Many people would find it difficult to believe but thanks to the surrounding Belgrad Forest and Kemerburgaz, Eyüp is one of the greenest counties. If you ask people over 40 years old, Eyüp is not only famous with its mosques and mausoleums but also with toys, pots, Turkish creams, kebabs and Halkalı bagels. After Fatih has ordered the construction of a mosque for Eyüp Sultan, he settled the people who migrated from Bursa around the Eyüp Sultan mausoleum. After the mausoleum, mosque, medresa and cultivation has been added which made Eyüp Sultan one of the most important localities in Istanbul.
Such that, Evliya Çelebi talks about palaces, gardens, about a 1000 houses, 300 shops bazaar and 250 pottery ateliers in his writings. And today, you will be meeting one of the well-kept historical places of Istanbul.
FAMOUS PIERRE LOTI CAFE
Is located on the edges of Eyüp Sultan’s Greenland. The locality is also famous with Pier Loti Café which took its name from an Istanbul lover, French author whose real name was Louis Marie Julien Viaud and lived between 1850-1923. He was also a naval officer. Probably, almost everyone had been to the Romantic Pier Loti Café once in their lifetime and took a look at the view. You can see whole Haliç from Eyüp to Eminönü.
Loti nickname comes from a rose that grows in the Pacific Ocean. His job gives him the opportunity to travel to Middle East and Fareast, he comes to Istanbul too. Loti was impressed with the Ottoman culture and liked Istanbul to much that he came back many times. Some of his visits were for months. Loti has mentioned his love for Istanbul in his novels and as an answer to that love, his name was given to a street in Cağaloğlu and to a café which once was known as Rabia Kadın Café.
Pier Loti café is a peaceful place among trees with a view of Haliç, Galata and Sarayburnu. It is also know that a Monastery and a Greek Spring from Byzantine era is found in the area. It is also in the records that Eyüp Sultan is buried in the Greek Spring. You can easily notice the small islets while walking through the graves echeloned on both sides. The islets that are known as Bahariye Islands watches over the Haliç edges that were once fancied up with Ottoman houses and mansions. We must say that the telfer between Pierre Loti Café and Haliç is especially crowded during holidays.
If you follow the road down the café, you will be able to see thousands of people including famous and important ones who wanted to be neighbors with Eyüp Sultan in their last journey. On top of the hill you will be able to see Kar Yağdı Baba Dervish Lodge, and a little further down İdris-I Bitlisi Mosque. Eyüp Sultan Mosque and Ottoman complex is on one side of the marble road and Sultans gird with sword Empery road reached to Haliç edges.
PROTECTOR OF ISTANBUL
Historical Eyüp locality takes its name from Ebu Eyyub halid bin Zeyd el Ensari (shortly Eyüp Sultan). His importance comes from being the flag-bearer of Prophet Muhammed and owner of the house which he rested during his trip to Medine. After the death of Prophet, Eyüp Sultan has joined the siege to Istanbul with Emevis and died in 672 near the city walls which in a way mean that he somehow helped the invasion of Istanbul 800 years after: Fatih has sieges İstanbul but cannot conquer it. Army’s morale is decreasing. One night, Grand Vizier Akşemsettin sees Ebu Eyyub in his dream and tells the soldiers to dig the spot he shows. They find a marble plate and from the plate they understand that the spot they dig is the grave of Ebu Eyyub. The morale of the soldiers increase and it is in the records that following the finding they started fighting better. After the conquest, Fatih Sultan Mehmet ordered to construct a mosque and mausoleum under his name. From this day on he would be known as the protector of Istanbul and gain the saint title together with the name Eyüp Sultan.
4th BIGGEST ISLAMIC VISIT AREA
Mosque was completed in 1458 as the first mosque of Istanbul. The mosque that you see now was built in 1798-1800. The one that was built by Fatih had a medresa with 16 rooms. It collapsed during the 1766 earthquake and was rebuilt. Medresas were included in the mosque with the new plan. Many valuables items can be found in the mausoleum. The most important of all is the foot print of Prophet Muhammed which then was brought to Topkapı Palace. Sancak-ı Şerif was kept in mausoleum until 1703 but then transferred to Topkapı palace to protect it from rebels. Interior walls of the mausoleum are covered with priceless 16th century ceramics.
Eyüp Sultan Mosque and mausoleum are located on two sides of the court. In the middle where believed to be Eyüp Sultan’s first burial place, you can see fountains called “Kismet Fountains”. On top of the guardrails of mausoleum, there are Dervish Coins in honour of Selim the 3rd who rebuilt this area. After Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem, Eyüp Sultan is considered to be the 4th most important area of Islamic visits.
EMPERY ROAD
Since the Fatih era, many royals from the Ottoman family have been buried around the Eyüp Sultan Mosque. Even though only Sultan Reşat has a mausoleum here, all Ottoman sultans have been through the marbled road with celebrations to become the emperor. The road was called “Enthronement Road”. New Sultan would come to Eyüp by sea and would return to the palace passing through Edirnekapı to Divanyolu with cheers. This road that is followed by the Sultan links to Eyüp Sultan by a legend. Based on a story, Eyüp Sultan made a siege to Istanbul and in order to end the siege he got permission from the Byzantine Emperor to pray in Hagia Sophia and during his visit he passed through this road on his way back.
If you are going to visit mausoleums around Eyüp Sultan, we advise you to either get a booklet or a tour guide. Nearly 100’s of mausoleums and streets are breath taking. We will give you the names of several; If you are coming from Haliç direction, before you enter the empery road, one of the vaulted buildings is Sultan Reşat mausoleum and the other one is the school that was built by him. Both were constructed by famous architect Kemaleddin.
The closest mausoleum to Eyüp Sultan Mosque is Mihrişah Valide Sultan Complex who is the mother of 3rd Selim. Mausoleum was built during 18th century with baroque style. It has 12 surfaces and the marble work is much better than many European monuments. On the same line, there is a hospice which is still serving to Istanbul residents. In the garden of hospice, there is Tunuslu Hayrettin Pasha Mausoleum and in front another mausoleum coming from the Eqyptian Empire. Baroque-rococo style public fountain was built in 1795.
DERVISH LODGES, MAUSOLEUMS, COMPLEXES
One other important mausoleum of Empery Road is Adile Sultan. 19th century baroque style mausoleum has an interesting architecture with house like look. All roads around Eyüp Sultan Mosque are covered with dervish lodges, mausoleums and complexes. Small complex on Camiikebir Street was built by Mimar Sinan with an order from one of the most important Ottoman viziers Sokullu Mehmet Pasha and must be seen.
If you have time; Cafer Pasha Medresa who is Sokullu’s son in law, Kalenderhane Lodge, Ferhad Pasha Mausoleum with the best outlook, Şekerpare Mausoleum who was Deli İbrahim’s wife but then relegated to Sudan, Kaptan Pasha Mosque, Mirmiran Mehmed Ağa Mausoleum whose head was chopped off as a result of cheating with coins, Siyavuş Pasha Mausoleum, Ebu Suud Efendi School, Kızıl Mosque, Zal Mahmut Pasha and Şah Sultan complexes, Pertevniyal Valide Sultan fountain are waiting for you to see. Baba Haydar Mosque which was built by Bektaşi. He was given permission by Kanuni due to his dream analyst skills.
On the shore you can see Feshane which was built in substitution for Esma Sultan Residence and on the opposite Eyüp Municipality building. Take a look at the Defterdar Mahmud Efendi Mosque on your way to the 3rd Haliç Bridge. Mimar Sinan placed an oka and quill pen on top of the tower as a gesture to the head. But in time, only oka was left. We had great time travelling through Eyüp Streets. If you have never been there or planning to be there, don’t wait; Eyüp will surprise you as it surprised us.
Fest Travel: (212) 216 10 36
Written by: Evin Doğu
In Istanbul
www.istanbul.com/inistanbul
