GRAVESTONE OF ARMENIAN ARCHITECT GARABET BALYAN FOUND AT CONSTRUCTION SITE IN ISTANBUL
18:04, 23 Jan 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan
The lost gravestone of Garabet Balyan, the architect of the Dolmabahce
Palace, and a member of the Balyan family praised by Turkish President
Erdogan as 'competent masters' of their art, was discovered at an
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality construction site in Kartal,
Agos reports.
On 6 June 2014, at the opening of the renovated Ortaköy Mosque,
Erdogan made a speech in which he praised Nigogos Balyan, the architect
of the mosque, and a member of the Balyan family, with the words,
"It was an Armenian architect who created this work of art. Our
forefathers displayed a different mentality in selecting him, and
they gave the job to a competent master."
The lost gravestone of Garabet Balyan, the architect of the Dolmabahce
Palace, among the symbolic monuments of Istanbul, was discovered at
an Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality construction site in Kartal.
It is well known that many significant 19th century buildings in
Istanbul are the work of architects from the Balyan family. Garabet
Balyan was the architect of historically significant buildings such
as the Dolmabahce Palace, the GumuÅ~_suyu Military Hospital and the
Dolmabahce Valide Sultan Mosque.
The gravestone was found in the area between the buildings on the
construction site used for many years by the IBB after they were
demolished. Other gravestones and epitaphs featuring Armenian script
were also discovered in addition to Balyan's gravestone.
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