The Fate of The Inscriptions Over The Serasker Gate

One of the symbolic buildings of Istanbul is the Serasker Gate, which was constructed in theperiod of Sultan Abdülaziz. The building has been always significantly mentioned for both its architectural properties and its inscriptions. Among the building’s inscriptions, the work of three important calligraphers of the era can be observed. These calligraphers are Kazasker Mustafa Izzet Efendi (1801-1876), Mehmet Şefik Bey (1815-1880) and Abdülfettah Efendi (1815-1896). In 1924, the building was assigned to Darülfünun and following that, first, the tughras then, the rest of the inscriptions were covered with marble blocks. In 1949, the marble blocks covering the inscriptions were removed, revealing the magnificent masterpieces of the art of calligraphy. Finally, in 2004, the tughras of Sultan Abdülaziz on both the front and rear facades of the gate were restored. It can be concluded that the initiatives of the administrators affected both the act of covering one of the most important piece of work of Turkish Calligraphy and also bringing it back into light.