'A man's home is where his heart is bound.'

 

 

 

Although the historical past of Süleymanpaşa goes back to very old times, it is not possible to come across the traces of the Byzantine period or other cultures and civilizations before 1357 in Süleymanpaşa. This shows that the Turks have literally put their seal on this city. However, Greek, Armenian and Jewish minorities also lived in the region until the Republic.

 

It has been seen that Turkish houses have changed shape according to the conditions of the natural and social environment and material opportunities, and have kept up with various art movements over time. The birth of the Turkish house, which provides a comfortable, spacious and healthy life and has reached a superior level in terms of aesthetics, is the result of the superior art, talent and creativity of the Turks. This reflection naturally reached the province of Tekirdağ.

 

Old Süleymanpaşa houses are also seen in Ertuğrul, Hürriyet, Ortacami, Eski Mosque, Yavuz, Turgut, Zafer and Gündoğdu Neighborhoods, which are the old settlements of the district. There are a total of 260 registered houses in Süleymanpaşa. Most of them are unfortunately in ruins.

 

Works such as mosques, madrasahs, covered bazaars, inns, baths and fountains in Süleymanpaşa were always made of stone. The majority of the old Süleymanpaşa houses are wooden and there are also masonry houses.

 

XVII. In the 16th century, Süleymanpaşa was a city at the foot of the vineyard-garden and Gülistan slopes. It is seen that there were 11 mansions in the form of palaces and nearly a hundred large houses in this century.

 

Today's coast and coastal road was the sea. The sea was based on large masonry houses on the city side of the coastal road.

 

Before 1927, the streets and streets of the city were narrow and numbered tin gas lamps were lit in lanterns on the streets and at the beginnings of the streets. Its streets were cobblestone. There was no physical sewer, there were old pipes. Streets fire etc. Due to the efforts of the 3rd governor of the city, Arif Hikmet Bey, it was able to take its present form. The head of today's Muratlı street was opened as a result of the expropriation made in 1927. Electricity was brought to the city on 30.11.1930 during the time of Mayor Ekrem Bey. The first water network was started after that.

 

Mahmut Sümer states in his work titled "The Old Days of Tekirdağ" that there are 4,414 houses, 981 shops and 278 grain warehouses in various neighborhoods of the city, according to old records. Today, there are about 260 civil architecture examples and 63 monumental works whose registration is still ongoing.

 

We can list the main factors in the formation of the old city texture and streets of Süleymanpaşa as follows.

 

- The city is located by the sea

 

- Regional and geographical factors

 

- Economic factors

 

- Cultural factors

 

The old Süleymanpaşa houses, in harmony with their heights and architectural features, respect the environment and each other, form a unity side by side and as support. The houses have an open front towards the road, the sun and the beautiful view. It is possible to come across a common feature in terms of plan establishment or street-housing relationship in all of the houses located in the old city texture.

 

In Ertuğrul district, there are streets parallel to the sea and streets that cut them perpendicularly to the sea. Here, it is aimed that the sea winds penetrate into the interior spaces.

 

The effects of the Turkish family tradition can be seen in the old Süleymanpaşa houses. The most important example of this is the separation of large houses as haremlik and selamlık.

 

Due to the tradition of large families living together, two or three generations lived together. The houses are also arranged according to this need.

 

Rich floors were arranged for the preparation and storage of winter food and other needs. It was also used as a living space. It was sometimes used as a shelter for animals according to the needs of families.

 

The size and decoration of the houses were arranged according to the economic power of the family. Wealthy people painted the interior and exterior of the house with oil paint.

 

The old Suleymanpasa people have taste. This feature of the people is reflected by the wooden ornaments on the facades of the houses. Pleasures and pleasures in the evenings in gardens with large pools and all kinds of flowers, weddings and entertainments in Turkish baths are a part of social life.

 

ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES OF SÜLEYMANPAŞA HOUSES

 

The old houses of Süleymanpaşa are usually two or three stories high and made of wood. Its walls are made of wood, and the roof is filled with mud brick. The exterior is covered with wood material horizontally. The foundations and ground floor are made of stone.

 

Most of the big houses have harems and salutes. Attic floors are quite common. In many houses, the top of the bay window on the middle floor is in the form of a covered balcony in the attic.

 

Wooden entrance doors are double-winged, carved, with door handles or knockers. The entrance door is mostly retracted with the entrance niche. The exterior stairs to the first floor are marble. The staircase is on the front and usually has 7-8 steps. There are also double-sided stairs.

 

The ground floor, made of stone, has a separate single-wing door. The door is usually at the front of the house and is low. Cellar, warehouse, stove, etc. it is on the ground floor.

 

Wooden ladder from inside the house to the first and second floors exits the veins. There are cedars under the windows in the rooms. Ceiling and floors are wooden.

 

Almost all of the houses are şahnisli, that is, they should go forward and have a bay window. There are bay windows under the bay windows. It is also very common to use wooden poles as supports.

 

The front facades of the houses were decorated. The houses are large and have many windows, and the lower floor windows are iron fingered. There are usually wooden ornaments around the windows, on the exterior.

 

Balconies, bay windows or eaves are decorated with wooden ornaments. These ornaments are the most important elements of ornamentation.

 

In adjoining houses, a gable roof is mostly inclined to the front and back, and in split houses, a four-sided or two-sided roof is used. The roofs are covered with eaves and single corrugated tiles called Turkish style.

 

The doors of the mansions that do not survive today have very high opening wings, and on one side of the large garden, there is a kitchen, cart, animal stables, butler and servant rooms, a private marble bath, a fountain with a large pool, and a double well. Harem and Selamlık are separate.