XVI. Yüzyılda Halep’te Bir Osmanlı Vakfı: BEHRAM PAŞA KÜLLİYESİ
AN OTTOMAN WAQF IN ALEPPO IN THE 16TH CENTURY: THE BEHRAM PASHA CHARITABLE COMPLEX

The Külliye of Behram Pahsa was built in 1583 by Behram Pahsa, the governor general of Aleppo. This complex of charity financed by the endowments of immovable property in Urfa, Egypt, and Gaza, is consisted of a mosque, a school, a kiosk for drinking water, bazaar, khan (qaysariyye) etc. The properties of endowment, on the other hand, included a coffehouse, a dyinghouse, a bath, a mill, a khan, oliveyards and shops distributed among the two streets called the “Bazaar of Behramiyye.” This charitable complex called the “Endowment of Behram Pasha Mosque” in Otoman archival documents, is known to have contributed to the socio-economic welfare of Aleppo from the late 16th century onwords. But it is also true that it was accused of certain abuses and misuses in the 19th century. At that time it was claimed that the revenues of the waqf were not put into use in comply with the stipulations of the charter of the waqf; that it was illmanaged and its property was sold; and that the complex itself gradually fell into ruin. Indeed, that almost all of the property of the waqf outside Aleppo was lost, confirms the accusing claims. In contrast the same claims, however, the propeties of the waqf and complex are also known to have been repaired during the same period. The complex was not undergone significant physical changes after the Ottoman Era, except for the renovation of certain worn-out parts and introduction of small-scale structures. With its mosque restored in 2008, the complex still serves its functions, but some of the property of the waqf has lost its primary functions or totally came into disuse.