Chief Architect Kasım Ağa and Istanbul

The life of Chief Architect Kasım Ağa mainly consists of his architectural activities in Istanbul and his work within the Imperial Architects' Guild, a central organization responsible for the construction activities of the Ottoman Empire. The purpose of this study is to address the lack of comprehensive research on Chief Architect Kasım Ağa, who was active politically and architecturally in the 17th century.

Firstly, the subject was defined. Subsequently, sources related to the subject were surveyed. For source research, the Süleyman Demirel Library at Sakarya University, the Istanbul University Central Library, and the Center for Islamic Studies Library were visited to examine publications written about Architect Kasım Ağa and gather information about his life; then, fieldwork was conducted. In this research, architectural works in Istanbul were identified; photographs were taken, and detailed descriptions were made. When needed, online journals, articles, and photographs were also utilized. In addition, research was conducted at the Prime Ministerial Ottoman Archives on both Kasım Ağa and the works built during his time as Chief Architect, and the identified documents were used in the study.