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).