Renowned Art Historian Prof. Dr. Machiel Kiel Passes Away

Prof. Dr. Machiel Kiel, a distinguished art historian known for his research on Ottoman architecture in the Balkans, director of the Netherlands Institute of Archaeology, honorary member of the Turkish Historical Society, and member of the International Committee of Dutch Byzantine Studies, passed away at the age of 87 in Bonn, Germany.

 

Photo: bibliopera.org

Art historian Prof. Dr. Machiel Kiel, who meticulously documented the evolution of Ottoman-era architectural works—such as mosques, bazaars, dervish lodges, prayer rooms, schools, complexes, caravanserais, baths, fountains, aqueducts, and bridges—from their construction to the present day, has passed away.

Born in 1938 in Wormerveer, the Netherlands, Prof. Dr. Machiel Kiel died at the age of 87 in Bonn, Germany.

Türk Tarih Kurumu (The Turkish Historical Society) shared a post on its social media account regarding Kiel’s passing: "We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our honorary member, Prof. Dr. Machiel Kiel. Our esteemed scholar, who produced invaluable works on Ottoman-era architecture and cities, will be greatly missed. We extend our condolences to his family, loved ones, and the academic community."

Who was Prof. Dr. Machiel Kiel?

Born in 1938 in Wormerveer, the Netherlands, Kiel completed his Ph.D. at the University of Amsterdam in 1983 with a thesis titled "Bulgarian Ecclesiastical Architecture and Mural Painting in the Turkish Period: A Sketch of the Economic, Juridical and Artistic Preconditions of Bulgarian Post-Byzantine Art and its Place in the Development of the Art of the Christian Balkans." He became a full professor in 1993.

In 1959, he embarked on his first journey to the Balkans, followed by travels to North Africa, Turkey, and Iran (1960-1961). He worked in the restoration of various historical buildings (1958-1976) and conducted extensive research trips to uncover Ottoman architecture in the Balkans (1969-1990). He carried out archival studies in Istanbul, Ankara, and Sofia (1979-1999) and served as a faculty member at Harvard, Moscow State, Munich, Paris Ecole des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, and Utrecht universities. He also advised UNESCO on Bosnia and Herzegovina and was elected a member of the International Committee of Dutch Byzantine Studies in 1972.

Most recently, he worked as a researcher at the Netherlands Institute in Turkey (NIT) in Istanbul.

Between 1952 and 1958, Kiel worked as a stonemason and bricklayer in various restoration projects, nurturing his passion for fine arts and architecture through extensive reading. In 1959, he traveled to the Balkans.

Deciding to pursue higher education after the age of 30, Kiel learned Turkish, Serbian, and Bulgarian in addition to German, English, and French, later earning his doctorate at the University of Amsterdam.

Working at Utrecht, Durham, Harvard, Moscow, and Istanbul universities, Kiel researched Ottoman architecture in the Balkans from 1969 to 1990. He not only explored rural areas but also documented historic bazaars in Sarajevo, the atmosphere of Thessaloniki, countless monuments in Athens, the architecture of Skopje, and many other cities, capturing their richness through photographs.

In 1972, Kiel became a member of the International Committee of Dutch Byzantine Studies. Between 1979 and 1999, he conducted research in Ottoman archives in Istanbul, Ankara, and Sofia.

After completing his Ph.D. in 1983 on "Church Architecture and Wall Paintings in Bulgaria During the Ottoman Period," Kiel was awarded an honorary doctorate by Ege University in 1992.

Appointed as a full professor at Utrecht University in 1993, Kiel participated in numerous conferences related to his research.

Machiel Kiel gained international recognition for his academic and artistic contributions.

His studies recorded the transformations of Ottoman-era architectural works—including mosques, bazaars, dervish lodges, schools, caravanserais, baths, and bridges—from their construction to the present.

Kiel played a role in the reconstruction of many historical structures destroyed during the Bosnian War, including the iconic Stari Most (Old Bridge) in Mostar.

After retiring, he served as the director of the Netherlands Institute of Archaeology in Istanbul. He authored over 190 articles and 11 books on Ottoman architecture in the Balkans.

Kiel contributed 127 significant entries to  İslam Ansiklopedisi (the TDV Encyclopedia of Islam), covering cities and towns in Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Turkey, as well as three thematic topics, enriching the understanding of Ottoman history in the region.

İslami Araştırmalar Merkezi (The Center for Islamic Studies: İSAM) will soon publish a book dedicated to Machiel Kiel, featuring his contributions to the TDV Encyclopedia of Islam alongside related images from the Machiel Kiel Photo Archive.

Some of Machiel Kiel’s notable works: Art and Society of Bulgaria in the Turkish Period (1985) Ottoman Architecture in Albania: 1385–1912 (1990) Birgi: An Old Turkish Cultural Centre in Western Anatolia (2013) *Ost-Lokris in türkischer und neugriechischer Zeit (1460–1981)* (co-authored with Friedrich Sauerwein, 1994)