The Architects of Ottoman Constantinople: The Balyan Family and the History of Ottoman Architecture

(Paperback)

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The Balyan family were a dynasty of architects, builders and property owners who acted as the official architects to the Ottoman Sultans throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. Originally Armenian, the family is responsible for some of the most famous Ottoman buildings in existence, many of which are regarded as masterpieces of their period including the Dolmabahe Palace (built between 1843 and 1856), parts of the Topkap Palace, the raan Palace and the Ortaky Mosque. Forging a unique style based around European contemporary architecture but with distinctive Ottoman flourishes, the family is an integral part of Ottoman history. As Alyson Whartons beautifully illustrated book reveals, the Balyans own history, of falling in and out of favour with increasingly autocratic Sultans, serves as a record of courtly power in the Ottoman era and is uniquely intertwined with the history of Istanbul itself.

Author Bio

Alyson Wharton gained her PhD in Art and Architecture at SOAS under Professor Doris Behrens-Abouseif and is now Assistant Professor of the History of Art at Mardin Artuklu University, Turkey. Alyson Wharton gained her PhD in Art and Architecture at SOAS under Professor Doris Behrens-Abouseif and is now Assistant Professor of the History of Art at Mardin Artuklu University, Turkey.