Ottoman Rental Contract of Home İstanbul 1922 Greek and Non-Muslim Citizens

Ottoman Rental Contract - Beyoğlu, Şişhane (1922)

Description:
An Ottoman Turkish rental contract dated 1 Teşrin-i Sani 1338 (1 November 1922), concerning the lease of an apartment in Beyoğlu, Şişhane Karakolu, Yaşmak Sıyıran Street, No. 14, Apartment No. 17. The apartment is described as three-roomed and located on the third floor of the building.

The landlord is Dimitriyos Harakopulos, an Ottoman citizen of Greek origin, while the tenant is recorded as İsak Barvaç (surname uncertain), a non-Muslim Christian resident. The contract was issued for one year, and includes Ottoman-era stamps, seals, and handwritten signatures.

Composed shortly before the end of the Ottoman Empire and the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey, this document stands as a valuable artifact of Istanbul’s cosmopolitan society, illustrating how Greek and other non-Muslim communities were actively engaged in the city’s urban and economic life.

Key Features:

• Type: Rental contract (residential lease)

• Date: 1 Teşrin-i Sani 1338 (1 November 1922)

• Duration: 1 year

• Location: Beyoğlu, Şişhane Karakolu, Yaşmak Sıyıran Street No.14, Apt.17

• Description: Three-room apartment on the third floor

• Landlord: Dimitriyos Harakopulos - Ottoman Greek citizen

• Tenant: İsak Barvaç (?) - Non-Muslim Christian

• Language: Ottoman Turkish (Arabic script)

• Features: Revenue stamps, official seals, and signatures

• Significance: A rare record of Istanbul’s multi-ethnic urban life during the final months of the Ottoman period, exemplifying peaceful coexistence and daily interaction between the city’s Greek and other Christian communities.