Istanbul’s Top Sights - Istanbul - page 316

SIGHTS
Departure Point: Eminönü
These ferries start in Üsküdar on the Asian side before taking on most of their passengers at
the Haliç İskelesi (Golden Horn Ferry Dock) on the western side of the Galata Bridge at
Eminönü. The ferry dock is behind a car park next to the Storks building. The ferry then
passes underneath the Atatürk Bridge and stops at Kasımpaşa on the opposite side of the
Golden Horn. This area is where the Ottoman imperial naval yards were located, and some
of the original building stock is still evident.
Kasımpaşa to Hasköy
As the ferry makes its way to the next stop, Hasköy, you can see the fascinating Western
District suburbs of Fener and Balat on the western (left) shore. Both are covered in detail in
the Western Districts section of this topic ( CLICK HERE ).
Fener is the traditional home of the city's Greek population, and although few Greeks
are resident these days, a number of important Greek Orthodox sites remain. The promin-
ent red-brick building on the hill is the Greek Lycée of the Fener OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(Megali School or Great School), the oldest house of learning in İstanbul. The school has
been housed in Fener since before the Conquest - the present building dates from 1881.
Sadly it currently has a total enrolment of only 50 students.
The Gothic Revival church building you can see in the waterside park is the Church of St
Stephen of the Bulgars ( CLICK HERE ).
The next suburb, Balat , was once home to a large proportion of İstanbul's Jewish popu-
lation but is now crowded with migrants from the east of the country.
Passing the derelict remains of the original Galata Bridge on its way, the ferry then docks
at Hasköy. In the Ottoman period, this part of the city was home to a naval shipyard and a
sultan's hunting ground. Today, it has two sights of interest to visitors, the Rahmi M Koç
Museum ( CLICK HERE ), which is located directly to the left of the ferry stop (Hasköy
İskelesi); and Aynalıkavak Kasrı OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP ( www.millisaraylar.gov.tr ;
Kasımpaşa-Hasköy Caddesi, Hasköy; admission 5; 9am-4pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun) , a short walk
away. This ornate 18th-century imperial hunting pavilion is set in extensive grounds and
now houses a collection of historic musical instruments. To get there, walk southeast (right)
along Hasköy Caddesi, veer left into Aynalıkavak Caddesi and then right into Kasimpaşa-
Hasköy Caddesi.