Restoration of Samsun Vezirköprü Inner Bazaar (1998-1999)

Samsun Vezirköprü Inner Bedesten Restoration (1998-1999)

Historical and Architectural Information

The Bedesten-Arasta complex, located in the Orta Cami neighborhood of Vezirköprü district center, was built by Ayşe Hatun.

According to the endowment deed of Ayşe Hanım, wife of Köprülü Mehmed Pasha, recorded in the General Directorate of Foundations Archives, book number 604, page 208, line 303, dated Gurrei Ramazan 1107, the construction of the Bedesten and Arasta was completed in 1667 and endowed by Ayşe Hanım to generate income.

The Bedesten consists of seventeen shops adjacent to its eastern wall. This section contains the entrance gate to the inner bedesten, dividing the shops into two sections. There are 9 shops on the north side and 8 shops on the south side of the entrance.

The shops have a rectangular plan and are covered with vaults. The walls up to the beginning of the vault are made of cut stone, while the vault itself is constructed of brick. The shop floors are wooden.

The shop facades show a shutter system attached to wooden uprights, approximately 10×10 cm in size, on both sides of the stone wall. The facade also features stone walls up to the beginning of the arch, with a brick wall above that, and the arch resting on the stone wall is a brick arch.

The roof, as is common in the covered market, is covered with lead and slopes towards the street, with an overhanging eaves providing shade and protection for the shops. The eaves section is supported by a ribbed structure resting on a stone protruding from the main wall, separate from the roof. It is known that there were wooden buttresses under the eaves.

The south facade has alternating wall sections. There is a double bathhouse on the east side of the facade. There are no shops on this facade.

The east facade also has alternating wall sections. There is a small mosque at the corner where the east and south facades intersect. This building, probably constructed in 1921 (1336) with a wooden frame and a roof, was used as the Vezirköprü Foundations Directorate (or Office) building, located on the north side of the facade, near the northeast entrance, above the shops in the bazaar. After the reorganization of the foundations in the early years of the Republic and the closure of their branches in cities and towns, this section was leased to private individuals, and the building has been used in this way until the present day.

The north facade, like the other facades, has alternating walls. There are no shops on this facade either.

The inner bazaar shops are located on the south side, totaling 13. Ten of these shops are on the east side, and three are on the west side (at the corner where the double bathhouse is located).

There are 19 shops on the east facade of the inner bazaar. Thirteen of these are inner bazaar shops, while the other six are located in the inner bazaar below ground level.

On the northern inner facade of the inner bazaar, there are 5 shops; 3 of these are on the east side and the others on the west side. The corner shops on the west side are connected.

On the western facade of the inner bazaar, there are 10 shops on the north side and 8 shops on the south side (at the corner where the double bathhouse is located).

The shops in the inner bazaar are arranged in a triangular plan, with corners connected by shops on the inner covered market side. The shops on the north side of the bazaar are rectangular in plan. These two smaller bazaars contain 11 shops each, for a total of 22 shops.

The inner covered market (bedesten) has four shops on each side (north, south, east, and west) to the right and left of the inner covered market entrances. These outer shops encircle the four sides of the inner covered market, totaling 32 shops. The shops in this inner covered market have brick vaults.

The inner covered market is a square-plan structure with four entrances. The entrance doors are made of wood and have retained their original features to this day. Inside the covered market, there is a space formed by the dome supports. This space was used as a cashier’s quarters.

There are openings in the walls of the inner covered market, built for a bunk bed system. This is evidence that the covered market was once used as an inn.

The pavement of the inner covered market streets is rubble stone.

The structure has not undergone any significant changes in form until the present day.

The covered market (bedesten) was one of the important commercial structures in Ottoman cities. They were generally covered markets where valuable goods, textiles, or commercial merchandise were sold.

The Vezirköprü Bedesten and its surrounding arasta (market) were the center of the district’s trade during the Ottoman period.

Location: Located in the Vezirköprü (Samsun) district center, between the Orta Mosque and the Çifte Hamam (Double Bath).

History: Mentioned in Ottoman endowment deeds from 1696, it is believed to have been built before that date.

Plan: The bedesten is a “four-domed, square-plan” covered market; arasta (open commercial streets) line its perimeter.

Inner Bedesten: The inner bedesten is generally a more enclosed area where trade is concentrated; it is also sometimes used as a caravanserai (large hall for rest/commercial purposes).

Together with the arasta system surrounding the inner bedesten, this structure is a typical example of a classic Ottoman city bazaar; the shops here open both to the bedesten and to the surrounding streets.

Repair and Conservation Works Carried Out

The Vezirköprü Bedesten (covered market) and its inner section have undergone numerous repair and restoration works over various periods.

20th Century Repairs

Renovation and maintenance works were carried out by the General Directorate of Foundations in 1950, 1969, 1975, and 1998. During these repairs, the stone walls, domes, and roofing systems of the building were strengthened.

In the 1990s, the building was partially used as a tobacco warehouse, and some of the eastern entrances were closed off and converted into shops.

During the 1998 repair, the later additions of shops in front of the entrances were removed, and the entrances were restored to their original appearance. Additionally, the sheet metal roof covering was replaced with lead covering, and the wooden glazed shop doors were rebuilt in accordance with the original aesthetic. The cracks in the dome and walls were strengthened with lime mortar injection. Joints were renewed, floor coverings were installed, and the platform around the central column was renovated. Also on the same date, numerous original copies of land registry and population records from that period, unearthed during the dismantling of the platform around the central column, were handed over to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism under the supervision of the Trabzon Museum Directorate.

2000s and Beyond

Starting in 2007, a comprehensive restoration was carried out by the General Directorate of Foundations. During this period, the plaster, wall structure, and floor arrangement of the bedesten were renovated; the floor and platforms were leveled with concrete, making it a more usable space for visitors.

Today, while the shops in the arasta surrounding the bedesten continue their active commercial life, the architectural texture of the inner bedesten has been preserved, and it continues to function as the commercial center of the region.

Architectural and Cultural Value

Cultural Heritage: The Vezirköprü Bedesten is one of the characteristic examples of classical Ottoman commercial structures and reflects the continuity of commercial life in the region.

The inner covered market’s function as a caravanserai: The fact that the inner covered market could also be used as a caravanserai demonstrates Vezirköprü’s location on historical trade routes and its function in hosting visitors.

Materials and structure: The main structure is built of rubble and cut stone, with domes supported by brickwork. Wooden doors and arches give the building a historical character.