Grand vizier’s grave in state of neglect

ISTANBUL - Anadolu Agency

Pargalı İbrahim Paşa played a big role in important political and military issues as grand vizier in the Ottoman but his grave has been neglected.

Bidding farewell to its 15 minutes of fame, the grave of Pargalı İbrahim Paşa has once more become an overlooked nook of Istanbul’s Fındıklı neighborhood after a brief surge in popular interest in the site thanks to the Turkish TV drama “Muhteşem Yüzyıl” (Magnificent Century), only for attention to die off with the end of the show.

Speaking about the grave of İbrahim Paşa, who played a big role in important political and military issues as grand vizier to Süleyman the Magnificent, art historian Süleyman Faruk Göncüoğlu said he held the position of “sultan’s shadow” until being killed one Ramadan.

However, the real location of the paşa’s grave was kept secret, Göncüoğlu said.

He said that it was known that İbrahim Paşa had been buried in the garden of Canfeda Zaviye, a small Islamic monastery in Istanbul. “The place of his grave is kept secret because it would be a big mistake to reveal the grave of a person, who was the shadow of the state and the sultan. If it was known, this place would turn into a center of power. This is why the places of [the true] grave of Ottoman statesmen were not revealed. Another rumor about İbrahim Paşa is that his body was thrown into the sea.”

Göncüoğlu said the place of the grave in the garden of Canfeda Zaviye was marked with a nettle tree. He said Professor Faik Yaltırık examined the tree in 1972 and confirmed that it was 175 years old.

“İbrahim Paşa was a very significant person in his era, having made many innovations in the field of social transformation. This is why the grave of such a personality should be protected. His grave needs attention and should be restored,” he said.

Göncüoğlu said the signboard on his grave was “unattended because these works are not made by experts in Turley. Agencies are working on such works and the result is like this.”