TAC History and Archeology Club at the Historic “Kırkkaşık” Bedesten
On Wednesday, October 18th, our "History and Archeology" club visited the Kırkkaşık Bedesten, one of the most important historical places in Tarsus, located in the vicinity of our school. During this visit, the students were accompanied by club advisors Hasan Turgut and Sinan Yozukmaz.
In the past, each “bedesten” used to be a major trade center in Anatolia. The Kırkkaşık Bedesten, which is referred to in Evliya Çelebi's “Seyahatname” (Travelogue), is one of the most significant historical buildings of Tarsus. The Kırkkaşık Bedesteni is named after the spoon-shaped ornaments on the outside of the building. The rectangular shaped building made of cut stone is entered through two doors, east and west. With the addition of two tower rooms on the outer side of the building and two rooms on the west side, the structure is comprised of 21 rooms and 7 domes, for a total of 25 rooms.
The history of the Bedesten dates back to 1579. Commissioned by İbrahim Bey of the Ramazanoğulları Principality of Tarsus, it was originally used as a soup kitchen in its early years, and later converted into a covered bazaar during the Republican period. Today, the Kırkkaşık Bedesten, which is governed by the Regional Directorate of Foundations, is rented by the Tarsus Municipality and was renovated in 2004. The Kırkkaşık Bedesteni received the "Project Competition Award" given by the Association of Historical Towns in 2005.
We, as members of TAC's History and Archeology Club, had a goal on this tour to better understand the history of the region, as well as gain deeper insights about the culture of the region in which we live.