I can almost hear you saying, "Oh man, the guy is crazy, he's just making a big deal about something that's become very popular these days."
So, I invite you to look at doors from a different perspective, please go ahead…
My brain began to buzz with a stream of information from old archives…
Years ago, I was on the street, running, I heard my mother’s voice from behind, “Şafak, don’t run, slow down my son, you’ll fall”, I accelerated even faster, passing the pastry shop on the corner, through the smell of freshly boiling milk, as if flying, I dived into Zerrin Street, where my grandmother’s house was.
A little further on, the road splits into two, I turn right and I slow down with difficulty when I come to a green and yellow painted triangular building on the right, I come to the front door of the apartment building and frantically ring the doorbell.
With a "Dzzzzt! Dzzzt! Dzzzt! dzzzt!" sound, I push the metal door with its iron grille and frosted glass open, waiting for the cool air to rush over me, flow around my overheated body, and cool me down.
The very cool air coming from the coal shed, smelling of lignite coal, made me shiver both physically and mentally, I was afraid of the dark at that age…
I turn my eyes away from the stairs leading down to the dark coal cellar, turn my gaze to the first floor and quickly head towards the door of my grandmother's house. I gently ring the doorbell once and listen to the sound of a tiny gong-like sound.
Footsteps are approaching from the other side of the door, and at the same time I hear the clear voice of that sweet, wise woman saying, "I'm here, I'm here, my child, I'm opening."
At that very moment, at that moment when the door started to open, time seemed to slow down, even stop, and from the crack of the door, the smell of toast, rice with tomatoes, dry slices of bread dipped in egg for bread pudding and many other things assaulted me and took me away from myself.
...a little further on, the road splits into two, I turn right and I slow down with difficulty when I come to a green and yellow painted triangular building on the right, I come to the front door of the apartment building and frantically ring the doorbell...
The sky blue painted door of the apartment took me from the street dimension to a crossroads where I could choose two other dimensions; “coal cellar” and “my grandmother’s house-first floor”. By choosing the second, I found myself at a door opening to another dimension: “my grandmother’s house”.
Once I entered the house, doors opening to other dimensions welcomed me:
- Kitchen door - opening to the dream world where delicious meals are cooked,
- The living room door - where tea is cooked on the coal stove, chestnuts are roasted, milk is boiled, hands that are freezing from playing snowballs are warmed and thawed… where people fall into sweet sleep on the sofa facing each other…
- -Balcony door - Opening to a garden squeezed between apartment buildings, where you can dream of many forest creatures living...
- -The door to my room - My room, where I feel invincible, where I feel like I'm in Superman's fortress of solitude, where I have my small desk made of solid wood, my aquarium and my bed...
In my opinion, the doors at different points in our lives are also tools that can take us to different times and dimensions.
Now I invite you to watch some of the shots I captured in a neighborhood that can set very good examples of these; then come on over to Balat…
Where is Balat?
Balat is a district of Fatih on the European side of Istanbul. It is located between Ayvansaray and Fener on the shores of the Golden Horn. Famous for its historical texture and cultural richness, Balat offers visitors the opportunity to follow the traces of the past.
Where Does Balat Get Its Name From?
The name Balat is derived from the word “Palation”, meaning palace. The origin of this name comes from its proximity to the Blachernae Palace. In some sources, the name of Balat is “Vasiliki Pili”, which was its name before 1453. This name means “sultan’s gate”.
Balat's Place in History
The history of Balat dates back to the Byzantine period. Many of the structures built during that period, such as synagogues, churches, mosques, schools, inns and bazaars, have survived to the present day. The first settlers in Balat were Jewish families from the Kastoria region of Macedonia. In 1493, Jews from Spain settled in Balat and lived here for a long time. In 1497, Jews from Portugal and Italy came and founded the Geruş, Neve Şalom, Messina and Montias synagogues.
Jewish Settlement and History
Balat has been known as a Jewish settlement since the 16th century. Jewish houses are generally 2-3 storey buildings with narrow fronts and bay windows on the upper floors. When you enter from the Old Balat gate, you can see many of the structures left by the Jews. Some of these structures are the Yanyol Synagogue, the Ahrido Synagogue and the Ayios Strati Orthodox Church.
Balat in the Ottoman Period
During the Ottoman period, Muslims also began to settle in Balat and the neighborhood took on the name of a district. Among the mosques built during this period, the Sümbül Tekke is the oldest tekke in Balat. The decline in trade in the Golden Horn in the 18th and 19th centuries and the earthquake in 1894 caused Balat to lose its liveliness.
Structure of Balat
The structure of Balat was determined by the people living here. Poor families generally lived in the streets along the Golden Horn, consisting of boatmen, street vendors and porters. Wealthy families lived in the Dubek, Ahrida, Tahtaminare, İstipol and Asturya neighborhoods in Suriçi.
Migration Waves and Their Effects
Jews from Balat began to migrate to the Galata region in the late 19th century. With the Wealth Tax that came into effect in 1942 and the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, migration accelerated.
Historical places
There are many historical buildings from the Byzantine and Ottoman periods in Balat. Some of them are:
1. Ferruh Kethüda Mosque
2. Yusuf Şücaüddin Mosque
3. Draman Mosque
4. Hoca Kasım Günani Masjid
5. Molla Aşki Masjid
6. Balatkapı Ioannes Prodromos Metokhion Church
7. Balatkapı Panagia Balinou Church
8. Balatkapı Taxiarkhes Church
9. Surp Hreşdogabed Church
10. Aghia Strati Church
11. Church of Sveti Stefan (Iron Church)
Basic Features of Balat Houses
The main features of Balat houses are:
1. They are generally 3.5-storey buildings with a basement and a floor area of 30-50 square meters.
2. Some of the houses have gardens.
3. The outer walls are made of red blend bricks.
4. They are masonry houses.
5. The ceiling and floor parts are made of wood.
6. Room partitions are made with the horasan plaster technique on lath.
7. There are wet floors in the basements.
8. Floor tiles were used on the floors.
9. There are cisterns and wells in the houses.
Balat is one of the districts that best reflects the historical texture of Istanbul. With its rich cultural past, architectural structures and historical events, Balat offers a unique experience to its visitors. Exploring this historical district is like taking a journey into the past of Istanbul.