The Remaking of Istanbul: Portrait of an Ottoman City in the Nineteenth Century [Paperback]

Zeynep Çelik (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 4, 1993

Zeynep Çelik examines the changing face of Istanbul during the period when European cultural and economic influence intensified, integrating architectural analysis with discussion of broader issues of urban design and historical change.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Breaks new ground and is a most welcome exploration of an important and fascinating subject." -- Howard Crane, Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians

"Not only is this a superbly executed case study by a brilliant and knowledgeable scholar but, even more, it is an important contribution to the comparative study of city building." -- Janet Abu-Lughod, Middle Eastern Studies Association Bulletin

"The Remaking of Istanbul, although a decorative work in the best coffee table tradition, is a serious urban history of one of the world's great cities, at a critical period in its evolution." -- William Spencer, History

"elik adroitly recounts the remaking of Istanbul as a complex and at times curious story of the interrelation of style, technology, and power. Displaying a respectful and restrained command of the history of a city she clearly knows and loves, elik presents, in a straightforward and illuminating manner, the literal archaeology of Istanbul's layering of cultures, styles, and world movements." -- Paul Rabinow, Design Book Review

About the Author

Zeynep Çelik is Associate Professor of Architecture at the New Jersey Institute of Technology and author of Displaying the Orient: The Architecture of Islam at Nineteenth Century World's Fairs (California, 1992).

Product Details

• Paperback: 201 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press (August 4, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520082397
• ISBN-13: 978-0520082397
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 9.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,683,510 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Urban Renewal from an Ottoman Perspective, March 15, 2001

By 

"vagrant-lbc" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Remaking of Istanbul: Portrait of an Ottoman City in the Nineteenth Century (Paperback)

During the 19th Century the imperialist powers of Europe redeveloped their capitals on a grand scale. The Remaking of Istanbul details the attempts of the later Ottoman sultans to apply Western planning principles to their ancient capital in a similar fashion. Celik provides a historical survey describing the disintegration of the regularized Byzantine street network under the Ottomans, and also explains how the placement of mosques, bathes and other public spaces prior to 1800 presented problems in revitalization plans. Transportation issues are given their own chapter, where the inequity of tram service in the old city compared to the new suburbs and Ottoman attempts to regulate ferry service are discussed in detail. Perhaps the most intriguing element of the book is the section devoted to grand schemes which never came to fruition; the scope of the plans, which involve fantastic bridges, expansive squares and broad boulevards, will surprise readers who know modern Istanbul. An architectural historian by training, Celik includes a chapter on architectural pluralism detailing the myriad of styles that appeared in Istanbul during the period and the controversy they caused. The political and economic situation of the Ottoman Empire during the period is repeatedly touched on, and the disparities in wealth and influence between the city's Muslim and Christian populations and the crippling effects of Ottoman concessions to Western concerns are addressed at length. More than just an architectural history or a planning survey, The Remaking of Istanbul tells the story of how the Ottomans, in their rush to modernize their capital along Western lines, would find themselves strangled by the pursestrings of the European nations they had commissioned to carry out the work for them.

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent book, March 19, 2007

By 

Aristo - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Remaking of Istanbul: Portrait of an Ottoman City in the Nineteenth Century (Paperback)

The interest of this book goes beyond architecture or urban planning; it places the emergence of a modern city in the context of the wider power relationships of the time (imperial and otherwise). The illustrations and maps are very helpful. A superb resource for not just for those interested in Istanbul, but for anyone trying to understand cultural change in modern Turkey and the Middle East.

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Source, October 27, 2005

By 

Burak Kilic (Istanbul, TURKEY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Remaking of Istanbul: Portrait of an Ottoman City in the Nineteenth Century (Paperback)

Zeynep Celik does an excellent job in summarizing the Ottoman politics in the 19th century and relating the social and economic structure of the empire to Istanbul's architecture and urban planning. The book consists of seven chapters, which include her clear analysis of the regularization of the urban fabric, transportation and some grand schemes proposed by the european architects and planners. She makes references to other european cities, and makes good comparisons for what certain things did/ did not work for the replanning of Istanbul. The book is very easy to read, comprehensive and very illustrative. The maps, diagrams and photographs are very revealing. Great work!