Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(Street of the Dervis' Son). On your left is the
Emir Buhari Tekkesi
, a dervish lodge built in
1513.
Opposite the
tekke
are the remains of the vast
Anemas Zindanları
(Anemas Dungeons), once
part of the Blachernae Palace built by the Emperor Anastasius (491-518). A number of deposed em-
perors were imprisoned, tortured and even murdered in this prison.
The diminutive
İvaz Efendi Mosque
further up the hill was built in the shadow of the walls in
the 1580s. Its
mihrab
(niche facing Mecca) is decorated with fine İznik tiles.
Continue following the walls until you reach the ruins of the Byzantine
Palace of Constantine
Porphyrogenitus
on the corner of Sişhane and Hoca Çakır Caddesis. Then veer left into Vaiz Sokak
and Kariye Camii Sokak to arrive at the mosaic-adorned
Kariye Museum
. The cafe opposite is
a lovely spot for a glass of tea.
Backtrack to Hoca Çakır Caddesi. This stretch of the walls has been restored, so you can climb up
and enjoy a magnificent view. Continue uphill to busy Fevzi Paşa Caddesi and cross the road to
reach the Edirnekapı (Edirne Gate), built on the summit of the city's sixth hill. Nearby is the lovely
Mihrimah Sultan Mosque
.
From here you will be you will be able to view the monumental progress of the walls towards Top-
kapı Gate, which was famously breached by the Ottomans during the seige of 1453. If you have time
(and sturdy shoes), it's possible to continue walking from Edirnekapı past the gate all the way to the
ruins of the Marble Tower on the shore of the Sea of Marmara, part of an imperial sea pavilion in
Byzantine times. This will add about three hours to your walk.
| CAFE
PIERRE LOTI CAFÉ
(Gümüşsuyu Balmumcu Sokak 1, Eyüp; 8am-midnight; Eyüp)
Many visitors head to this hill-
top cafe after visiting the Eyüp Sultan Mosque 10). Named for the famous French novelist
who is said to have come here for inspiration, it offers lovely views across the Golden
Horn and is a popular weekend destination for locals, who relax over tea, coffee, ice
cream and nargiles.
To find the cafe, walk out of the mosque's main gate and turn right. Walk around the
complex (keeping it to your right) until you see a set of stairs and a cobbled path going
uphill into the Eyüp Sultan Mezarlığı (Cemetery of the Great Eyüp), where many import-
ant Ottomans are buried. It's a 15-minute walk up the steep hill. Alternatively, take the
cable car that links the waterfront with the top of the hill.
