Isikkent Historic Fountain
Located on Salih Omurtak Avenue in the Isikkent neighborhood, this small Ottoman-era fountain was built in the same period as the Carsi Mosque. Only a column fragment and part of its mirror stone have survived to the present day. Despite its modest form, it reflects the historical importance of water culture in neighborhood life.
Introduction
The Işıkkent Historic Fountain stands in front of a block of flats on Salih Omurtak Avenue in the Işıkkent neighbourhood of Bornova.
The construction technique and materials indicate that the fountain dates from the Ottoman period.
Local residents recount that the structure was built at the same time as the Işıkkent Çarşı Mosque, probably in the late 19th century.
Architectural Features
- Form: Single-faced, round-arched neighbourhood fountain.
- Materials: Dressed stone, lime mortar.
- Surviving sections: Only a column fragment and part of the mirror stone have reached the present day.
- Inscription: None extant.
- Construction technique: The plain stonemasonry characteristic of traditional Ottoman neighbourhood fountains.
Today the fountain is in a partially ruined state; the main outlines of its original form may be traced from the mirror stone and the stone courses at ground level.
Historical Value
Despite its small scale, the Işıkkent Historic Fountain reflects the importance of public water structures in Ottoman neighbourhood life.
In the past these fountains were part of daily life, serving not merely as water sources but also as places of social interaction.
Although largely destroyed today, this structure in Işıkkent is a valuable heritage element recalling Bornova's transition from rural to urban life and its local water culture.
Conservation Status
The structure survives only as a ruin; only the base section, a short column and the mirror-stone section of the original form remain. Although not under formal conservation, it continues to be known in local memory as the "Historic Fountain" and endures as part of the neighbourhood's identity.
Location Info
Category
Historic Fountains
Işıkkent Mahallesi, Salih Omurtak Caddesi No:15, Bornova
Located on Salih Omurtak Avenue in the Isikkent neighborhood, this small Ottoman-era fountain was built in the same period as the Carsi Mosque. Only a column fragment and part of its mirror stone have survived to the present day. Despite its modest form, it reflects the historical importance of water culture in neighborhood life.
