‘There is no universal power, supreme and limitless. Holy and sublime, with all my heart, so do I believe. The earth is my homeland, my nation all humankind.‘ Tevfik Fikret
‘The bird’s nest’ belongs to one of the prominent poets in Turkish history: Tevfik Fikret. It was him who called his home ‘the bird’s nest’ which is located in one of the most beautiful spots in the city overlooking the Bosphorus in Bebek.
Tevfik Fikret (1867-1915)
As a university student at Bogazici, I would walk to Tevfik Fikret’s house time and again for a moment of solitude as his house was connected with a gate to the gardens of Bogazici University. These gardens originally belonged to Robert College which was the first American University to be established overseas. Tevfik Fikret had been the Turkish Literature teacher at the college and was given this beautiful piece of land on which he built his bird’s nest.
He was a leading poet and a ‘revolutionary’ at heart rebelling against the oppressive regime of the sultan of his time: Abdulhamid II. Being the opponent he was, he had found solace at the Robert College where he taught and in his house protected on the vast lands of the College.
Most of his poems had a furious tone against the ruling regime and the mentality of the times. He had rebelled against the violence and bloodshed which he called the ‘graveyard existence’.
‘There is no universal power, supreme and limitless.
Holy and sublime, with all my heart, so
do I believe.
The earth is my homeland, my nation all humankind;
A person becomes a human only by knowing this, so
do i believe.
We are satan, and jinn, There is no devil, no angels
Human beings will turn this world into paradise, so
do I believe…’ he wrote.
His house is now a museum and a delight to visit. When you pay a visit to Istanbul, don’t forget to discover this secret gem overlooking one of the best views in the city. In the house, you will see all the preserved furniture and personal belongings of this great poet who fought for more freedom and justice in the last years of the Ottoman Empire but unfortunately failed to see the establishment of the Turkish Republic in 1923.
Tevfik Fikret’s house which is now a museum
Visiting this museum will also give you a chance to see a beautiful 19th century Ottoman Mansion with its elegant details.
A view from the bedroom
His bedroom
Tevfik Fikret’s wax sculpture next to the famous ‘Fog’ painting depicting the oppressive regime in the Ottoman Empire
After you have visited the ‘bird’s nest’ of this great man, you will never forget the beauty of this home and its bird eyes’ view.
The view from the Bird’s Nest
