From the Galata Bridge to Sehzadebasi - Strolling Through Istanbul: The Classic Guide to the City - page 223

MEDRESE OF GAZANFER AĞA
Beyond the hamam, Itfaiye Caddesi widens and becomes quite pretty,
with a double row of plane trees shading the open stalls of a colourful
fruit and vegetable market. We follow this avenue for a few blocks
and then turn left just before the aqueduct, taking the street which
runs parallel to it.
Just before we come to the intersection with Atatürk Bulvarı we
see on our right a small classical külliye built up against the aqueduct.
Established by Gazanfer Ağa in 1599, it includes a small medrese,
the türbe of the founder, and a charming sebil with handsome grilled
windows. Gazanfer Ağa was the younger brother of Cafer Ağa, whose
medrese we saw next to Haghia Sophia. He was Chief of the White
Eunuchs in the reign of Mehmet III. Gazanfer was the last of the
White Eunuchs to control afairs in the Saray, for after his time the
Chief Black Eunuch became the dominant figure. He and his brother
were born in Chioggia, in the lagoon south of Venice. They were
captured by pirates in their youth and, after being castrated, they
were sold as eunuchs in the Istanbul slave market, where they were
purchased to serve in Topkapı Sarayı, thus beginning their illustrious
careers as the last two great Chief White Eunuchs. Gazanfer Ağa was
executed in 1603, having involved himself too deeply in the afairs
of the Harem.
The külliye was restored in 1945 and originally housed the
Municipal Museum; it now serves as the Museum of Cartoons and
Humour. Like most city museums, it has a rather provincial and
neglected look, though some of the exhibits are not without interest.
The cells of the medrese have had doors cut between them to form
the galleries of the museum.
THE AQUEDUCT OF VALENS
After leaving the museum we continue along to Atatürk Bulvarı and
turn right so as to pass under the aqueduct. We should perhaps pause
here for a moment to study this ancient structure, which has been
looming on the skyline for much of our stroll. The aqueduct was
built by the Emperor Valens in about the year A.D. 375 as part of the
water-supply system which he constructed. he water, tapped from