Cahide Tamer was one of the pioneering female figures in the field of restoration in modern Turkey. She was born in Istanbul and graduated from Erenköy Girls High School. 

In 1935, following the breakdown of her first marriage when she was 17, she enrolled in the Academy of Fine Arts, the Department of Painting in Istanbul, where she studied with Namık Kemal and İbrahim Çallı. In 1936, she continued her education at the Academy in the Department of Turkish Decorative Arts, and studied with İsmail Hakkı Altunbezer, Süheyl Ünver, Necmeddin Okyay, Kamil Akdik and Vasıf Sedef. In 1938, she began her architectural education at the Academy, and obtained her degree in 1943. Shortly after, she began to work at the Ministry of National Education, General Directorate of Ancient Arts and Museums, assisting Sedat Çetintaş (1889-1965), one of the first graduates of the Academy of Fine Arts and one of the leading figures in the Committee for the Protection of Historical Works and Monuments in Turkey.

In 1947, she worked on the restoration project of the divan lounge (“divanhane”, in Turkish) in the Amcazade Hüseyin Pasha Mansion (built 1699), one of the oldest buildings on the Bosphorus, in Istanbul.

From 1950-1952, she contributed to the restoration project of the Sofa Kiosk in the Harem Section of the Topkapı Palace, and conducted the ceiling restorations of the Istanbul Archaeological Museum from 1953-1954.

Following her second marriage, with Hadi Tamer, the chemist at the Istanbul Archaeological Museum, she went to France to study historical buildings for two months.

Returning to Istanbul, she worked on two of the largest and most significant projects in the history of restoration in the country. In 1954, she began the restoration project of the Fortress of the Seven Towers, in Istanbul, a project she conducted until 1970. She also worked with Mustafa Ayaşlıoğlu and Selma Emler on the restoration project of the Rumeli Fortress, in Istanbul, a project she undertook after Mustafa Ayaşlıoğlu’s travels to Syria.

For the International Byzantine Congress taking place in Istanbul in 1955, various restoration projects were realized and most of them were conducted by Cahide Tamer.

This was followed by the restoration of the naos and atrium sections of the Studios Monastery and the Palace of the Porphyrogenitus, in Istanbul in 1955. Between 1955 and 1956, Tamer was also involved in the restoration of the Pammakaristos Church and the naos, narthex and atrium sections of the Hagia Irene, both in Istanbul.

In December of 1956, she began to work at the Directorate General of Foundations (“Vakıflar Genel Müdürlüğü”, in Turkish), in Istanbul and was responsible for the restoration projects of the Orthodox Community Metamorfosis Church, and the Surp Pırgiç Armenian Church Armenian Church in the city. That same year, she worked on the restoration projects of two towers of the Walls of Constantinople and prepared technical reports on various parts of its sea and land sections.

Her other restoration works included the Tomb of Sultan Süleyman in 1953, and the tomb of his wife, Hürrem Sultan, in 1955; the Feneri Isa Mosque (the Lips Monastery) in 1959; the Hekimoğlu Ali Pasha Complex, between 1958-1961; the Mosque with the Spiral Minaret, in 1961; the Pertev Pasha Complex between 1958-1960; the Yunus Pasha Mosque between 1960 and 1961; the Fatih Complex between 1955 and 1962; the Murad Pasha Mosque, between 1960 and 1962; the Valide Mosque, between 1959 and 1962; the Sultan Selim Madrasah, now the Museum of Turkish Calligraphic Art, between 1958 and 1963; the Haseki Complex, between 1958 between 1964; the Rüstem Pasha Complex between 1959 and 1964; the Hersekzade Ahmet Pasha Mosque and its tomb, between 1964 and 1965; a fountain (1659) in Cayirova, in 1967; the minaret of the Yildirim Bayezid Mosque, in 1967; the Nuruosmaniye Complex; between 1955 and 1968; the Ekmekçizade Ahmet Pasha Madrasah, between 1966 and 1968; the Tomb of Malkoçoğlu, in 1969; the Bali Bey Mosque, the Bali Bey Mosque, and the Postinpus Baba Zawiya in 1969; the Demirtas Hammam in 1969; the Çoban Mustafa Pasha Complex, between 1961 and 1970; and the Süleyman Pasha Madrasa between 1968 and 1969.

She received “the Chevalier de L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres” Award in 1961, for the restoration of the Fortress of the Seven Towers, and recognition by the Chamber of Architects of Turkey, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of her professional career, in 1993.

She retired from the Directorate of Foundations in 1974, and died in 2005.

 Restoration Projects:

• The Divan Lounge (“divanhane”, in Turkish) in Amcazade Hüseyin Pasha Mansion, Istanbul, Turkey, 1947.
• The Sofa Kiosk in the Harem Section of Topkapı Palace, Istanbul, Turkey, 1950-1952.
• The Tomb of Sultan Süleyman, Istanbul, Turkey, 1953[?].
• Ceilings at the Istanbul Archeological Museum, Istanbul, Turkey, 1953-1954.
• The Fortress of the Seven Towers (with Mustafa Ayaşlıoğlu and Selma Emler), Istanbul, Turkey, 1954-1970.
• The Tomb of Hürrem Sultan, Istanbul, Turkey, 1955.
• The naos and atrium section of the Studios Monastery and the Palace of the Porphyrogenitus, Istanbul, Turkey, 1955.
• The naos, narthex and atrium sections of the Hagia Irene, Istanbul, Turkey, 1955-1956.
• The Orthodox Community Metamorfosis Church, Istanbul, Turkey, 1956[?].
• The Surp Pırgiç Armenian Church, Istanbul, Turkey, 1956[?].
• The two towers of the Walls of Constantinople, Istanbul, Turkey, year [?].
• The Feneri Isa Mosque (the Lips Monastery), Istanbul, Turkey, 1959.
• The Pertev Pasha Complex, Istanbul, Turkey, 1958-1960.
• The Hekimoğlu Ali Pasha Complex, Istanbul, Turkey, 1958-1961.
• The Mosque with the Spiral Minaret, Istanbul, Turkey, 1961.
• The Yunus Pasha Mosque, Sakarya, Turkey, 1960-1961.
• The Fatih Complex, Istanbul, Turkey, 1955-1962.
• The Murad Pasha Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey, 1960-1962.
• The Valide Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey, 1959-1962.
• The Sultan Selim Madrasa (now the Museum of Turkish Calligraphic Art), Istanbul, Turkey, 1958-1963.
• The Haseki Complex, Istanbul, Turkey, 1958-1964.
• The Rustem Pasha Complex, Istanbul, Turkey, 1959-1964.
• The Hersekzade Ahmet Pasha Mosque and its tomb, Yalova, Turkey, 1964-1965.
•  A fountain (1659), Cayirova, Turkey, 1967.
• The minaret of Yildirim Bayezid Mosque, Bursa, Turkey, 1967.
• The Nuruosmaniye Complex, Istanbul, Turkey, 1955-1968.
• The Ekmekçizade Ahmet Pasha Madrasah, Istanbul [?], Turkey, 1966-1968.
• The Tomb of Malkoçoğlu, Gebze, Turkey, 1969.
• The Bali Bey Mosque, [location and year unidentified]
• The Sinan Pasha Complex, [location and year, unidentified]
• The Postinpus Baba Zawiya, Bursa, Turkey, 1969.
• The Demirtas Hammam, Bursa, Turkey, 1969.
• The Süleyman Pasha Madrasa, [location unidentified], 1968-1969.
• The Çoban Mustafa Pasha Complex, Gebze, Turkey, 1961-1970.

Publications, 1947-2006:

Articles by Cahide Tamer, in chronological order:

• Tamer, Cahide. “Kanlıca’daki Amcazade Hüseyin Paşa Yalısı ve Yapılan Onarım.” Arkitekt (1947): 191-192, 248-251, 292. http://dergi.mo.org.tr/dergiler/2/25/172.pdf [Accessed February 28, 2016.]
• Tamer, Cahide. “Kanlıca’daki Amcazade Hüseyin Paşa Yalısı.” Tarih Hazinesi 4 (1951): 201-202, 206.
• Tamer, Cahide. “Kanlıca’da Amcazade Hüseyin Paşa Yalısı.” Abidelerimiz 2 (1954): 227-229.
• Tamer, Cahide and R. Ekrem Koçu. “Anadoluhisarı’nda Meşruta Yalı.” In Istanbul Ansiklopedisi II, 1959, 823-827.
• Tamer, Cahide. “Cumhuriyet Devrinde Eski Eser Anlayışı ve Onarım Faaliyetleri.” Rölöve ve Restorasyon Dergisi 1 (1974): 9-15.
• Tamer, Cahide. “Cahide Tamer’in Uzun Yolculuğu.” Istanbul’dan Göreme’ye Kültür Mirasımız (1984): 69.
• Tamer, Cahide. “Istanbul Surları Nasıl Restore Edilmelidir?.” Istanbul’dan Göreme’ye Kültür Mirasımız, (1984): 66.
• Tamer, Cahide. “Topkapı Sarayı’nda 19. Yüzyılın Sonlarında Çekilmiş Birkaç Fotoğraf ve Bazı Eleştiriler.” Istanbul (1985): 131-254, 236.

Books by Cahide Tamer, in chronological order, 1999-2003:

• Tamer, Cahide. Gebze-Çoban Mustafa Paşa Külliyesi Restorasyonu (1961-1970). Istanbul: Türkiye Turing ve Otomobil Kurumu Yayınları, 1999.
• Tamer, Cahide.
• 
  
• Amcazade Yalısı ve Manzumesi Onarımları. Istanbul: Türkiye Turing Otomobil Kurumu, 2001.
• Tamer, Cahide. Rumelihisarı Restorasyonu; Belgelerle ve Anılarla, 1955-1957. Istanbul: Türkiye Turing Otomobil Kurumu, 2001.
• Tamer, Cahide. Sultan Selim (Halicilar) Medresesi Restorasyonu, 1958-1963. Istanbul: Türkiye Turing Otomobil Kurumu, 2002.
• Tamer, Cahide. Taraklı Yunus Paşa Camii Restorasyonu. Istanbul: Türkiye Turing Otomobil Kurumu, 2002.
• Tamer, Cahide. Istanbul Bizans Anıtları ve Onarımları. Istanbul: Türkiye Turing Otomobil Kurumu, 2003.

Articles on Cahide Tamer, in chronological order, 1959-2004:

• İnan, Afet. “Rumelihisarı’nı Üç Türk Kızı Restore Etti.” Hayat Mecmuası 41 (1959): 12-13.
• Ünsal, Behçet. “Rumelihisarı’nın 65 Yıllık Restorasyon Öyküsü.” Istanbul’dan Göreme’ye Kültür Mirasımız (1984): 132.
• Ahunbay, Zeynep. “Sultan Selim Medresesi.” Dünden Bugüne Istanbul Ansiklopedisi VII (1994): 63-64.
• Başarır, Başar. “Otuz Yıl Restorasyon: Cahide Tamer.” Istanbul Dergisi 13 (1995): 94-98.
• Doğantepe, Hülya Kanbay. “Türkiye’nin İlk Kadın Restoratör Mimarı Cahide Tamer.” Antik Dekor 30 (1995): 80-82.
• Yücel, Erdem. “Restoratör Mimarlardan Cahide Tamer.” Yapı 277 (2004): 91-94.
• Akın, Nur. “Koruma Alanının Büyük Kaybı: Cahide Tamer.” Mimarlara Mektup 328 (2006): 10-11.
• Tayla, Hüsrev. “Restoratör Mimar Cahide Tamer.” Mimarist 83 (2006): 12-13.
• Yapıcı, Mücella. “Aramızdan Ayrılanlar: Dünya, İlk Kadın Şövalyesi Cahide Tamer’i Yitirdi.” Mimarlara Mektup 83 (2006): 12.

--Meral Ekincioğlu, ph.D.

15 September 2015

Sources:

Karakaya, Ebru. “Türk Mimarlığı’nda Sanayi-i Nefise Mektebi / Güzel Sanatlar Akademisi’nin Yeri ve Restorasyon Alanına Katkıları (1883-1960).” Master's thesis, Yıldız Technical University, Istanbul, 2006.