[PLAN OF THE LEVANTINE GALATA & PERA / CONSTANTINOPLE] Nouveau plan de Pera et quartiers environnants: Galata, Tophane, Pancaldi, Nichantache...

RAYMOND, CESAR (Surveyor and author of the Turkish Insurance Plans).

Imp. Zellitch Freres, Rue de Yazdji, Constantinople, [c. 1925].

COMPLETE TITLE: [PLAN OF THE LEVANTINE GALATA & PERA / CONSTANTINOPLE] Nouveau plan de Pera et quartiers environnants: Galata, Tophane, Pancaldi, Nichantache, Chichli, Tatavla, Ayaz Pacha, Dolma Baghtche, Kassim Pacha, Hasskeuy, Piri-Piacha, Halidjoglou, Sutlidje, avec indications completes des Rues, Quartiers, Eglises, Mosquees, Ministreres, Monuments antiques, Edifices et Administrations Publics, Theatres, Locomotions, etc. Scale: 1/10000.

Original wrappers. Open size: 58x65 cm, folded size: 20,5x14 cm. In French. 18 p. text, and one chromo-lithographed folded plan. Professionally repaired spine of the booklet, folded. A very good / fine copy.

The very rare chromo-lithographed plan of Pera and Galata of Constantinople and around by the owner of Librairie Raymond, and published by the Zellitch Freres, the Croatian émigrés and long-time publishers in Istanbul.

The map provides a detailed depiction of the Golden Horn to the south, the Bosphorus shores to the east, and the predominantly Jewish settlements of Hasköy, as well as Şişli, Nişantaşı, and Feriköy to the west and north, encompassing the Pera and Galata regions, which were the non-Muslim quarters of Istanbul at the time. It shows maritime transportation along the Golden Horn and Bosphorus shores and highlights significant port districts such as Tophane, Pangaltı, Ayazpaşa, Dolmabahçe, Kasımpaşa, Piripaşa, Halıcıoğlu, and Sütlüce. Additionally, it includes neighbourhoods, churches, significant buildings, historical structures, administrative centres, theatres, and stations in the region.

On this polychrome map, the red areas indicate the most densely populated regions, while the white, blue, yellow, and green areas represent less populated zones. The green colour is used exclusively for cemeteries. The map also illustrates a population decrease from east to west along the Golden Horn. During that period, only two bridges (Azap Gate and Galata Bridge) were depicted spanning the Golden Horn. Given the detailed representation of transportation routes and key landmarks for visitors, as well as the accompanying booklet's rich content, it can be inferred that this plan was designed more for tourists than for topographic purposes.

The map's producer, French Levantine César Raymond, was the owner of Librairie Raymond, one of Istanbul’s renowned bookstores. He was also the brother of architect and cartographer Alexandre Raymond (1872-1941). As indicated on the map, César Raymond is credited as the 'Surveyor' and the producer of the 'Turkish Insurance Plans.

British cartographer Charles Edward Goad (1848–1910), known for his work in England and Canada, also produced insurance maps for Levantine cities such as Cairo, Alexandria, Izmir, and Istanbul. While preparing the Istanbul insurance plans, he sought assistance from César Raymond.

According to the Annuals of the Oriental Trade, César Raymond was the owner of 'S. Raymond and Co.' and served as the general representative of the insurance company Crédit Foncier Ltd. Raymond's company was located in Beyoğlu, at the same address where the shop of German-born bookseller Otto Keil, renowned as the 'Sultan's Bookstore' once stood.

ON THE ZELLITCH PRINTING HOUSE: Antonio Zelic (Zellich) of Brela was among the many Dalmatian émigrés who left their homeland in search of a better life during the 19th century. However, instead of heading west, he journeyed east to the Ottoman imperial capital, Istanbul. Upon arriving in the city on the Bosphorus, Zelic found employment at the lithographic print house of Henri Cayol, the first of its kind in the Ottoman Empire.

In 1869, he established his own lithographic print house, "Zellich and Sons" (A. Zellich et Fils). His descendants continued his work with great success, and the Zellich Print House, later known as the "Zellich Brothers" (Zellich Frères), became one of the most renowned in the Empire. Zellich Brothers earned a stellar reputation for the exceptional quality of their products, particularly their beautifully designed postcards and posters.

Their crowning achievement came in 1914 when they were entrusted with printing the Ottoman Turkish Lira banknotes. Over the years, the Zellichs received numerous Ottoman and international accolades, including prestigious medals awarded by the Pope, the Persian Shah, and the Serbian King. (Source: Documentary film Zelic - Printers to the Empire, Levantine Heritage).

EUROPEAN GALATA & PERA AND THE BYZANTINE SYKAI: The topography of Galata (was known in antiquity as Sykai or Sycae) features a narrow, flat strip along the coast of the Golden Horn, rising steeply towards Galata Tower. This elevation provided the hilltop with a commanding view of the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus, and Constantinople itself. Today, Galata Tower remains its most iconic landmark and a major symbol of modern Istanbul. Two churches from this period, the Arab Mosque and St. Benoit, still stand, while the substructures of the Fort of Galata now serve as a mosque. Although most of the original city walls were demolished in the second half of the 19th century, some sections have survived, including a city gate and a few towers.

“In the eighteenth century, there were generally few Europeans in Galata. Upon the development of strong commercial ties between the Ottomans and the Europeans, Europeans once more started to settle in Galata. According to the observations of Charles White in the 1840s, affluent Turks had started to shop in Beyoğlu instead of the Grand Bazaar. Pera’s famous high street, full of hotels, entertainment venues, and shops selling European goods, gave life to the already-cosmopolitan Beyoğlu district. During the Crimean War of 1853 to 1856, the cosmopolitan nature of the district grew even further. Europeans, and especially the British, turned Galata into a port of free trade through their practice of capitulations. By 1855 Galata, and in particular Perşembe Pazarı, Voyvoda Street, and Karaköy, had developed into the main commercial centre for European goods and banks; as a result, the Greek, Armenian, and Jewish citizens living in other districts of Istanbul started to gather in Galata, and thus the ethnic structure of the city changed once more. A new cosmopolitan type, referred to as the Levantine, emerged. This period also saw a concomitant rise in the construction of new churches and synagogues in Beyoğlu.

According to the 1927 census, 49 percent of the population in Galata and Beyoğlu consisted of Muslims, 21 of Greeks, 11 of Jews, 8 of Armenians, 6 of Catholics, and 2 of members of other Christian denominations. It was in Galata that modern urban development was first realized in Istanbul, a change resulting largely from pressure from the European inhabitants. Galata-Beyoğlu, the streets of which had previously been dark, muddy, and full of criminals and beggars, attained the status of European municipality in 1857. This period saw the creation of new sources of revenue and improvements in the standards of living. Both of these developments were implemented by the municipal council; the inner walls were demolished, wider streets were built, sanitation and lighting were improved, and a municipality control unit was established. The initiative among foreign residents to turn the municipal council into a completely autonomous administration, however, did not pass without conflict with the Ottoman government. (Inalcik, IA).”

As of February 2025, OCLC locates more than three copies: 10355767390, 938415790.