Beyazit - Suleymaniye - Laleli - Sehzadebası

Beyazit - Suleymaniye - Laleli - Sehzadebası

Beyazıt Square was also used as a square in the Byzantine Era ( Forum Tauri).  When Fatih conquered Istanbul, he built the first palace in the area where the Istanbul University is located. The square has gone through various changes throughout history and survived up to the present. 

 Beyazıt Square was called Forum Tauri ( The Bull s Square). The square which has been changed in various aspects up to now, has great importance in terms of our political history. The district of Beyazıt is where the first Ottoman palace was built. As in the Byzantine Era, the square kept its importance in the Ottoman era. The various buildings built here until the 19th century show that the Old Palace in Beyazıt was not abondoned after Topkapı palace was finished. Beyazıt Square gained a new look and status in the 16th century when the külliye ( social complex) wasbuilt here and various other edifices were added within this sequare. After the month of Ramadan herds of sheep and other sacrificial animals were peresented to Muslims for their Islamic duties until the 18th century. The importance of Beyazıt Square increased more in the Period of the Restoration of State ( Tanzimat) and the Old Palace served as the headquartes ( Serasker Buliding ) for the new military formation. This was following the Vak a-i Hayriyye ( the favorable event ) which lead former military force the Janissaries which had gone out of control of the Sultan in 1866 the Seraskerat ( the general staff) of Sultan Abdülaziz left its mark on the history an this square. It was mainly a social gathering area where political views were exchanged. therefore Sultan Abdülhamid II prohibited political activities as part of his heavy censorship meansures. After the announcement of Constitutianal Monarchy this square was called by various names due to the important political events accurring there. The Serasker Building is presently the main building of Istanbul University.