Exploring the Tiled Kiosk of Mehmed II is a must for history buffs. The beautiful main structure with its columned front, triangular pediment, and name derived from the sarcophagi is typically the first thing that comes to mind when we think of the Istanbul Archeological Museums. However, the Tiled Kiosk, an earlier, more multi-layered building with a unique entrance and columns, is situated within the same courtyard and is frequently overlooked. This building is just as important as its neighbour, if not more so, in terms of both its architectural worth and the history it represents.
After capturing Istanbul, Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, also referred to as Mehmed the Conqueror, proclaimed himself emperor of the two Romes, which is how the pavilion’s history started. According to modern historians like Kritovoulos, Tursun Bey, Bidlisi, and Ibn Kemal, Mehmed II made all of the decisions, from choosing the location of the new palace (Topkapı) to building it.
The hill he selected was no accident; it is a location that simultaneously overlooks two continents and two seas, allowing one to view Galata and the Golden Horn as though they were in the palm of their hands. This location represents a ruler’s perspective on his capital, a concept of invisible but all-perceiving sovereignty.
However, the palace and the pavilions do not feel oppressed by this strength; rather, it is designed with reverence for the natural world. The seat of authority is tastefully hidden inside the building rather than overpowering it.
Mehmed II chose the complex in a same symbolic manner. He declared that a new power had replaced the previous proprietors of the land by selecting the location of the Church of the Holy Apostles, where Byzantine emperors were interred.
The Tiled Kiosk
It would be an understatement to claim that the first civilian building constructed inside the city walls by a conqueror of Istanbul was a “hunting lodge.” Recent research on the Tiled Kiosk paints a far more ambitious picture: In the center of the recently gained territories, Mehmed II had a structure built that bore the architectural legacy of all the regions he had either conquered or was aware of. He also didn’t leave anything up to chance.
Source: Daily Sabah
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