Abstract: The cypress tree holds profound layers of spiritual and cultural significance within Istanbul’s cemeteries and Ottoman culture at large. It was densely planted across the city’s burial grounds and frequently appeared as an artistic motif in Ottoman literature, visual arts, crafts, and decoration. While the Byzantines, Istanbul’s former inhabitants, incorporated cypress trees into their burial grounds, the Ottomans’ devoted adoption of the cypress gradually transformed it into a distinct visual icon. This article suggests that beyond its botanical suitability for cemeteries, the cypress’s towering form punctuated the city’s skyline, echoing the grandeur of Ottoman architectural elements like minarets. Through this verticality, the cypress became a primary visual indicator of cemeteries, both in the city’s skyline and cartographic representations. The article explores the multifaceted uses and meanings of the cypress in cemeteries, local folklore, and artistic and literary production, demonstrating how it emerged as a powerful emblem within Istanbul’s urban skyline. The analysis is structured around two interrelated themes: the cypress as a representation of the human being—body and soul—and the cypress as an architectural element. These themes ultimately converge in an integrated interpretation of the tree’s urban role in Istanbul: the cypress as an architectural marker in the skyline, symbolizing human life as an enduring presence that transcends death.
F. İkbal Sezen Polat (Thu,) studied this question.