Fountains have always had documental value in terms of showing changes in architecture over time as well as the tastes and technological levels of the state at the time. The population in the region north of Istanbul’s Golden Horn has gradually increased. The Taksim waterdistribution pipeline was built in order to meet the water needs of the region. It took its final form during the reign of Sultan Mahmud II in 1839. The nine fountains that were built in Beyoglu during that time are fed with water from the Taksim water-distribution pipeline. The fountains were built in accordance with the innovations and architectural changes brought by the period. The construction techniques and decoration elements in particular were compatible with the period. Accordingly, the ornamental elements that entered the Ottoman architecture after the Tulip Era in particular are noteworthy.

This study evaluates the writing styles, writing sizes, constructors, and people who wrote the epitaphs of these fountains. When taking all the epitaphs into account, constructor as well as poet/calligraphy information has been obtained for six fountains. Only one epitaph was written in prose, with the others having been written in verse. Two epitaphs were written in Thuluth calligraphy, and three epitaphs are written in Ta’liq calligraphy. The ornamental slabs of the fountains are made of marble. Noteworthily, only one fountain has a bowl holder. One of the most important structural elements of fountains is the opening that provides passage to the storage section. The openings have been made with dimensions that allow a person access. The cover systems, on the other hand, have no specific standard. Ornamental elements are mostly concentrated in the main usage area. These ornamental elements are the ones that entered Ottoman art mostly through the Westernization process. Herbal decorations have been made such as curly branches, stylized flowers, acanthus leaves, rosettes, chrysanthemums, or leaves coming out of a vase. In addition, objective and geometric decorations were used exclusively, such as curtains, tassels, bows, crescent and star and volute, and S- and C-shaped curves.

The fountains from the reign of Sultan Mahmud II are distinctly different from the classical Ottoman forms with their design principles and decorations. However, one architectural behavior has been exhibited that is unique to the Ottoman Empire. The fountains from this period were no longer just intended to meet the people’s water needs, as had been the case in previous centuries. Nor do they possess the intense decorations as in the 18th century. Architecturally, they were built not only to bring water to the city (i.e., satisfy water needs) but also as a city ornament with decorative elements. An increase in ornate fountains has been observed since the 18th century. However, due to the decreased need and the changes in socio-economic structures, the Beyoglu fountains from the reign of Sultan Mahmud II period are seen to have been simplified, with a decrease in attempts at innovation.

As a result, the chosen fountains are important in terms of showing the artistic understanding of the late Ottoman Empire. Ornamental elements were used and included in architectural elements, ones that had developed since the Tulip Era. However, the 18th century lacked creativity, as the fountains were seen to have been built more simply. The effects from Westernization, which had inspired the changes in Ottoman architecture and decoration, were maintained. These fountains have a unique place in the history of art and are understood to have been more functional compared to the periods when fountain architecture was the most popular. These fountains met water needs in the 19th century and are concrete examples of the period, but they are in quite a dilapidated state these days.