20/05/2023
The Fountain of Sultan Ahmed III (built 1728) is a small building containing multiple water spigots (currently not working). The architecture synthesizes traditional Ottoman and contemporary western styles. A square kiosk supports five small domes, with mihrab-shaped niches containing foliate and floral reliefs in each of the four façades, each with a drinking fountain. Water flowed from an octagonal pool inside the kiosk. On each corner is a triple-grilled sebil (from which an attendant dispensed cups of water or sherbet, free of charge, from behind a grille). Large calligraphic plates bordered with blue and red tiles contain poetic stanzas of a 14-line poem dedicated to water and to its donor, Seyyid Hüseyin Vehbi bin Ahmed (a chief judge of Halep and Kayseri). It was a social center and gathering place during the Ottoman empire. The fountain is beautifully lit at night. Text Credit to - Carol A.S - Marietta, GA
