Redif Barracks (Redif Kışlası)

İskilip October 2010

The Redif Barracks (Redif Kışlası) is an Ottoman military building dating to the early 20th century, located in the historic İskilip district to the northwest of Çorum. Reflecting the prevailing barracks design of its era, the structure is regarded as a typical example of Ottoman military architecture with its plain mass and orderly façade composition.

History

The word “redif” in the building’s name refers to soldiers in the Ottoman army who were discharged in peacetime but kept in reserve to be called up again in the event of mobilization. Following the 19th-century army reforms, similar barracks were built in many settlements across Anatolia for the purpose of housing and training soldiers attached to the redif organization and storing their equipment. This building in İskilip likewise constitutes one of the provincial traces of that organization and stands out as a local witness to the military structuring of the early 20th century.

Architecture

The barracks has a rectangular plan extending along the north-south axis and is three storeys high, including the basement floor. Along its long and short sides, windows with rectangular frames and round arches follow one another at regular intervals, giving the façades a rhythmic appearance. The floors are separated from one another by projecting cornices on the exterior; thus the horizontal lines are emphasized and the mass of the building is made distinct. The top of the building is covered with a wooden roof. This plain and functional arrangement is in keeping with the design approach seen in the military buildings of the period—unostentatious and suited to communal accommodation.

Location and Visiting

İskilip is a district known for its dense historical fabric inherited from the past; the district center and its surroundings are rich in buildings and remains belonging to different periods. As part of this cultural heritage, the Redif Barracks is one of the elements that complement the district’s stock of Ottoman-period buildings.

Visitors to İskilip can also see the older layers of the district along with İskilip Castle, which dominates the town’s historic skyline, and the nearby İskilip Rock Tomb. For the general historical background of the district, the article History of İskilip may be consulted, while the Ulu (Grand) Mosque (İskilip) can be examined as an important example of Ottoman-period religious architecture.