THE NOISE OF THE CITY STAYS AT THE DOOR!
In Beşiktaş, one of the most lively districts of Istanbul, a historical hill just above Çırağan Street takes its visitors to a completely different atmosphere. Yahya Efendi Tomb, located on the hill overlooking the Bosphorus, attracts attention with its centuries-old trees, old tombstones and unique architecture. However, one of the most interesting narratives about the tomb is the claim that the heavy traffic noise outside cannot be heard inside. The silence of the building, located in one of the most crowded areas of Istanbul, has been described as one of the subjects that arouses curiosity for years.
ATTENTION-RATING WORDS OF AYTUNÇ ALTındaL
The late researcher-writer Aytunç Altındal cited the Yahya Efendi Tomb as an example when drawing attention to the extraordinary features of some historical places in Istanbul. Altındal claimed that when entering the tomb, no sound could be heard from outside, but vehicles were passing nearby and there was a great noise in the surrounding area. According to the researcher-author, the source of this situation was not talismans, but the concentration of energy in nature at certain points. Altındal’s statement added a different dimension to the claims about the silence of the historical building.
TALISM OR NATURE’S ENERGY?
The subject Altındal focused on was not only Yahya Efendi Tomb. The researcher-writer argued that a significant part of the talisman and mystery stories told around the old buildings of Istanbul were urban legends. In an interview with the late journalist Arda Uskan in 2012, he expressed his views on the natural features of the Bosphorus and its relationship with energy. According to Altındal’s approach, some historical places had a different atmosphere due to the unique characteristics of the geography in which they were located.
THE 455-YEAR-OLD TOMB OF KANUNI’S NUTBROTHER
At the center of these narratives is Yahya Efendi, one of the important figures of Ottoman history. Yahya Efendi, who was born in Trabzon in 1495, was the foster brother of Suleiman the Magnificent. After working as a teacher in Istanbul for many years, he established his own dervish lodge in Beşiktaş. After his death in 1571, Sultan II. By the order of Selim, a mausoleum was built on his grave by Mimar Sinan. The building, which has a history of approximately four and a half centuries, continues to be one of the important spiritual centers of Istanbul with its historical cemetery and its location overlooking the Bosphorus.
