Merkezefendi Cemetery

Merkezefendi Cemetery

Main gate of Merkezefendi Cemetery
Details
Country	Turkey
Location	Zeytinburnu, Istanbul
Coordinates	41°00′56″N 28°55′14″E / 41.01562°N 28.92065°E / 41.01562; 28.92065Coordinates: 41°00′56″N 28°55′14″E / 41.01562°N 28.92065°E / 41.01562; 28.92065 Merkezefendi Cemetery Merkezefendi Cemetery (Istanbul)
Type	Public
Owned by	Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality
Website	İBB Mezarlıklar Md. website

The Merkezefendi Cemetery (Turkish: Merkezefendi Mezarlığı) is a burial ground situated in Merkezefendi neighborhood of Zeytinburnu district on the European part of Istanbul, Turkey.

Many renowned intellectuals, writers and artists rest in this old cemetery covering an area of 27,800 m² (299,000 sq ft).^[1]

The cemetery was established in the 16th century with the construction of the tomb of Merkez Efendi at this location. It was extended in the 1950s, and another cemetery, the Kozlu Cemetery was established 100 m (330 ft) far from this place.

In 2007, the cemetery was fully renovated.^[2] At the time of the burial of former Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan in 2011, a comprehensive maintenance work was carried out at the cemetery.^[3]

Currently, burials are allowed only for the members of families with existing graves.^[4]

Notable burials

Listed in order of death year:

• Abdullah Cevdet (1869–1932) writer, poet, translator, radical free-thinker and an ideologist of the Young Turks
• Rıza Nur (1879–1942) politician, writer
• Adnan Adıvar (1882–1955) physician, politician, writer
• Halide Edip Adıvar (1884–1964) female novelist, feminist politician
• Sabahattin Eyüboğlu (1908–1973) translator, essayist, film producer
• Samiha Ayverdi (1905–1993) female novelist, Sufi
• Mualla Eyüboğlu (1919–2009) female architect, restorer
• Necmettin Erbakan (1926–2011) engineer, politician, former prime minister

References

1. ^ "Zeytinburnu Mezarlıkları" (in Turkish). Zeytinburnu Belediyesi. http://www.zeytinburnu-bld.gov.tr/bel_zeytinburnu/ilce_gezisi/tarih/mezarliklar.cfm. Retrieved 2011-02-28. 
2. ^ "İstanbul'daki tüm mezarlıklar bakıma alındı" (in Turkish). Hurriyet. 2007-01-03. http://hurarsiv.hurriyet.com.tr/goster/ShowNew.aspx?id=5714800. Retrieved 2011-03-01. 
3. ^ "Merkezefendi Mezarlığı'nda Erbakan için hazırlıklara başlandı" (in Turkish). Zaman. 2011-02-28. http://www.zaman.com.tr/haber.do?haberno=1100288&title=merkezefendi-mezarliginda-erbakan-icin-hazirliklara-baslandi. Retrieved 2011-03-01. 
4. ^ "İzinsiz defin yapılamıyor" (in Turkish). Zaman. 2001-03-12. http://arsiv.zaman.com.tr/2001/03/12/marmara/marmaradevam.htm. Retrieved 2011-03-01.