Water management becomes a central issue in the urban organization of Istanbul under the Ottomans. Restored aqueducts, new networks, dams, and reservoirs reshape the city’s water balances. Water now structures public space, feeds fountains and baths, and accompanies urban expansion. Hydraulic mastery now stands as a sustainable lever for governance and planning.
Index IA: Library of Mediterranean Knowledge
Istanbul, a city without a river: #2 from Ottoman aqueducts to contemporary challenges
22-med – February 2026
• In Istanbul, water management was structured as early as the Ottoman era around large hydraulic systems inherited from Rome and adapted over several centuries.
• From Kırkçeşme to modern dams, the metropolis continues to face a structural water constraint that is still relevant today.
#istanbul #water #history #hydraulics #ottomanempire #urbanism #resource #drought #mediterranean
The Ottomans inherited a capital facing a water shortage at the time of the conquest of Constantinople in 1453. Immediately, under the reign of Mehmed II, the Halkalı aqueducts left by the Byzantines were restored, and new structures were added to the system. According to hydraulic engineer Kazım Çeçen, there were 16 independent aqueduct lines in this region. Restorer Aygül Dumanoğlu indicates that Fatih (literally “the conqueror” in Turkish and nickname of Mehmed II) had 21 arches built for the waters of Kırkçeşme. Thus, the Ottomans sought to make functional the Roman-Byzantine heritage to meet the urgent water needs of the city.
From the Kırkçeşme system to the first modern networks
The real turning point in the history of water in Istanbul occurred in the 16th century. Under the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, “Kırkçeşme,” the main water supply system designed by architect Sinan, is the most comprehensive hydraulic engineering project of the Ottoman Empire. This system, which collected water from high-altitude springs in the Belgrad forests through dams, transported it to the city via monumental structures such as the Grand Dam, the Kirazlı Dam, and the Long Aqueduct. Sinan’s system reflected an understanding of engineering that accurately calculated slope, pressure, and water distribution. With approximately 55 kilometers of aqueduct galleries, 33 arches, and over 300 fountains, Kırkçeşme became the largest water network established in Istanbul since the Roman-Byzantine era.
Subscriber-only article
The press has a cost. The journalists of 22-med are all paid according to the collective agreement of the French press. Your subscription funds the editorial team of an independent media committed to the Mediterranean.