Mortars found at school construction site reveal history

Fatma Aksu - ISTANBUL

The discovery of dozens of pieces of military ammunition during the construction works of a school in Istanbul has revealed that the area once housed an Ottoman-era arsenal and gunpowder factory.

The Istanbul Governor's Office announced on May 3 that security forces destroyed 30 mortars found during the construction of a middle school in the Beyoğlu district of Istanbul.

Located on the shores of the Golden Horn, the historical significance of the area extends back to the Ottoman period.

Originally commissioned as a wooden structure by Ottoman Sultan Bayezid II in the 1490s, it was later reconstructed in masonry in 1570 and covered with lead.

The mills of the gunpowder house were powered by water from a nearby stream. The land, owned by the Istanbul Municipality, was allocated to the Education Ministry for 25 years free of charge in 2020.

Following the discovery, the municipality reacted to the continued construction despite the historical importance of the area.

"Urgent cessation of construction and commencement of archaeological excavation at the historic Ottoman gunpowder site is imperative," stated Mahir Polat, the deputy secretary-general of the Istanbul Municipality.

The site also hosted a weapons factory belonging to a high-ranking Turkish soldier named Nuri Killigil in the early years of modern Türkiye.

Embracing the war industry in the early years of the republic, Killigil purchased the historic arsenal site in Sütlüce, producing weapons and ammunition for the army, designing various firearms and securing patents for them.

He oversaw the mass production of Türkiye’s first 9-millimeter firearm, named the "Nuri Pistol."

Establishing a factory that manufactured cannons, mortars, anti-aircraft ammunition and fuses, Killigil became one of the pioneering entrepreneurs contributing to the development of the domestic defense industry and enhancing the firepower of the Turkish army.

On March 2, 1949, a massive explosion occurred at the factory, killing Killigil and 28 others.