AYVERDİ, Ekrem Hakkı

Architect and historian of art (b. 22 December 1899, Şehzadebaşı / İstanbul – d. 24 April 1984, İstanbul). His ancestral roots go as far as the Ramazanoğulları sultanate of Bolu via his father, Colonel District Governor Ismail Hakkı Bey, and to saint Gülbaba who rests in peace in a tomb in Budapest, via his mother, Meliha Hanımefendi. He attended the Daru’t – Tedris and Hadika–i Meşveret High Schools between 1907 and 1911. Then, he attended the Vefa High School and graduated from the School of Engineering. After graduating from university in 1920, Ekrem Hakkı Bey worked one and half years at the Technical Department of İstanbul Municipality and then he was engaged in construction works until 1950s. During this period as a contractor, he drew attention with his buildings such as roads, bridges and hospitals and with his services in restoration works in Edirne, Çorlu, İstanbul and Bursa.

He conducted studies on his travels to many countries. By conducting studies in an area of five hundred fifty thousand kilometers square, which was once owned by Ottoman Empire, he rescued a part of the architectural works of art from being forgotten, on his own resources. As he worked to restore architectural works of art, at the same time, he engaged in creating a collection of calligraphy, illumination, ornaments, hard cover of books, pencil sharpeners, pen case with inkwell and the Koran. He managed to collect and keep the most valuables of these items. In second phase of his life, in his fifties, he initiated his efforts to study the architectural history. While he continued to write essays on various issues related to the problems of the country, he gathered sufficient materials to form monumental works that he would publish later. His great service, which started with the publication of his book titled Fatih Devri Mimari Eserleri (The Architectural Works of Art in Fatih's Era) in 1953, continued increasingly and incessantly until his death.

He was given an honorary doctorate degree by İstanbul University because of his studies in 1979. He was the Chairman of İstanbul Conquest Society for thirty years, and he was the founder and a member of Yahya Kemal Institute and İstanbul Institute, bound to the Society. He was also the founder of the Kubbealtı Academy Culture and Art Foundation, which has an important place in Turkish art and cultural life. The Guild of Intellectuals gave their first Superior Service Award to Ayverdi on 17 November 1979. More than a hundred essays of Ayverdi on history, the history of art and architecture were published and he built a lot of famous buildings and monuments in İstanbul. Some of these are: Elhamra Movie Theater, many clinic buildings in Gureba ve Haseki Hospitals, Kadıköy People's House, Old Municipality Café in Taksim, University Observatory, Barbaros Monument in Beşiktaş, the Muslim Theology School of Gazanfer Ağa, İshak Ağa Fountain in Beykoz, Bali Paşa Mosque, Mesih Paşa Mosque, Laleli Mosque, Hagia Sofia, Selimiye Mosque in Edirne, Three Balconied Mosque, Old Mosque, Bayazid, Muradiye, Yıldırım and Süleymaniye Mosques and Çelebi Bedesteni Mosque in Boyacıköy, Governor Residence of Bursa and Heybeliada Mosque.

WORKS:

18. Asırda Lâle (Tulip in the 18th Century, 1950), Fatih Devri Mimari Eserleri (The Architectural Works of Art in the Fatih's Era, 1953), Fatih Devri Mimarisi (The Architecture in the Fatih's Era, 1953), Fatih Devri Hattatları ve Hat San’atı (The Calligraphers and the Art of Calligraphy in the Fatih's Era, 1953), Yugoslavya’da Türk Abideleri ve Vakıfları (The Turkish Monuments and Foundations in Yugoslavia, 1957), 19. Asırda İstanbul Haritası (Map of İstanbul in 19th Century, 1978), Fatih Devri Sonlarında İstanbul Mahalleleri, Şehrin İskânı ve Nüfusu (The Quarters of İstanbul, Housing and Population of the City by the End of Fatih's Era, 1958), Fetih Devri Mimarisi Zeyli (An Addition to the Architecture of Fatih's Era, 1960), Osmanlı Mimarîsinin İlk Devri (The First Period of Ottoman Architecture, 1966), Vakıflar Tahrir Defteri (The Registries of Foundations, in collaboration with Ömer Lütfi Barkan, 1970), Fatih Devrinde Osmanlı Mimarisi (The Ottoman Architecture in Fatih's Era, 2 volumes), Osmanlı Mimarisinde Fatih Devri (The Fatih's Era in Ottoman Architecture, 4 Volumes, 1953-1974), Osmanlı Mîmârisinde Çelebi ve II. Sultan Murad Devri (The Çelebi and Sultan Murad II Eras in Ottoman Architecture, 2 volumes, 1972), İlk 250 Senenin Osmanlı Mîmârîsi (The Ottoman Architecture of the First 250 Years, 1976), Avrupa’da Osmanlı Mimari Eserleri (The Ottoman Architectural Works of Art in Europe, 4 volumes, 1979-1983).