Tracing French footprints in İstanbul

This week, Today's Zaman wants to look into one chapter of İstanbul's history in particular: the French one. Let's have a look, and discover historical locations that still tell some very interesting stories about the beginning of the two countries' intertwined relations.

In fact, Turkish-French history reaches back to the 15th century. It was in the year 1483 that Ottoman Sultan Bayezid II and King Louis XI of France first initiated an exchange of envoys, serving as messengers between the empires, to begin some communication.

Relations grew much stronger in the first quarter of the 16th century with the so-called Ottoman-French Alliance: The French king during that time, Francis I, was defeated at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 and taken captive by Roman Emperor Charles V. He had to spend several months in prison and was, in the end, forced to sign the humiliating Treaty of Madrid, through which he lost significant territory. Consequently, he was in urgent need of an ally against the powerful Habsburg emperor in Spain, which was in rapid advance in Europe at that time.

Thus, he asked for the assistance of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, the ruler of the Ottoman Empire, which was, after the Turkish conquest of Constantinople in 1453, an absolute European superpower at the time. Suleiman accepted because after managing to expand Ottoman rule to Serbia in 1522, the Ottomans had entered into direct conflict with the Habsburg Empire. The alliance was therefore an opportunity for both rulers to fight against their common enemy.

Of course, the alliance at that time caused great turmoil, especially due to the fact that it was actually the first non-ideological diplomatic alliance of its kind between a Christian and a non-Christian empire. Nevertheless, it endured since it served the objective interests of both parties and, in the end, lasted for about three centuries, until Napoleon invaded Egypt, an Ottoman territory, in 1798-1801.

During their alliance, French-Ottoman relations were especially enhanced through agreements called "Capitulations of the Ottoman Empire," treaties which allowed the French to obtain important privileges in the Ottoman Empire, such as the freedom to trade and transport or the security of people and goods, which, in effect, gave the French a near trade monopoly in the Orient.

Begun in 1535 these capitulations were negotiated with the Ottomans by French ambassador Jean de la Foret -- the first resident envoy of France to the Ottoman Empire. The “Palais de France” (French Palace), the first foreign embassy built in the rapidly developing multi-colored district of Pera, was constructed in 1581 on land granted to France by the sultan. The building can still be seen; however, after the great fire in 1831, which destroyed about 3,000 buildings in Pera, the palace had to be rebuilt.

Another beautiful French Baroque building with a nice green inner courtyard open to public is located at the top of Istiklal Street. Constructed in the 18th century as a shelter for French marines crossing the Bosporus and later transformed into a hospital, it has served as İstanbul's French Consulate General since the establishment of the Republic of Turkey.

40 French consulates on Ottoman ground

Throughout the 17th century, relations between France and the Ottoman Empire improved more and more, in commercial and diplomatic terms, in particular. The opening of up to 40 French consulates, often focused on trade relations, in Ottoman lands in the 18th century demonstrates the intensity of the contact. Moreover, there were several post offices in various Ottoman cities run by France between 1812 and 1923, so-called “French” post offices, some of which one may still stumble on somewhere.

Naturally, French Catholics were given custody of holy places. The chapel of the former French Embassy, St. Louis of the French, can still be found on Beyoglu's Nur-i Ziya Street. Located in a green garden area with a nice view of the Bosporus, it is the oldest Latin church in İstanbul, built in 1581. Another famous one, the Cathedral of St. Esprit, can be found in Harbiye. Built in the Baroque style in 1846 by an Italian architect, it today serves the French Catholic community and is especially well known for its organ.

 In 1868, the first secular Turkish high school was sponsored jointly by French and Turkish officials: Galatasaray High School, still one of the most influential high schools in Turkey. Established in 1481, it is the oldest Turkish high school in İstanbul and the second-oldest Turkish educational institution in the city after İstanbul University, which was established in 1453. The beautiful building is located -- and cannot be missed -- in the middle of İstanbul's major İstiklal Street. One of its magnificent related buildings today hosts Galatasaray University, the only Francophone university in Turkey. One passes it on the way from İstanbul's Beşiktaş district to Ortaköy.

And last but not least, it is worth mentioning French architect Alexander Vallaury, who lived and worked from 1850-1921. In his noble designs of buildings made for members of the palace as well as for high officials in İstanbul, he used motifs of the so-called international Orientalism school as well as some Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Baroque elements. Architectural works you may want to have a look at include, for example, the Café Lebon in Beyoğlu, which later became the Café Marquise and which today unfortunately serves the public as a fast food restaurant; the Décugis house, built in 1881, which today is the Galata Antique Hotel in Şişhane; as well as the main building of the İstanbul Archaeology Museum or the Afif Pasha waterfront house (Muhayyes Yalı) in Yeniköy.

By the way, the Fransız Sokağı (French Street), located behind Galatasaray High School does not have much to do, in fact, with old French history. The street was totally renovated by a team of Turkish and French architects in 2004 aiming to spread a “French flair.” It is said that the antique gas-powered street lamps adorning the street were even sent over by the French government. Today the street hosts dozens of restaurants, cafes and boutiques in -- more or less -- French style.