Why visit / Interesting facts:
- Charming waterfront area
- Mighty Bosphorus Bridge
Time required: 90 minutes
Public transport:
Address:
Photos: (see more photos)
Photo: Tayfun Sen
Things you need to know:
- Istanbul's Ortaköy district used to be a romantic fishing village. Today it is an affluent waterfront neighborhood located in the middle of Bosphorus' European bank
- The neighborhood was a cosmopolitan area both during the Byzantine and Ottoman era. Turks, Jews, Greeks and Americans lived here
- With many art galleries, night clubs, cafés, bars, and restaurants the district is hugely popular on weekends both among locals and tourists
- One of the oldest buildings of Ortaköy is the nearly 500-year old Turkish bath. It was built by Ottoman star architect Mimar Sinan in 1556
- The Ortaköy Mosque is a beautifully ornamented Neo-Baroque style mosque. It was built in the 18th c, but only received its current ornate look in the middle of 19th c.
- The Çırağan Palace was built in 1871 by Sultan Abdülaziz as his residence. Until a fire severely damaged the building in 1910 the palace served as the Ottoman Parliament. Today it is one of Istanbul's most luxurious hotels
- The once famous cosmopolitan population is gone. The riot of 1955 had a major impact when, after a bombing of a Turkish consulate in Greece, a Turkish mob assaulted the Greek minority of Ortaköy and killed over a dozen people
What to do there:
- Take a walk and explore this popular neighborhood
- On Sundays, shop for hats, hand-made jewelry and old books at the open-air market
- Do not miss the tiny Ortaköy Camii perched on a promontory over the Bosphorus
- Look out for the beautiful bell tower of Ayios Fokas Rum's (16 Muallim Haci Cad), a Greek Orthodox church previously central to the area's once-large Greek community
- If you have the time go on a boat tour that will take you around the Bosphorus area
Tips & Insights:
- It is a popular spot for locals and tourists alike, with its art galleries, night clubs, cafés, bars, and restaurants
- At night, the lights on the mighty Bosphorus Bridge change color, graceful without being kitsch