Two hundred vessels ride the waves. They come from lands lit by the rising Crescent. The poem asks from what seas these blessed ships come.
In the centuries after his death ships saluted his mausoleum. This tradition stopped but the Turkish navy revived it in 2019. Several Turkish warships are named after him.
So remember Hayreddin Barbarossa. He was a remarkable figure. His tomb reminds us of Ottoman naval power. It also reminds us of a life lived on the seas.