Istanbul
At the Dr. Kadir Topbaş Cultural and Art Center, hosted by Esenler Municipality, an exhibition featuring artifacts from the sacred journey to Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem, spanning from the Ottoman period to the present day, has been opened to visitors.
Bekir Kantarcı told an AA correspondent that he first obtained the Kaaba covering in Saudi Arabia during the 1990s.
The collection’s most important pieces consist of Kaaba coverings, Kantarcı said, adding, “Not only do we have coverings from the Ottoman period, but we also have very special Kaaba coverings from the last 50 years.”
Kantarcı mentioned that the exhibition includes the black outer coverings of the Kaaba, which have been in use for approximately 150 years, as well as belt inscriptions, coverings that are replaced every year before Eid al-Adha, inner coverings of the Kaaba, which are changed every 30 years, and inner coverings of the Rawda al-Mutahhara. Additionally, pieces sent to Mecca during the final years of Ottoman rule over the Hejaz region are also on display.
“We are happy to bring these artifacts to our people”
Bekir Kantarcı emphasized that the collection is unique as it encapsulates every detail of the Hajj journey. He said, “The special feature of our collection is that it includes the pilgrimage journey, memories and gifts from the Hajj, and Kaaba coverings, all in detail and period-specific. It truly makes us happy to bring these artifacts to our people, to open them for visitors, and to explain the purpose and use of each item.”
Kantarcı noted that Muslims enter a spiritual atmosphere with the Hajj season following the three holy months and Ramadan, adding that the longing for the Hejaz region has intensified as Hajj and Umrah visits have become more difficult in the past two years.
Kantarcı thanked the Esenler Municipality and those who contributed to organizing the exhibition, noting that it would be open for visitors throughout the month of Ramadan.
“Exhibition of Kaaba Coverings and Memories from the Journey to the Kaaba”
The exhibition showcases Kaaba coverings from different periods, acquired by collector Bekir Kantarcı from both domestic and international sources, along with numerous memories from past Hajj journeys. Among the artifacts on display are gifts sent to Mecca and Medina by the people of Istanbul, Surre alay chests, and feathered bags placed in these chests.
The exhibition also features documents and items related to the Surre alays, the annual ceremony of sending the Kaaba covering in the Ottoman Empire. Visitors can see samples of belt inscriptions that adorn the Kaaba, various medals and documents from the Hejaz railway, official correspondence documents from the days when the Ottomans governed the Hejaz, and Ottoman-era Hajj proxies and certificates.
Additionally, among the exhibited artifacts is a red silk covering produced in Mecca during the reign of King Abdulaziz, a green piece that adorned the walls of the Prophet’s (PBUH) tomb in Medina, and many other items.
The exhibition also includes a 350-year-old piece of the Rawda covering, a dark green Kaaba covering from the early 17th century Ottoman period, rare dark blue Kaaba coverings from the 1850s, 19th-century oil paintings depicting the longing for the Kaaba, reverse glass paintings, and wooden hilyes with miniatures of the Kaaba.
