Yassiada
Encyclopedia
Yassıada is one of the Princes' Islands
in the Sea of Marmara
. The island, which has an area of 0.05 km², is officially a neighbourhood in the Adalar district of Istanbul
, Turkey
.
x
Yassıada (Plati) was used by the Byzantines
for sending prominent figures into exile. One such person was the Armenia
n Patriarch
(Catholicos
) Narses
who was first sent to this island before being imprisoned at Büyükada
(Pringipos) in the 4th century. In the 11th century, the Byzantines used the island for political prisoners. The remains of the four underground prison cells from this period can still be seen. The Byzantines also built a monastery and church on the island. Yassıada (Plati) was captured by the Latin Crusaders during the Fourth Crusade
in 1204.
In 1857, the island was purchased by the British ambassador Henry Bulwer
, brother of novelist Edward Bulwer-Lytton
, who built himself a mansion and a small castle-like structure to live undisturbed on this distant island. The tiny castle and the wharf in front of it are still standing today. Henry Bulwer also organized agricultural production on the island to self-sustain his little kingdom at least to a certain degree, but later sold Yassıada to the Ottoman Khedive
, Ismail Pasha, in whose ownership the island fell into a period of neglect.
With the establishment of the Turkish Republic in 1923, the island became a property of the Turkish state, and in 1947, Yassıada was handed over to the Turkish Navy
619
Yassıada later became the site of the trials of Demokrat Parti members, after the military coup of 1960. Several of the defendants were sentenced to death, and three of these, including the former Prime Minister of Turkey Adnan Menderes
, were executed. Upon the conclusion of the trials, Yassıada was given back to the Turkish Navy, for use in training and naval exercises until 1978.
In 1993, the island became a property of Istanbul University
's department of Marine Life and Sea Products, which used it for training and research. However, the island's strong winds made the work difficult for students there, and the University took the program elsewhere.
Today, the island is a favourite location for scuba diving schools, as well as amateur divers.
Princes' Islands
The Princes' Islands , are a chain of nine islands off the coast of Istanbul, Turkey, in the Sea of Marmara. The islands also constitute the Adalar district of Istanbul Province...
in the Sea of Marmara
Sea of Marmara
The Sea of Marmara , also known as the Sea of Marmora or the Marmara Sea, and in the context of classical antiquity as the Propontis , is the inland sea that connects the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea, thus separating Turkey's Asian and European parts. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Black...
. The island, which has an area of 0.05 km², is officially a neighbourhood in the Adalar district of Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, 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...
.
x
Yassıada (Plati) was used by the Byzantines
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
for sending prominent figures into exile. One such person was the Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n Patriarch
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
(Catholicos
Catholicos
Catholicos, plural Catholicoi, is a title used for the head of certain churches in some Eastern Christian traditions. The title implies autocephaly and in some cases is borne by the designated head of an autonomous church, in which case the holder might have other titles such as Patriarch...
) Narses
Saint Narses
Saint Nerses I the Great was an Armenian Catholicos who lived in the fourth century. He was the father of another catholicos, Saint Sahak I. His father was At'anagenes and his mother was Bambish, the sister of King Tiran....
who was first sent to this island before being imprisoned at Büyükada
Büyükada
Büyükada is the largest of the nine so-called Princes' Islands in the Sea of Marmara, near Istanbul, with an area of about two square miles...
(Pringipos) in the 4th century. In the 11th century, the Byzantines used the island for political prisoners. The remains of the four underground prison cells from this period can still be seen. The Byzantines also built a monastery and church on the island. Yassıada (Plati) was captured by the Latin Crusaders during the Fourth Crusade
Fourth Crusade
The Fourth Crusade was originally intended to conquer Muslim-controlled Jerusalem by means of an invasion through Egypt. Instead, in April 1204, the Crusaders of Western Europe invaded and conquered the Christian city of Constantinople, capital of the Eastern Roman Empire...
in 1204.
In 1857, the island was purchased by the British ambassador Henry Bulwer
Henry Bulwer, 1st Baron Dalling and Bulwer
Henry Lytton Earle Bulwer, 1st Baron Dalling and Bulwer GCB, PC was a British Liberal politician, diplomat and writer.-Background and education:...
, brother of novelist Edward Bulwer-Lytton
Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton
Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton PC , was an English politician, poet, playwright, and novelist. He was immensely popular with the reading public and wrote a stream of bestselling dime-novels which earned him a considerable fortune...
, who built himself a mansion and a small castle-like structure to live undisturbed on this distant island. The tiny castle and the wharf in front of it are still standing today. Henry Bulwer also organized agricultural production on the island to self-sustain his little kingdom at least to a certain degree, but later sold Yassıada to the Ottoman Khedive
Khedive
The term Khedive is a title largely equivalent to the English word viceroy. It was first used, without official recognition, by Muhammad Ali Pasha , the Wāli of Egypt and Sudan, and vassal of the Ottoman Empire...
, Ismail Pasha, in whose ownership the island fell into a period of neglect.
With the establishment of the Turkish Republic in 1923, the island became a property of the Turkish state, and in 1947, Yassıada was handed over to the Turkish Navy
Turkish Navy
The Turkish Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces.- Ottoman fleet after Mudros :Following the demise of the Ottoman Empire in the aftermath of World War I, on November 3, 1918, the fleet commander of the Ottoman Navy, Liva Amiral Arif Pasha, ordered all flags to be...
619
Yassıada later became the site of the trials of Demokrat Parti members, after the military coup of 1960. Several of the defendants were sentenced to death, and three of these, including the former Prime Minister of Turkey Adnan Menderes
Adnan Menderes
Adnan Menderes was the first democratically elected Turkish Prime Minister between 1950–1960. He was one of the founders of the Democratic Party in 1946, the fourth legal opposition party of Turkey. He was hanged by the military junta after the 1960 coup d'état, along with two other cabinet...
, were executed. Upon the conclusion of the trials, Yassıada was given back to the Turkish Navy, for use in training and naval exercises until 1978.
In 1993, the island became a property of Istanbul University
Istanbul University
Istanbul University is a Turkish university located in Istanbul. The main campus is adjacent to Beyazıt Square.- Synopsis :A madrasa, a religious school, was established sometime in the 15th century after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. An institution of higher education named the...
's department of Marine Life and Sea Products, which used it for training and research. However, the island's strong winds made the work difficult for students there, and the University took the program elsewhere.
Today, the island is a favourite location for scuba diving schools, as well as amateur divers.