Bekri Mustafa Tomb

Bekri Mustafa

Birth / Death: 16th- century - 17th century
Title: Folkloric hero
About : Bekri Mustafa is a legendary character in Ottoman folk culture known for his fondness for alcohol, his sharp intelligence and his wit. During the severe alcohol ban of the reign of Murad IV (1623-1640), he earned the appreciation of even the Sultan thanks to his intelligence and quick wit, and his jokes have been told for centuries. According to some accounts, he is the person who introduced the Sultan to alcohol. In the countless jokes told about him, he stands out with his resistance to the alcohol ban, his attitude towards the people and his bold statements that mock the administrators. According to some sources, he is the son of Ahmet Ağa, a quilt maker from Istanbul, who lost both his mother and father at a young age, left his madrasah education unfinished, and then got used to alcohol. In the jokes, he usually comes face to face with Murad IV; these encounters end with Bekri's clever quilting. He also appears as a character in some Karagöz plays and storytellers' stories.

Şeyh Abdürraif Şamadani

Title: Sheikh
Birth / Death: Unknown - 15th century
About: According to Evliya Çelebi, Sheikh Abdürraif Şamadani is considered one of the elders of the Sayyids (the name given to the descendants of the Prophet Muhammad) and a person of high spiritual reputation. His name is identified with the Gate because he participated in the conquest of Istanbul and entered the city through the Zindankapı. According to Çelebi, he is a descendant of Baba Cafer Sultan, who was sent to Istanbul as an ambassador during the reign of Harun al-Rashid and was poisoned and killed in prison. It is narrated that after the conquest, he placed his own green turban at Baba Cafer's head and served as the tomb keeper for seventy years.

Construction Year: Unknown

Ordered by: Unknown

Architect: Unknown

Prominent Features:

The tomb is a very plain and small structure located right next to the History Foundation building in Eminönü. Despite its shabby appearance, it attracts attention with its iron gate, two lanterns and two marble inscriptions.
There are two coffins inside the tomb; the front coffin has a sheikh’s turban on top, and the back coffin has a headgear similar to a Bektashi headdress. There is also a broken gravestone next to the back coffin.
It is thought that Bekri Mustafa’s coffin is at the back and that one or more people lived in this tomb. The heating devices and flooring inside give this impression.
His grave has attracted public attention over time due to his legendary personality. In the past, there were many taverns here and people would visit Bekri Mustafa’s grave, especially for their drinking spouses to repent.

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Barbaros Hayreddin Paşa Tomb

Bekri Mustafa Tomb

Bekri Mustafa

Şeyh Abdürraif Şamadani

Fatih, İstanbul

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