Solo Travel in Istanbul Part 1 - Fatih and Balat Streets

Hello my friends. Back in Istanbul again. Honestly missed this city like crazy. This time, I am traveling completely solo. If everything goes according to plan, I want to stay in Turkey for a longer period first enjoying Istanbul and then heading down to the southern coasts. Istanbul’s old airport Sabiha Gökçen, is on the Asian side. The new one is on the European side and it is really massive. Both of them are accessible by metro. You will require an Istanbulkart, which costs approximately 165 lira, a little more than 3 euros. I’ve already visited Hagia Sophia and Istiklal, so I’ll keep it short this time. And I wished to explore various places. First on my itinerary were the Fener and Balat neighborhoods. I visited magnificent mosques and churches that tourists hardly ever frequent, walked along the coast and crossed over to the Asian side of Istanbul, climbed up to one of Turkey's most extraordinary mosques to enjoy the stunning view and the legacy of the Magnificent century. I want to talk about all of these in this post series.

I’ve noticed that the main conversation about Istanbul is regarding its name. The city locasted on the Bosphorus was founded in the sixth century BCE. Originally called Byzantion, it was renamed New Rome when Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire to this place. There is a rather funny bit of confusion here. Officially the city's name has been New Rome ever since. But this name wasn't immediately adopted. The people preferred to call it Constantinople (The City of Constantine) in honor of the emperor. Different parts of the world began giving the city different names. The city only became the official name in 1930. That’s less than a century ago.

I needed to go below ground to visit the Basilica cistern to see maybe the most remarkable ancient legacy of Istanbul. This is among the largest water reservoirs in the city. Yet it genuinely feels as if you're wabdering through a palace. Construction started under Constantine I and finished in 532. The columns support the ceiling, with many of them sourced from ancient temples. Ancient Romans were quite fixated on having clean water. The Valens Aqueduct was built later, bridging two hills to pipe fresh water straight into the cistern. Water reached the city through lead pipes running over the aqueduct. Remarkably this system functioned until the mid-nineteenth century.

Moving east from that location instead of heading to the city center, I discovered two very delightful neighborhoods. I arrived at Fevzi Paşa avenue, one of the city's main lifelines. I hopped off the bus after just three stops and no joke, I saw literally hundreds of wedding shops. The fact is, Istanbul is number one in Europe for the number of weddings and second in the world only to Las Vegas. And it is a tradition in Turkey to celebrate weddings very grandly. Perhaps the union of Asia and Europe is like the union of a man and a woman... I'm not sure. To be honest, having a wedding in Istanbul never crossed my mind 😊

I began exploring the Fatih district. Two neighborhoods interested me here. Balat, the traditional Jewish quarter and Fener, where the Greek heritage is deeply felt. Twenty years ago there were hardly any tourists here, although it must be acknowledged that the streets appeared somewhat different at that time. As Istanbul became increasingly congested, tourists slowly started to discover not only the central districts but also the surrounding regions. These colorful houses and wooden facades immediately caught their eye of course. In response locals decided to repaint some areas, refresh the sidings and open very cozy cafes and restaurants. This created a very interesting atmosphere where tradition is preserved on one hand, while charming tourist spots exist on the other.

It’s not like Sultanahmet and it’s certainly nothing like Taksim. Balat and Fener are neighborhoods of contrast today. You can find yourself on a street eye-catching with its colors and facades, yet walk just 300–400 meters in any direction and find yourself among locals rather than tourists, surrounded by a different architectural style. Moreover unlike the city center, you frequently see women in traditional Muslim attire here. It really feels like you’ve dropped into another city. Walking through the streets of Fener, you eventually end up at the massive brick building rising on the hill. Let’s be real, you can’t just walk past a building like this. This is the Phanar Greek Orthodox College. The oldest and most prestigious Greek Orthodox school in Istanbul. It was established in the mid-fiftinth c. and for centuries educated the children of the wealthiest Orthodox families. Many Ottoman ministers, as well as the Princes of Wallachia and Moldavia appointed by the Ottoman government, were educated here. The current building was constructed in the 1880s, funded by Georgios Zarifis, a Greek philanthropist and the personal banker to the Sultan.

There are three very important sanctuaries in this area - the Fethiye Mosque, St. George’s Cathedral and the Bulgarian Sveti Stefan Church. In a way one story connects them all. After the fall of Constantinople, the first Fatih Mosque was built, becoming the first major building in the Ottoman imperial style.The complex consisted of a group of buildings originally: a madrasa, library, hospital, soup kitchen, caravanserai, market, bathhouse and primary school. It is an active mosque today, so entry is free. It was built on the ocation of the Church of the Holy Apostles, which used to be the primary Orthodox holy site in Constantinople. The historical Pammakaristos Monastery, the former seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, was eventually converted into a mosque. From what I saw, construction is still taking place and the site is fenced off, making photography or entry unfeasible.

For over 400 years, St. George’s cathedral has served as the home of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. It looks more like a fortified wall or a protective structure than a cathedral from the exterior. However, upon viewing the primary facade, it all becomes clear. It is a very impressive, beautiful Orthodox cathedral. Starting from the fifteenth c., noble Greek families began settling in this area to be as close to the church as possible. It became the center of the Orthodox community in the Ottoman Empire over time. This continued for many centuries until the mid-twentieth century, when at least fifty percent of te population left their homes. Currently in Fener, we can see many of those old, dilapidated buildings.

Coming here helps one realize that Constantinople and the Ottoman Empire in general, practiced more religious tolerance than many other states. In Istanbul very close to the Taksim metro, you can see the Hagia Triada Church. Or on Istiklal Avenue, the most central street, stands the largest Catholic church. Then there’s St. George’s Cathedral, St. Stephen’s Church... and these are just in the city center. It is a massive difference compared to many cities. Yet, non Muslims encountered specific restrictions: they had to pay a particular tax, were generally prohibited from building new temples without infrequent official consent and were not permitted to publicly display their religious customs. In spite of these limitations, they were able to attend churches, their private property was honored, they could engage in trade and they experienced a sense of relative freedom

A beautiful example is the Sveti Stefan Church. The Bulgarians were originally subordinate to the Patriarch of Constantinople. With the rise of national movements in the 1nineteenth century, they felt the need to establish their own church. At first a modest structure was built, becoming a center for their national movement.

Once it was destroyed by fire, the present church was constructed in the late nineteenth century. On the outside, it appears to be a charming structure, yet nothing appears remarkable at first sight. But this is one of the very rare examples in the world of a church made entirely of iron. There are only two or three such examples on the entire planet. It was built completely of cast iron. The decision to use metal wasn't just due to a fear of fire. During the design phase, it was discovered that the ground beneath it was very unstable and a traditional foundation might not hold. So, they chose metal. For more than a century, this church has remained on its metal foundation. I must confess that, as I got closer, I was happily amazed since it looks really beautiful. It’s significant that the temple was a collaborative project involving several nations: the architect was Hovsep Aznavur, an Armenian. The metal components were produced in Austria and the six bells were created in Russia. It looks beautiful today because it was recently restored.

That is everything I need to share with you for today, my friends. I will keep sharing my thoughts about Istanbul with you. See you again very soon.