Doors are more than just architectural elements providing entry and exit to a space; they are important structural elements that carry deep philosophical thoughts and symbolic meanings. Connecting the inside and outside, doors carry a symbolism that provides clues about life within the space. The aesthetic aspect of doors strengthens the symbolic meanings they carry…
Looking at their historical process, doors have always been important in architectural design, and from the 19th century onwards, they stood out as one of the most carefully crafted architectural elements in houses. This situation has, of course, changed in our modern age, where functionality is prioritized. The monumentality emphasized in old doors has now given way to much simpler designs.
As is known, the 19th and early 20th centuries were the most prosperous periods for the people of Sinasos, economically and culturally. This situation is directly related to certain political developments that took place in the last period of the Ottoman Empire and worked in favor of the non-Muslim population.
With the privileges that came with this process, the Greeks from Sinasos, who became wealthy through their commercial activities in Istanbul, returned to their homeland and built magnificent houses for themselves. The doors, which are a key element reflecting the identity of the buildings, greatly contributed to this splendor. Many of the striking doors in Mustafapaşa are found in the main entrances of houses built by Greeks in the second half of the 19th century. In addition, the door of the Mehmet Şakir Pasha Madrasa, built by an Ottoman Pasha at the end of the 19th century, stands alone, imposing all its grandeur and greeting those who arrive in the village.
“Sinasos Gates”
Although examples can be found in other places in the Cappadocia region, Mustafapaşa has more preserved monumental gates compared to other places. Since all of these examples date from the Ottoman period, the gates are identified with the village’s name from the Ottoman era and are presented as “Sinasos Gates”. Looking at the form of the gates, it is seen that they are in the form of main gates designed as the most prominent element of the building’s exterior mass. The most common form of the gates, which have double-winged wooden frames and the rest of which are made of stone, is round and flattened arches. Although not as common, flat lintel gates are also encountered.
When we look at the general ornamentation program of the historical gates in the village, we encounter a variety, as in other architectural elements. While some gates reflect a certain style, such as the pinwheel motif, we can also see designs that are much different and reflect personal tastes.
It is not surprising that Anatolia, which has hosted different civilizations and religions and possesses a deep-rooted cultural heritage, exhibits such diversity in motifs and ornamentation. Each of the monumental gates in Mustafapaşa, projecting forward from the surface of the courtyard wall, is designed with a unique composition. These protruding gates are enlivened by moldings, various reliefs where stonework is integrated with artistic touches, and also by columns. For example, the main gate of the Mehmet Şakir Paşa Madrasa is designed with a monumentality rarely seen in the Ottoman period. In addition to the lace-like relief on the double-winged wooden gate, the stepped arches, columns, and the entire wall surface adorned with floral and geometric reliefs are a masterpiece of the stone carving masters of the region. Even the inscription above the door was decorated and designed independently within the ornamentation program.
Although located outside the border surrounding the original entrance door of the Serafim Mansion, which originally belonged to the Rizos family and now partly serves as a hotel, the lion reliefs, which are part of the door’s ornamentation program, are noteworthy. This motif, an important decorative element accompanying architectural structures that we encounter from the first civilizations in Mesopotamia and from the Hittites in Anatolia, undoubtedly has an “apotropeic” characteristic.
In his work titled “Houses of Sinasos,” Roides points out that column capitals are not used in many of the doors in the village, noting that this is an important formal element in different regions of Anatolia. He adds that arches and small columns are used more in Sinasos instead. The researcher also points out that although many of the magnificent houses in Sinasos were built by Greeks, the triangular pediment, one of the elements that best reflects Greek identity on the facades of the houses, is not frequently used (1985, pp. 151-152). While the researcher explains this deficiency mostly with technical reasons, this situation can be better explained by the fact that the village is an Anatolian village with a rich cultural heritage.
A Way of Communication in the Past: Door Knockers
Another striking feature of the doors in Mustafapaşa is the door knockers, many of which are unfortunately no longer there today, but which were made during the Ottoman period. Thought to have originated under European influence, these knockers became widespread throughout the country during the 18th and 19th centuries of the Ottoman era.
When these knockers are examined, we witness that they served a function beyond simply informing those inside about the arrival of someone. Through the designs, depictions, and decorations on the knockers, the homeowner virtually expressed their presence in the region. Thus, the knockers allowed the homeowner to position themselves within society as a whole. Many characteristics such as a person’s economic situation, social status, religious beliefs, and worldview were reflected in the symbols on the knockers.
The metal door knocker on the wooden door of the Sultanidis Mansion, which now serves as the administrative building of Cappadocia University, is shaped like a human hand, depicted from the wrist. The ring on the middle finger of the hand is noteworthy, and similar door knockers with rings can be found in many cities in Turkey, including Hatay, Gaziantep, Antalya, İzmir (especially Buca and Alsancak), and Safranbolu. In some examples, these knockers appear as a hand without a ring, likely designed to reflect the marital status of the individuals living in the house. Some studies suggest that the presence of a ring on the middle finger of the hand on the knocker indicates that the residents are engaged or that there is a young woman of marriageable age in the house.
