Abstract:

The Sinop disaster of 30 November 1853 is one of the important breaking moments of the 1853-1856 Ottoman-Russian War. As a result of the naval operation carried out by the Russians, the Ottoman fleet in Sinop Port was completely destroyed, except for one ferry, while nearly two thousand Ottoman sailors lost their lives. In order to commemorate the cherished memories of the martyrs, it was decided to build a monumental fountain at a suitable point in the city by the command of Sultan Abdülmecid. The construction of the fountain, which was decided to be built in 1854, could only be completed on 21 August 1858. In the study, first of all, the problems experienced during the period from the construction phase to the completion of the Sinop Martyrs’ Fountain were discussed. Later, the waterways, building materials, architectural features and construction cost of the fountain were tried to be illuminated in tables by making use of the discovery books and other documents in the Ottoman archives. Again, findings related to the construction and subsequent fate of the Sultan Süleyman Fountain, which was identified from the documents in relation to the study but whose name was forgotten, are also among the topics covered. With this study, it is aimed to prevent some false narratives about the construction of the Martyrs’ Fountain, to promote the fountain, which is one of the symbolic structures of Sinop, and to provide solidity to the city’s history.

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