# Selimiye Barracks

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Turkish army barracks

Selimiye Barracks Selimiye Kışlası Harem, Üsküdar, Istanbul, Turkey Selimiye Barracks Site information Operator First Army HQ, Turkish Land Forces Controlled by Asakir-i Mansure-i Muhammediye Turkish Land Forces Location Selimiye Barracks Coordinates 41°0′29″N 29°0′57″E / 41.00806°N 29.01583°E / 41.00806; 29.01583 Site history Built 1828; 198 years ago (1828) Built by Sultan Mahmud II Battles/wars Crimean War (1854–56),

**Selimiye Barracks** ([Turkish](/source/Turkish_language): *Selimiye Kışlası*), also known as **Scutari Barracks**, is a [Turkish Army](/source/Turkish_Army) [barracks](/source/Barracks) located in [Selimiye](/source/Selimiye%2C_%C3%9Csk%C3%BCdar) in the [Üsküdar](/source/%C3%9Csk%C3%BCdar) district on the [Asian](/source/Asia) side of [Istanbul](/source/Istanbul), [Turkey](/source/Turkey). It was originally built in 1800 by Sultan [Selim III](/source/Selim_III) for the soldiers of the newly established *[Nizam-ı Cedid](/source/Nizam-%C4%B1_Cedid)* (literally "New Order") within the framework of the [Ottoman military reform efforts](/source/Ottoman_military_reform_efforts).[1] Today, it serves as the headquarters of the [First Army](/source/Turkish_First_Army) of [Turkish Land Forces](/source/Turkish_Land_Forces).

Photo of the Selimiye Barracks, photo taken from Topkapı Palace. The Barracks can be seen on the right side, right behind the ship with a yellow hull.

The Barracks is situated in the [Harem](/source/Harem%2C_%C3%9Csk%C3%BCdar) neighbourhood between Üsküdar and [Kadıköy](/source/Kad%C4%B1k%C3%B6y), close to the [Sea of Marmara](/source/Sea_of_Marmara). The highway connecting the ferry terminal and the overland bus terminal to the motorway [O.2](/source/Otoyol_2) Istanbul-Ankara runs right past the barracks.

## Construction

The original wooden barracks was designed by [Krikor Balyan](/source/Krikor_Balyan) but was burnt down in 1806 by rebel [Janissaries](/source/Janissaries), who were resisting the sultan's reforms. Sultan [Mahmud II](/source/Mahmud_II) commissioned the rebuilding of the barracks in stone in 1825 and the work was completed on 6 February 1828. During the reign of Sultan [Abdülmecid I](/source/Abd%C3%BClmecid_I), the barracks were renovated twice, first in 1842–43 and again in 1849–50. During this process, a tower seven stories in height was added to each of the four corners, giving the barracks its current appearance. The barracks is a vast rectangular building measuring 200 m × 267 m (656 ft × 876 ft) with a large parade ground in the centre. Three of the wings have three floors but the eastern wing only has two floors due to the sloping terrain.[2]

## Crimean War

- *See also [Renkioi Hospital](/source/Renkioi_Hospital)*

During the [Crimean War](/source/Crimean_War) (1854–56), the barracks were allocated to the [British Army](/source/British_Army), which was on its way from [Britain](/source/United_Kingdom_of_Great_Britain_and_Ireland) to the [Crimea](/source/Crimea). After the troops of its [33rd](/source/33rd_Regiment_of_Foot) and [41st](/source/41st_(Welsh)_Regiment_of_Foot) foot regiments[3] left for the front, the barracks was converted into a temporary military hospital.

On 4 November 1854, [Florence Nightingale](/source/Florence_Nightingale) arrived in [Scutari](/source/%C3%9Csk%C3%BCdar) with 37 volunteer nurses. They cared for thousands of wounded and infected soldiers until she returned home in 1857 as a heroine.[4]

During the war around 6,000 soldiers died in the Selimiye Barracks, mostly as the result of a [cholera](/source/Cholera) epidemic. The dead were buried at a plot near the barracks, which later became the [Haydarpaşa Cemetery](/source/Haydarpa%C5%9Fa_Cemetery).[5]

Today, the northernmost tower of the barracks houses a small museum partly in memory of Nightingale.[6]

	- Crimean War

		- An early photo, taken at Scutari, of officers and men of the [93rd Highland Regiment](/source/93rd_(Sutherland_Highlanders)_Regiment_of_Foot), shortly before their engagement in the Crimean War, 1854.

		- The British Army at Scutari, 1854, by [Amedeo Preziosi](/source/Amedeo_Preziosi)

		- An 1856 lithograph of the Selimiye barracks as a hospital during the Crimean War.

		- [Charles Dickens](/source/Charles_Dickens) was one of the more famous donors to the hospital.[7]

## References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Selimiye Barracks](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Selimiye_Barracks).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Istanbul](https://archive.today/20130127093153/http://www.istanbul.com/YaziDetail.aspx?Cat=159&ColId=12639) (in Turkish) Being the world's largest barracks of it time, it was where Florence Nightingale laid the foundation for modern nursing during the Crimean War.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality](http://www.ibb.gov.tr/tr-TR/KenteBakis/GunlukYasam/GeziRehberi/KamuBinalari/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20070530053922/http://www.ibb.gov.tr/tr-TR/KenteBakis/GunlukYasam/GeziRehberi/KamuBinalari/) 2007-05-30 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) (in Turkish)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** The Regimental Museum of The Royal Welsh. ["The Regimental Museum of The Royal Welsh (Brecon)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20011124152853/http://www.rrw.org.uk/museums/cardiff/fact_sheets/1.htm). *rrw.org.uk*. Archived from [the original](http://www.rrw.org.uk/museums/cardiff/fact_sheets/1.htm) on 24 November 2001.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Death of Miss Florence Nightingale. | 1910-1919 | Guardian Century"](https://www.theguardian.com/century/1910-1919/Story/0,,126410,00.html). *www.theguardian.com*. Retrieved 25 October 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Tuncay Yýlmazer. ["Çanakkale Savaþlarý Gelibolu, 1.Dünya Savaþý, Çanakkale Savaþlarý, Makaleler, Osmanlý Savaþlarý, Osmanlý, osmanlý, Gerçek Tarih, Gelibolu"](http://www.geliboluyuanlamak.com/makale_detay.php?haber_id=15). *geliboluyuanlamak.com*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Tower"](http://www.florence-nightingale-avenging-angel.co.uk/tower.htm). *florence-nightingale-avenging-angel.co.uk*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Florence Nightingale Museum (17 February 2020). ["Florence the Woman"](https://web.archive.org/web/20231208151330/https://www.florence-nightingale.co.uk/charles-dickens-1812-1870/). *florence-nightingale.co.uk*. Archived from [the original](https://www.florence-nightingale.co.uk/charles-dickens-1812-1870/) on 8 December 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.

v t e Üsküdar (Scutari), Istanbul Neighbourhoods Acıbadem Ahmediye Altunizade Aziz Mahmut Hüdayi Bahçelievler Barbaros Beylerbeyi Bulgurlu Burhaniye Çengelköy Cumhuriyet Ferah Güzeltepe İcadiye Kandilli Kirazlıtepe Kısıklı Küçük Çamlıca Küçüksu Kuleli Küplüce Kuzguncuk Mehmet Akif Ersoy Mimar Sinan Muratreis Salacak Selami Ali Selimiye Sultantepe Ünalan Valide-İ Atik Yavuztürk Zeynep Kamil Quarters Bağlarbaşı Çamlıca Doğancılar Fıstıkağacı Harem Nakkaştepe Paşalimanı Pazarbaşı Selamsız Vaniköy Education Tarabya British Schools Çengelköy Campus Üsküdar American Academy Üsküdar University Landmarks Beylerbeyi Palace Fethi Paşa Korusu Mehmet Çakır Cultural and Sports Center Selimiye Barracks Şemsi Pasha Mosque Vahdettin Pavilion Turkey portal Category

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Selimiye Barracks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selimiye_Barracks) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selimiye_Barracks?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.