From an arasta bazaar to a piyasa street: the transformation of Direklerarası in Ottoman Istanbul from the 1720s to the 1920s


TUNÇ YAŞAR F., Yaşar A.

Middle Eastern Studies, 2024 (SSCI) identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Basım Tarihi: 2024
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1080/00263206.2024.2384877
  • Dergi Adı: Middle Eastern Studies
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, IBZ Online, International Bibliography of Social Sciences, Periodicals Index Online, Geobase, Historical Abstracts, Index Islamicus, Jewish Studies Source, Linguistic Bibliography, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, PAIS International, Political Science Complete, Public Affairs Index, Social services abstracts, Sociological abstracts, Worldwide Political Science Abstracts
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: arasta bazaar, Direklerarası, Ottoman Istanbul, promenade street
  • Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

This article examines the transformation of Direklerarası Street, located on Istanbul’s historical Divanyolu, from the 1720s to the 1920s. Originally built in 1729 as an arasta to generate revenue for Ibrahim Pasha’s madrasa, it featured an innovative architectural style comprising rows of shops facing each other and colonnaded sidewalks. It served as a commercial and social centre for the Janissary Corps until their abolition in 1826. Around the 1860s, Direklerarası integrated into the entertainment and social milieu surrounding Beyazıt Square, particularly during the Ramadan months, and evolved into the primary promenade street of intramural Istanbul with the proliferation of literary cafés, teahouses, and theatres from the 1880s onwards. However, starting from the 1910s, changing socio-cultural and urban dynamics led to the decline of Direklerarası’s reputation and popularity. Conceptualizing Direklerarası as both a spatial entity and a reflection of the cultural dynamics of the late Ottoman capital, this article scrutinizes its transformation driven by social interactions, local entrepreneurship, and political interventions, focusing on spatial experiences, entertainment, spectacle, promenade culture, and clientele.