Library, tomb restored to original state

ISTANBUL

The restoration of the Nuruosmaniye Library and the Şehsuvar Sultan Tomb has been successfully completed as part of a project undertaken by the General Directorate of Foundations under the Culture and Tourism Ministry.

Construction of the Nuruosmaniye Complex began during the reign of Sultan Mahmud I and was completed a year after his death by Sultan Osman III. Built by Simeon (Sinan) Kalfa and Mustafa Ağa, the Baroque-style complex includes a mosque, madrassa, public kitchen, library, tomb, fountain, sebil and shops. The library stands out as a unique example of the period’s Baroque architectural style.

The two-story library features a reading room and an archive on the upper floor. One of its two entrances, the Hümayun Gate, bears an Arabic inscription meaning “Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave.”

The Şehsuvar Sultan Tomb, located within the complex, has two sections housing 19 sarcophagi. According to historical records, Şehsuvar Valide Sultan, mother of Osman III, is buried there, while the identities of the others remain unknown.

Keriman Dursun, the project’s supervising engineer, told Anadolu Agency that the library had been damaged in a fire and had remained unused for many years. She said static analyses were carried out with the expected Istanbul earthquake in mind.

“The lead roofing was removed and reinforcement work was completed. Heavy contamination caused by the fire inside the building was cleaned. Many exterior stones had lost their integrity over time and were deformed, so these were replaced,” she said.

Noting the presence of Baroque-style ornamentation in both buildings, she added, “The decorative painting we could see on the surface was revived. Those hidden beneath paint layers were uncovered through careful rasping. The buildings were also cleared of cement-based additions from previous periods.”

‘Cement-based additions were removed’

Dursun said the library has now been restored to its original level. “Over the years, stairs descending to the basement had been buried under debris. In line with the Conservation Board–approved plan, the structure was returned to its authentic state,” she said.

She added that the same work was carried out at the Şehsuvar Sultan Tomb: “The lead roofing was renewed and the dome was reinforced. Cement-based additions were removed. The 19 sarcophagi inside were refurbished, their covers renewed, and their mother-of-pearl–inlaid wooden railings and decorative painting were restored. Exterior joint work and marble cleaning were also completed. Wooden frames in both structures were renewed, and landscaping finished.”

Exterior restoration included renewing the lead roofing, applying carbon textile reinforcement, replacing broken window frames and lintels, and removing calcareous deposits and atmospheric pollution through controlled micro-sandblasting. Joint fillings were renewed, surfaces were protected against weather conditions and deteriorated exterior windows were replaced.

Interior work involved clearing polymer layers, salt deposits and dense residue from marble surfaces. Original marble and stone were consolidated where grains had loosened. Poor-quality concrete flooring was removed and replaced with the original marble. Wooden interior elements were restored, and original plaster was strengthened through micro-injection. Inscriptions above doorways and gilded capitals were renewed.

Inside the tomb, the wooden structures and coverings of the sarcophagi were restored. The mother-of-pearl separators and the calligraphic frieze were revived with gold leaf.