Being one of the most important political and historical sites of Istanbul, Beyazıt Square due to its numerous important historical buildings, is one the most popular sites for old time photographers in the past. Being the location of the General Staff of the Ottoman Empire (Daire-i Umur-ı Askeriye) and presence of the two largest trade centres. the Grand Bazaar and the Sandal Bedesten, has made this neighbourhood one of the most frequented places for those who visit Istanbul. Etchings of the place can be found in books printed before the invention of photography. After the invention of photography, photographs of the square have been taken in abundance and ample postcards made.
Beyazıt Square has witnessed numerous historical events. Being a political centre during the Ottoman times, Beyazıt became an important cultural centre after the foundation of the Republic, housing the oldest university of the country, the Istanbul University.
The Istanbul University and the cultural sites in the neighbourhood such as Municipality Library, Beyazıt Public Library, Turkish Studies Institute, have made this area where the scientists, men of letters and philosophers have lived or often visited.
Besides its political and cultural importance, one of the special features of Beyazıt was its direct connection to the Grand Bazaar, the centre of domestic and international trade of the Ottoman Empire. The Grand Bazaar is still the most important trading centre of Istanbul. All these special features have made Bayazıt a major place of intense interest. All travellers who visited Beyazıt and Grand Bazaar, -and all photographers, including James Robertson- have photographed the Beyazıt Square and its neighbourhood. Being one of the most photographed regions of Istanbul, there are hundreds of postcards made of Beyazıt and its surroundings.
The first photographs of Beyazıt and its neighbourhood were taken by James Robertson, who visited Istanbul between 1850 and 1860. Like most photographers, Robertson climbed the Beyazıt Fire Tower and took panoramic photographs of the region, including the square, the Grand Bazaar, the General Staff Headqurters and the Beyazıt Complex. The visual material taken by the travellers and photographers, became trading objects as postcards became part of daily life. Many publishers have produced postcards of photographs taken by artists such as Pascal Sabah, Guillaume Berggren, Apollon, Abdullah Frères and Basil Kargoupulo. Famous postcard publisher Max Fruchtermann published 40 postcards of Beyazıt and its neighbourhood. Fruchtermann also published and sold 10 Grand Bazaar postcards. Besides Max Fruchtermann who has published around 50 postcards in total,

various postcard publishers such as Ludvigshon Frères, Joseph N. Mitrani, Römmler Dresten, İpekdji Frères, Zellich Frères, Georges Papatoine, M. Israelowitz, F. Loeffler have each published tens of postcards showing the Grand Bazaar, Beyazıt and their environment. We know that some scenes were published over and over by different publishers. Considering Beyazıt and its neighbourhood have undergone tremendous changes during the past hundred years, a postcard collection

showing all those changes would indeed be very valuable.
Beyazıt Square had to face several improvements (!) such as expropriations followed by demolitions. Formerly a small square surrounded by dwellings and trade centres, these so called improvements turned the place into a vast but empty square. Being so spacious, for a period of time, it was even called as the "Square of Liberty". One of the unchanging parts of this region is the Beyazıt Door of the Grand Bazaar and its surrounding neighbourhood. The Beyazıt Gate of the Grand Bazaar surrounded with historical buildings such as public fountain near the tram station, the boys school now used as Hakkı Tarık Us library, has a visuality that has not changed for a hundred years.
Postcards showing the interior of the Grand Bazaar are very rare. It's very difficult to make a collection of these postcards which are documents both for the restoration and history of the Grand Bazaar. It is very important to understand the social life in the old Grand Bazaar.

 

It therefore is essential to collect and publish such postcards and pictures.Most of the Beyazıt Square postcards are similar. Even though they are published by different publishers, especially the ones showing the arched entrance of the General Staff Headquarters, which today is the gate of the Istanbul University, are almost duplicates. Some of the photographs that exhibit the changes are those taken at the location which is the garden of the University now.

These postcards show that, while it was an empty location where the soldiers went on beat during the Ottoman period, the square gradually have been afforested and turned into a vast green area after the republic.
Since the postcards of Beyazıt and the neighbourhood have not been collected completely, at this stage it is too early to reach a conclusion . But we can say that the Beyazıt Square and its neighbourhood are one of the most photographed regions in Istanbul.A collection, classification and ensuing exhibition of photographs and postcards of Beyazıt Square which is one of the most important squares of Istanbul would be an important documentation and a source of pleasure for those who uhdertake such a worthy task.