Born in Istanbul on December 22, 1899, Ekrem Hakkı Ayverdi was the son of Piyade Kaymakamı (infantry lieutenant-colonel) Ismail Hakkı Bey and Fatma Meliha Hanım. 

 

His sister Sâmiha Ayverdi relates that his grandfather on his father’s side belonged to the dynasty of Ramazanoğulları and the predecessors of his mother reached up to Gül Baba who was martyred during the Buda Campaign of Süleyman I and was buried there. 

 

In one of his articles Ekrem Hakkı Ayverdi wrote the following about his relationship with Istanbul: "I was born in Istanbul in 1899. My grandfather came to this city from Bolu 150 years ago. My relatives on my grandmother’s side come from Isparta. They came to Istanbul about 200 years ago. That is to say, I am from Istanbul. However, in a conference that I once had given I said the following: "I am from Bosnia, from Buda, from Skopje, from Athens, from Sofia, from Erzurum and from Erzincan, but at the same time I am from Istanbul. I don’t make any difference between them." Without doubt, this perception reflects the consciousness of belonging to an empire.

 

Ekrem Hakkı Ayverdi began his education in 1907 and he graduated from the School of Engineering (Istanbul Technical University) in 1920. Having worked at Istanbul Municipality for one and a half years, he then pursued independent business. During this period which lasted until 1950 he undertook various construction works besides the restoration of several historical buildings in Istanbul and Thrace. Ekrem Hakkı Ayverdi acquired the identity of an intellectual and an artist rather than a technical man dealing with construction work thanks to the lively environment of his childhood in fiehzadebaflı, his father’s conversations at selâmlık, the religious and patriotic family hearth and various artistic and scholarly milieus of the period. Besides restoring old architectural works, he collected and preserved various works of art, the samples of calligraphy and illumination, Holy Qur’ans, murakkaas, bindings, rare cloths and tiles, various kinds of vessels, glass objects as well as the materials related to the art of calligraphy.

 

Despite his busy and effective business life, he left all construction work in 1950s, starting to pursue intellectual activities and writing. He answered those who wished to know the reason for this decision saying that keeping promises and being an upright person, preserving the values of loyalty and integrity are no longer valid in the business world; therefore he quit business life. Ekrem Hakkı Ayverdi who was known for his success and honesty in the business world till then produced very valuable works as a researcher of architectural history from that date onwards.

 

All of these research studies lasted almost until the end of his life. His numerous research trips, studies on the sources, the evaluation and compilation of information went on continuously. He examined the Turkish architectural works in Yugoslavia, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary in 1952, 1956 and 1975, respectively. From 1950 onwards, he traveled in various parts of Anatolia several times.

 

Ekrem Hakkı Ayverdi has two sons. He passed away on April 24 1984 at his house in Fatih, Istanbul and was buried at the foot of his "Dost" (spiritual master), to whom he was attached, at Merkezefendi Cemetery.

 

Ekrem Hakkı Ayverdi was a figure who believed in his nation and nationalism and the foundation stones of his personality were his customs, traditions, the feelings of pride, language, religion, belief, history, culture and the values of the past. According to him, the foundations of nationalism should be sought in national and spiritual values that characterize the Turks.

 

He was a man of thinking who believed that the Turkish intellectual had no other choice than being in peace with his national history and his past. 

 

He was an exceptional person known for his honesty, decency and charitableness. As his friends described him, he was fond of his friends; he won the hearts of others and excelled in art.

 

He was an honorary member of Mühendisler Birliği (Union of Engineers) and Türkiye Turing Otomobil Kurumu (Turkish Touring and Automobile Association); founding member and chairman of Istanbul Fetih Cemiyeti and member of Türk Tıp Tarihi Kurumu, Türk Ocağı and Aydınlar Ocağı. 

 

He donated the various objects of art, collections and all of his properties that were accumulated during his life to Kubbealtı Foundation for Culture and Art.

 

He received the title of "Doctor Honoris Causa" from the Senate of the University of Istanbul in 1979 and the "Prize of Superior Service" from Aydınlar Ocağı. He also received a "Warrant of Superior Service" from the Institute of the History of Science and Technology attached to Istanbul Technical University in 1981.

 

He published 81 articles in various periodicals and newspapers since 1946. Some of them were published as a book by Istanbul Fetih Cemiyeti which also published all of his other works. There are several reviews and studies about Ekrem Hakkı Ayverdi. In addition to his articles, he has 16 compilations of small and large size some of which were produced jointly with other authors. 

 

His works:

 

1. 18. Asırda Lâle, İst. 1950.

2. Fâtih Devri Mimârîsi, İst. 1953.

3. Fâtih Devri Hattatları ve Hat San’atı, İst. 1953.

4. Fâtih Devri Mimârî Eserleri, İst. 1953.

5. 19. Asırda İstanbul Haritası, İst. 1958.

6. Fâtih Devri Mimârîsi Zeyli, İst. 1961.

7. Osmanlı Mimârîsinin İlk Devri I, İst. 1966.

8. Istanbul Vakıfları Tahrir Defteri, İst. 1970 (with Ö.L. Barkan)

9. Osmanlı Mimârîsinde Çelebi ve II. Sultan Murat Devri II, İst. 1972.

10. Osmanlı Mimârîsinde Fâtih Devri III, İst. 1973.

11. Osmanlı Mimârîsinde Fâtih Devri IV, İst. 1974.

12. İlk 250 Senenin Osmanlı Mimârîsi, İst. 1976 (with A. Yüksel)

13. Avrupa’da Osmanlı Mimârî Eserleri, Romanya, Macaristan I (with A. Yüksel, G. Ertürk, İ. Numan)

14. Avrupa’da Osmanlı Mimârî Eserleri, Yugoslavya II, İst. 1981 (with A. Yüksel, G. Ertürk, İ. Numan)

15. Avrupa’da Osmanlı Mimârî Eserleri, Yugoslavya III, İst. 1981 (with A. Yüksel, G. Ertürk, İ. Numan)

16. Avrupa’da Osmanlı Mimârî Eserleri, Bulgaristan, Yunanistan, Arnavutluk IV, Ist. 1982 (with A. Yüksel, G. Ertürk, İ. Numan)

 

The buildings he built and restored as a contractor:

 

In Istanbul:

 

- Repair work and amendments in Zeynep Hanım Mansion 1922

- Amendments in Medresetü’l-kuzât 1922

- Amendments in the Ministry of War 1922

- Construction of Bağdat Street 1926-1928

- Maltepe Bridge 1929

- Yalakdere Bridge 1930

- Construction of six apartments

- General amendments in the Central Building on the occasion of the passage from Dârülfünun to the University 1933

- Construction of the Section of Syphilis at Gureba Hospital 1933

- Construction of Boyacıköyü Mosque 1933

- Construction of Heybeliada Mosque 1934

- Observatory of the University 1935

-. Construction of Institute of Biology of the University of Istanbul 1934

- Repairworks of Gureba Hospital

- Ophtalmological Section of Cerrahpafla Hospital

- Treatment Section of Haseki Hospital

- Building of Halkevi in Kadıköy 1939

- Taksim Municipality Casino 1939

- Elhamra Cinema

- Construction of four roads

- Restoration of the public foundation and medrese of Kuyucu Murad Pafla 1943-1950

- Restoration of Hasanpafla Medrese 1943-1950

- Construction of the base of Barbaros Monument

- Repairwork of Bozdoğan Aqueduct

- Restoration of Gazanfer Ağa Medrese 1943-1950

- Restoration of Beykoz Ishak Ağa Fountain 

- Restoration of Bâli Pafla Mosque 1935

- Restoration of Mesih Pafla Mosque 1935

- Restoration of Lâleli Mosque 1937

- Restoration of Ayasofya Mosque 1943

- Repairwork at Topkapı Palace 1935-1945

- Restoration of the Central Building of the University of Istanbul 1949-1950

 

In Bursa:

 

- Government Office 1923

- Office of the Director of Finance 1924

- Printing house of the Vilayet 1925

- İpekifl Factory, construction of the first part 1926

- Network of roads

 

In Edirne:

 

- Restoration of Selimiye Mosque 1929-1946

- Restoration of Üç fierefeli Mosque 1929-1946

- Restoration of the Eski Cami 1929-1946

- Restoration of Bâyezid Mosque 1929-1946

- Restoration of Muradiye Mosque 1929-1946

 

In Havsa:

 

- Restoration of Sokullu Mosque 1938

 

In Çorlu:

 

- Restoration of Süleyman Pafla Mosque 1949

 

Sources:

- Ekrem Hakkı Ayverdi Bibliyografyası, İsmet Binark, Kubbealtı Neflriyatı, İst. 1999

- Ekrem Hakkı Ayverdi Hâtıra Kitabı, İstanbul Fetih Cemiyeti, İst. 1995.