Raymond Charles Père
Encyclopedia
Raymond Charles Péré was a French architect, who was born at Roquefort-de-Marsan in the Landes France and arrived originally as a French teacher in 1880 at Smyrnia (Izmir), married there Anaïs Russo and spent the rest of his life in İzmir
, Turkey
. He is best remembered as the designer of the İzmir Clock Tower
, the landmark of İzmir situated at city's Konak Square
.
Péré was commissioned to design a clock tower in commemoration of the silver anniversary of Ottoman Sultan Abdülhamid II's (reigned 1876–1909) ascent to the throne. Completed in 1901, the structure of 25 m (82 ft) height with North African inspired motifs is the landmark of the city today.
Père's another important work is the Church of St. Helen in Karşıyaka
district of İzmir. It was built with the permission of the sultan in 1904 in "Gothic Revival" style on land donated by a prominent Levantine Nicola Aliotti. He performed also the stain-glass work and added sculptures of the relevant saints in the interior. The church served the district's Roman Catholic community. France
's former prime minister Édouard Balladur
(in office between 1993–1995), was born in Karşıyaka in 1929 and baptized in this church.
He is also the architect of İzmir's one of the first hospitals, which was built in 1908 as an annex to the French Hospital Complex following a restoration work. Recently, the building serves as the emergency room of the State Hospital in Alsancak.
A building in the neighborhood of Köprü
, known today as the Ayşe Mayda Mansion, is considered to be Péré's work. The mansion was built for Grand Vizier
Mehmed Kamil Pasha (1833–1913), governor of İzmir from 1895 to 1907, as a Turkish interpretation of the "Art Nouveau
" style.
Raymond Charles Péré made pencil drawings of the area including the French Catholic mission in İzmir, undertook the restoration of the Church of St. Polycarpe, the oldest church in İzmir built in 1625, and made the church's interior wall paintings (fresco
es). Here, he put himself in the scene of a fresco called "The Martyrdom of St. Polycarpe", depicting İzmir's bishop and guardian saint being murdered by the Roman
s in 155 AD. Père's daughter Marie is seen as Mary on a side wall painting known as the "Saint Anne and the infant Mary".
In addition to his works as public buildings, Raymond Charles Père is also known for creating architectural designs for some houses for Levantine families
residing in Alsancak and Buca
, even though it is not easy today to identify them.
Izmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. He is best remembered as the designer of the İzmir Clock Tower
Izmir Clock Tower
İzmir Clock Tower is a historic clock tower located at the Konak Square in Konak district of İzmir, Turkey. The clock tower was designed by the Levantine French architect Raymond Charles Père and built in 1901 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Abdülhamid II's accession to the throne.The...
, the landmark of İzmir situated at city's Konak Square
Konak Square
Konak Square is a busy square at the southern end of Atatürk Caddesi in the Konak district of İzmir, Turkey. The square is the busiest part of the city, as Konak is the main place of İzmir.-Buildings in the Square:...
.
Early life
He was born in 1854 at Roquefort-de-Marsan in the Landes France to Jean Jacques Péré and his wife Marie Pargade. He married Anais Russo, the daughter of a prominent Levantine family of Italian and French origin from İzmir. They had ten children named Ferdinand, Pierre, Charles, Henriette, Bernard, François, Michel, Joseph and Louis.Works
Père's another important work is the Church of St. Helen in Karşıyaka
Karsiyaka
Karşıyaka is a district of İzmir Province in Turkey. It is part of the Greater Metropolitan Area of İzmir, in other words a metropolitan district, the second largest after Konak in terms of population, and it is almost entirely urbanized at the rate of 99,9 per cent, with corresponding high levels...
district of İzmir. It was built with the permission of the sultan in 1904 in "Gothic Revival" style on land donated by a prominent Levantine Nicola Aliotti. He performed also the stain-glass work and added sculptures of the relevant saints in the interior. The church served the district's Roman Catholic community. France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
's former prime minister Édouard Balladur
Édouard Balladur
Édouard Balladur is a French politician who served as Prime Minister of France from 29 March 1993 to 10 May 1995.-Biography:Balladur was born in İzmir, Turkey, to an Armenian Catholic family with five children and long-standing ties to France...
(in office between 1993–1995), was born in Karşıyaka in 1929 and baptized in this church.
He is also the architect of İzmir's one of the first hospitals, which was built in 1908 as an annex to the French Hospital Complex following a restoration work. Recently, the building serves as the emergency room of the State Hospital in Alsancak.
A building in the neighborhood of Köprü
Kopru
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, the kopru are an evil race of amphibious, mind-controlling creatures. They are classified as monstrous humanoids, with the aquatic subtype.-Publication history:...
, known today as the Ayşe Mayda Mansion, is considered to be Péré's work. The mansion was built for Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier, in Turkish Vezir-i Azam or Sadr-ı Azam , deriving from the Arabic word vizier , was the greatest minister of the Sultan, with absolute power of attorney and, in principle, dismissable only by the Sultan himself...
Mehmed Kamil Pasha (1833–1913), governor of İzmir from 1895 to 1907, as a Turkish interpretation of the "Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
" style.
Raymond Charles Péré made pencil drawings of the area including the French Catholic mission in İzmir, undertook the restoration of the Church of St. Polycarpe, the oldest church in İzmir built in 1625, and made the church's interior wall paintings (fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
es). Here, he put himself in the scene of a fresco called "The Martyrdom of St. Polycarpe", depicting İzmir's bishop and guardian saint being murdered by the Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
s in 155 AD. Père's daughter Marie is seen as Mary on a side wall painting known as the "Saint Anne and the infant Mary".
In addition to his works as public buildings, Raymond Charles Père is also known for creating architectural designs for some houses for Levantine families
Levantine mansions of Izmir
Levantine mansions of Izmir refer to about thirty stately residences, dating principally from the 19th century and of which a significant number remain intact to this day, by being restored and continuing to be used and visited, in İzmir, Turkey. These residences differ from the traditional...
residing in Alsancak and Buca
Buca
Buca is a district of İzmir Province of Turkey. It is one of the main districts of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality.Buca was one of the preferred settlement areas of İzmir's community of Levantines...
, even though it is not easy today to identify them.