RESEARCH AND PROPOSALS FOR THE CONSERVATION OF THE DOLAPDERE EVANGELISTRIA GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

Abstract

Dolapdere district is an important part of Beyoğlu, İstanbul. Tatavla which was founded in the sixteenth century, is located to the north of the district. Starting from the intersection point of Halâskârgazi Avenue and the Ergenekon Street, it extends southward along the valley, towards Kasımpaşa. Evangelistria district Yenişehir developed in the 19th century on the lower slopes of the Tatavla hill, as a result of the extension of the earlier settlement above. In the nineteenth century, “Tatavla” was populated mainly by Greeks. A small, timber structured church was established by the Greek Orthodox residents of the Yenişehir region in 1857. The church was built in the valley and surrounded by gardens. The present Evangelistria Greek Orthodox Church, designed in the Gothic revival style, replaced the earlier timber chapel in 1894. Its architect was Petraki D. Meimaridis, a native of Tatavla. The impressive monument dominated the skyline of the valley. Tatavla, composed of two or three story timber houses, was destroyed by a fire in 1929. After the fire, the houses along the valley and on the hillside were built in a mixed construction system and style. The Evangelistria Church was built mainly of stone and brick; the stones on the facades have different characteristics and show different degrees of deterioration. The conservation of the exterior facades of the church is a priority due to aesthetic and safety reasons. In order to develop a proper conservation project, the monument was surveyed in detail. Research and documentation has been carried out about the history of the monument and its materials. Experts from the Directorat for the Inspection and Conservation Implementations KUDEB of İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality were consulted in order to analyze and specify the types of materials and causes of decay. The stone samples taken from the facades provided detailed information about the type of stones and deterioration processes. The results of the material analysis were indicated on elevation drawings and a set of proposals was developed to consolidate and conserve the façades. İstanbul is a historic city with many neighborhoods from the ninetenth century. The rehabilitation of old parts of the city is an important issue in our day. The Evangelistria Church and some of the houses around it are listed as historic buildings and are under legal protection but Dolapdere, as a region, is not a conservation area. There is need to develop an appropriate protection model, in order to conserve the memory and the value of the region. It is of major importance to stop uncontrolled change in the surroundings of the Evangelistria Greek Orthodox Church and improve the living conditions in its neighborhood. Conservation of the church and its surroundings can set a good example for the protection of the entire Dolapdere district.