Religious, Spiritual sights in Istanbul
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A
Neve Shalom Synagogue
During the 19th century, Galata had a large Sephardic Jewish population and a number of synagogues. Most of this community has now moved to other residential areas in the city, but the synagogues remain. Tragically, this building (which dates from the 1930s) seems to have become a target for anti-Jewish extremists and it has suffered three attacks in recent decades – a brutal massacre by Arab gunmen during the summer of 1986, a bomb attack in 1992 and a 2003 car-bomb attack carried out by a motley group of Turkish Muslims inspired by Osama bin Laden. In a tragic irony, the name Neve Shalom means Oasis or Valley of Peace. To visit, fax a request including your name,…
reviewed
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B
Mosque of Rüstem Paşa
Plonked in the middle of the busy Tahtakale district, this little-visited mosque is a gem. Built in 1560 by Sinan for Rüstem Paşa, son-in-law and grand vizier of Süleyman the Magnificent, it is a showpiece of the best Ottoman architecture and tilework, albeit on a small scale. It is thought to have been the prototype for Sinan’s greatest work, the Selimiye in Edirne. At the top of the two sets of entry steps there is a terrace and the mosque’s colonnaded porch. You’ll notice at once the panels of İznik faïence set into the mosque’s facade. The interior is covered in similarly gorgeous tiles and features a lovely dome, supported by four tiled pillars. The preponderance of…
reviewed
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Fatih Camii Off
The Fatih was the first great imperial mosque built in İstanbul following the Conquest. For its location Mehmet the Conqueror chose the hilltop site of the ruined Church of the Apostles, burial place of Constantine and other Byzantine emperors. The mosque complex, finished in 1470, was enormous; set in extensive grounds, it included in its külliye 15 charitable establishments such as religious schools, a hospice for travellers and a caravanserai.
Unfortunately, the mosque you see today is not the one Mehmet built. The original stood for nearly 300 years before toppling in an earthquake in 1766. Though rebuilt, it was destroyed by fire in 1782. The present mosque dates…
reviewed
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C
Ahrida Synagogue
Sephardic Jews, driven from Spain by the judges of the Inquisition, found refuge in the Ottoman Empire in the late 15th and early 16th centuries and many settled in this quarter of the city. Some of their descendants still live here and speak the native Spanish dialect of Ladino. Like all other religious ‘nations’ within the empire, the Jewish community was governed by its supreme religious leader, the Chief Rabbi, who oversaw its adherence to religious law and who was responsible to the sultan for the community’s good conduct. Today, you’ll need to contact the current Chief Rabbinate of Turkey at least 24 hours in advance if you wish to visit this synagogue,…
reviewed
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D
Church of SS Peter & Paul
Tucked away in one of the steep streets below Galata Tower you’ll find the small grey-and-white doorway to the courtyard of the Church of SS Peter and Paul. A Dominican church originally stood on this site, but the building you see today dates from the mid-19th century. It’s the work of the Fossati brothers who also designed the Dutch and Russian consulate buildings (both in Beyoğlu). Like many other Latin churches in the city, its courtyard design reflects the Ottoman ruling that Latin churches could not be built directly fronting onto a road or on top of a hill (the Church of St Mary Draperis on İstiklal Caddesi is another example of this). The church backs onto a…
reviewed
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E
Azapkapi Sokollu Mehmet Paşa Camii
This pretty mosque, designed by Sinan and built in 1577, is unusual in that it and the minaret are raised on a platform. Like Sinan's Rüstem Paşa Camii over the Golden Horn (also on a raised platform), it was commissioned by Sokollu Mehmet Paşa, a grand vizier of Süleyman the Magnificent. Today it's overshadowed by the approach to Atatürk Bridge and seems to almost shrink back from the traffic mayhem of Tersane Caddesi.
Still, it's well worth a visit, particularly for its fine marble mihrab and mimber. Look for the attendant if the mosque is locked; a tip is expected. Don't miss the nearby rococo fountain (sebil) built by Saliha Valide Hatun, mother of Mahmut I.
reviewed