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Eyüp is a district of Istanbul that stretches from just west of the old city walls from the Golden Horn up to the Black Sea.
Introduction to Eyüp
Eyüp was the site of a 5th century Byzantine monastery dedicated to Saints Cosmas and Damian. By the early 10th century, a settlement known as Kosmidion (Κοσμίδιον) sprung up around the monastery.
Kosmidion witnessed battles between Byzantine forces and Latin crusaders in July 1203; Catalan mercenaries capturing the monastery and fortifying it to use against the Geneose colony of Galata in 1303; and a fight between Musa Çelebi and Süleyman Çelebi during the Ottoman Interregnum in 1410.
After the Fall of Constantinople in 1453, the area was renamed Eyüp after Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad who died during the First Arab Siege of Constantinople from 674 to 678. Christians were forbidden from living in the area beginning in 1581.
Today, Eyüp contains an important Muslim shrine and mosque drawing pilgrims from all over the world. It’s also the burial place of many important Ottoman figures and where you can find Pierre Loti Hill.
Getting to Eyüp
You can reach Eyüp by bus, ferry, or the T5 tram. The tram has stops at Feshane and Eyüpsultan Teleferik, with both being about the same distance to the center of the neighborhood. The Feshane stop, however, is closer to Nişanca. The Eyüp ferry terminal on the Golden Horn is also a short walk to the center.
Kaptan Pasha Mosque
If you’re arriving by ferry or getting off the tram at the Feshane stop, the first structure you’ll see is the small Kaptan Pasha Mosque (Kaptan Paşa Camii), which is located in a park across from the ferry terminal. It was built in 1577 by Hacı Mahmud Ağa. It was renovated in 1819 by Cevri Usta and again in 1900 by Bozcaadalı Hasan Hüsnü Pasha (1832-1903), the Minister of the Ottoman Navy for whom it’s named.
Cami Kebir Street
From the mosque, it’s a block inland to Cami Kebir Street, which leads to Eyüp Sultan Square. The street is lined with shops selling all kinds of souvenirs and other goods.
Tomb of Ferhad Pasha
At the east end of Cami Kebir Street is the tomb of Ferhad Pasha (Ferhad Paşa Türbesi). It was built in 1595 for Serdar Ferhad Pasha (d. 1595), who served as Grand Vizier once under Sultan Murad III and once under Sultan Mehmed III. He was of Albanian origin. The tomb contains 16 sarcophagi.
Tomb of Sokollu Mehmed Pasha
At the west end of Cami Kebir Street are two more tombs. First, to the left is the tomb of Sokollu Mehmed Pasha (Sokollu Mehmed Paşa Türbesi). It was built in 1569 by architect Mimar Sinan (1490-1588). It’s attached to a madrasa directly across from the tomb by a common courtyard, and the two buildings share the same eaves. The tomb is typically open Wednesday to Sunday from 9:30am to 4:30pm.
Sokollu Mehmed Pasha (1506-1579) served as Grand Vizier for over 14 consecutive years under Sultans Süleyman the Magnificent, Selim II, and Murad III, until he was assassinated at Topkapi Palace on October 11, 1579. He was born in Herzegovina to a Serbian Orthodox Christian family, was captured as a young boy, and brought up in the devşirme system. Mosques carrying his name can be found in Kadırga, Azapkapı, and Büyükçekmece. Other burials in his tomb include some of his children.
Tomb of Siyavuş Pasha
Across the street is the tomb of Siyavuş Pasha (Siyavus Paşa Türbesi), which was built between 1582 and 1584 by Mimar Sinan. It’s typically open Wednesday to Sunday from 9:30am to 4:30pm.
Siyavuş Pasha (d. 1602) was married to the daughter of Sultan Selim II and served as Grand Vizier three times under Murad III. He was either Hungarian or Croatian and was brought up in the devşirme system. There are 11 others buried inside his tomb, including his children.
The grounds of the tomb contains a small Ottoman cemetery as well as the tomb of Üryanizade Ahmed Esad Efendi (1813-1889). He was a Shaykh al-Islam (Şeyhülislam) under Sultan Abdülhamid II. The tomb was built by Italian-Swiss architect Giuseppe Fossati (1822-1891).
Eyüp Sultan Square
Cami Kebir Street opens up to Eyüp Sultan Square (Eyüp Sultan Meydanı), which contains a beautiful fountain in the center. The gates to the Eyüp Sultan Mosque complex are on the north side of the square.
Saçlı Abdülkadir Mosque
On the south side of the square is the Saçlı Abdülkadir Mosque (Saçlı Abdülkadir Camii). It was built between 1585 and 1590 by Hoca Sadeddin Efendi (1537-1599), an Ottoman scholar and Shaykh al-Islam under Sultan Murad III. The mosque doesn’t have a minaret, and there are several tombs on the property.
Eyüp Sultan Mosque
The Eyüp Sultan Mosque (Eyüp Sultan Camii) is the most important structure in Eyüp. It’s considered by many to be the fourth holiest site in Islam as it contains the tomb of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari. It also served as the traditional coronation site of Ottoman sultans. The new sultan would be girded with the Sword of Osman before continuing on a procession to Topkapi Palace.
The first mosque was built on the site between 1458 and 1459 by Mehmed the Conqueror after the tomb was discovered. The complex contained a hamam, soup kitchen, and madrasa, of which only the hamam has survived to this day.
The mosque was in ruins by the end of the 18th century, and Sultan Selim III ordered it to be torn down and rebuilt. The current mosque complex was built between 1798 and 1800 and contains fine Iznik tiles, crystal chandeliers, and a mixture of architectural styles. The minarets date back to 1733, but the one on the Golden Horn side was rebuilt in 1823 by Sultan Mahmud II after it was damaged by lightning.
Outer Courtyard of the Eyüp Sultan Mosque
There are three gates to the mosque complex. Gates A and B are both on Eyüp Sultan Square. Gate B is the entrance while Gate A is the exit. From the inner courtyard, you’ll find Gate C, which exits to the Cülus Yolu.
Through Gate B is the outer courtyard, which contains an ablutions fountain (şadırvan) and an elevated corridor. Visitors and pilgrims can enter both the inner courtyard and the tomb of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari from the courtyard.
Tomb of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari
The tomb of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, the standard-bearer and companion of the Prophet Muhammad, is the most important part of the complex. He died of dysentery sometime between 674 and 678 during the First Arab Siege of Constantinople.
After visitors remove their shoes, there’s a short corridor decorated with Kütahya tiles. It leads to the burial chamber. The tomb was built of cut limestone. It has an octagonal plan with a dome. The interior of the tomb is decorated with Kütahya tiles and calligraphy by Mustafa Rakım Efendi and Sultan Mahmud II. The sarcophagus of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari is covered in silver.
Also buried in the tomb is Nişancı Mir Ahmed Pasha. He lived during the reign of Mehmed the Conqueror and Bayezid II. I couldn’t find any relevant information about him.
Inner Courtyard of the Eyüp Sultan Mosque
The inner courtyard contains a large plane tree in the center. It’s fenced in and there are fountains on each of the four corners of the fence.
The portico of the mosque sits on the south side of the courtyard while the tomb of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari is on the north side. From the inner courtyard you can admire the colorful tiles on the outer wall of the tomb.
Prayer Hall of the Eyüp Sultan Mosque
The entrance to the Eyüp Sultan Mosque is under the portico. The prayer hall contains a marble minbar. There are galleries on three sides. It’s topped by a single dome resting on half domes. The dome is 17.5 meters in diameter.
Cülus Yolu
Gate C of the Eyüp Sultan Mosque exits from the inner courtyard to the Cülus Yolu (Accession Road). After being girded with the Sword of Osman, the newly crowned sultans would start their procession to Topkapi Palace down this road. Today, the Cülus Yolu contains a few important structures and tombs.
Tomb of Lala Mustafa Pasha
Just before the exit is the tomb of Lala Mustafa Pasha (1500-1580), which was designed by Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan (1490-1588). Lala Mustafa Pasha was a Grand Vizier under Sultan Murad III for the final three months of his life.
Tomb of Mihrişah Sultan
Opposite the gate is the tomb of Mihrişah Sultan (Mihrişah Sultan Türbesi). It was part of a complex built between 1792 and 1796, containing the tomb, a fountain, soup kitchen, and primary school. Mihrişah Sultan (1745-1805) was the chief consort of Sultan Mustafa III and the mother of Sultan Selim III. There are five sarcophagi in the tomb. The complex was under restoration during my last visit in October 2018.
Hüsrev Pasha Library
Further along the Cülus Yolu is the Hüsrev Pasha Library (Hüsrev Paşa Kütüphanesi). It was built in 1839 by Hüsrev Pasha (1769-1855), a Grand Vizier under Sultan Abdülmecid I and the man instrumental in bringing the fez to the Ottoman Empire. The library contained over 1,000 works, which are now located at the Süleymaniye Library at the Süleymaniye Mosque Complex. The building was in disrepair by 1985 and abandoned. It was restored in 1990. The tomb of Hüsrev Pasha is directly across the street.
Tomb of Adile Sultan
East of the tomb of Hüsrev Paşa is the tomb of Adile Sultan (Adile Sultan Türbesi). Adile Sultan (1826-1899) was a poet, a daughter of Sultan Mahmud II, and a sister of Sultans Abdülmecid I and Abdülaziz. The tomb was actually built in 1868 for her husband, Mehmed Ali Pasha (1813-1868), a Grand Vizier under Sultan Abdülmecid I.
Also buried in the tomb are Adile Sultan’s daughters Sıdıka, Aliye, and Hayriye; her son Ismail Bey; Resan Hanım (1860-1910), the wife of Sultan Murad V; and Fatma Sultan (1879-1932) and Aliye Sultan (1880-1903), the daughters of Murad V and Resan Hanım.
Tomb of Halil Rifat Pasha
West of the tomb of Hüsrev Pasha is the tomb of Halil Rifat Pasha (Halil Rifat Paşa Türbesi). Halil Rifat Pasha (1820-1901) was a Grand Vizier under Sultan Abdülhamid II.
Beybaba Street
From the Cülus Yolu, if you walk down Beybaba Street, there are a few more elegant Ottoman tombs. They weren’t marked and I could only find information on one of them.
Tomb of Hasan Hüsnü Pasha
The only tomb I could identify belongs to Bozcaadalı Hasan Hüsnü Pasha (1832-1903). He served as the Minister of the Ottoman Navy twice during the reign of Sultan Abdülhamid II. The tomb was built in 1904 and consists of two rooms. The façade is covered with white marble and each room has a large window with an iron grate facing the street. The room to the right contains the sarcophagi of Hasan Hüsnü Pasha and his relative, Admiral Mehmet Rüştü Pasha. The room to the left contains six sarcophagi, including Hasan Hüsnü Pasha’s wife and children. The tomb is closed to visitors.
Tomb of Sultan Mehmed V
The tomb of Mehmed V (V. Mehmed Türbesi) faces the road along the Golden Horn south of the Cülus Yolu. This beautiful structure used to be right on the wharf next to the Golden Horn, but a road was built in front in 1986.
The domed tomb was built in 1914 by architect Mimar Kemaleddin (1870-1927) and was commissioned by the Sultan himself. It’s on an octagonal plan and covered in marble. There are a total of 21 windows, with 14 smaller windows on the upper half and 7 larger windows on the lower half. The interior is lavishly decorated with tiles and colorful paintings. Buried alongside the Sultan are his son, Mahmud Necmeddin (1878-1913), and first wife, Kamures Kadın (1855-1921). A cemetery behind the tomb contains the graves of several descendants.
Biography of Mehmed V
Mehmed V Reşad (b. 1844, Constantinople – d. 1918, Constantinople) was the 35th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (r. 1909-1918). He had no political power because of the Young Turk Revolution in 1908. The Ottoman Empire lost all of its territory in North Africa and Europe during his reign. He preferred to stay out of World War I but declared war on the Allies on November 14, 1914. Mehmed V was the last sultan to die with the Ottoman Empire intact.
Nişanca
Nişanca is a neighborhood in the Eyüp district between central Eyüp and the old city walls of Constantinople. It contains a few historic mosques and buildings and doesn’t see too many visitors. You can access it by walking south from the T5 tram stop at Feshane.
Feshane
First, on the main road running along the Golden Horn through Nişanca is Feshane. It was built in 1839 by Sultan Abdülmecid I to supply uniforms for the Ottoman Army. The need for the factory dates back to 1826, when Sultan Mahmud II abolished the Janissary corps and modernized military uniforms. He also banned the turban and adopted the fez as the official headgear of the Ottoman Empire.
Later on, the Ottoman Army began purchasing their uniforms from Austria but demand for the fez was still high. It was worn by nearly every member of high society, including both Muslims and non-Muslims. The building began producing the fez exclusively until it was banned in 1925 after the foundation of the Turkish Republic.
Feshane was transformed into a museum of handicrafts in 1992, but became unusable a few years later when water entered the building from the Golden Horn. Restoration began in 1998 and it now serves as an international fair and congress center. The building holds meetings, seminars, exhibitions, galas, concerts, and cultural events.
Zal Mahmud Pasha Mosque
A block west of Feshane on Zalpaşa Street is the Zal Mahmud Pasha Mosque (Zal Mahmud Paşa Camii). It was designed by Mimar Sinan (1490-1588) and built between 1577 and 1590. Restorations took place between 1955 and 1963 and again between 2012 and 2015.
The mosque was endowed by Zal Mahmud Pasha and Şah Sultan, who both died of an illness on November 3, 1577. Zal Mahmud Pasha was a vizier under Süleyman the Magnificent while Şah Sultan (1544-1577) was the daughter of Sultan Selim II.
The mosque complex includes a madrasa, fountain, and the tomb of Zal Mahmud Pasha. The madrasa surrounds the courtyard while another attached madrasa runs towards the Golden Horn. The tomb of Zal Mahmud Pasha sits behind the mosque in a cemetery to the east.
The prayer hall contains aisles on each side, supported by four columns. There’s a single main dome and the mihrab is surrounded by Iznik tiles. Windows let in plenty of natural light to admire the mosque’s beauty.
Selahi Mehmed Efendi Mosque
Directly across the street from the Zal Mahmud Pasha Mosque is the small Selahi Mehmed Efendi Mosque (Selahi Mehmed Efendi Camii). The construction date is unknown, and it has a hexagonal minaret that’s only seen at a few mosques in Istanbul.
Tomb of Nakkaş Hasan Pasha
Just north of the two mosques is the tomb of Nakkaş Hasan Pasha (Nakkaş Hasan Paşa Türbesi). Nakkaş Hasan Pasha (d. 1621) was a vizier under Sultan Osman II. The tomb was designed by Dalgıç Ahmed Ağa (d. 1608) and contains 12 burials.
Cezr-i Kasım Pasha Mosque
A short walk south of the two mosques is the Cezr-i Kasım Pasha Mosque (Cezr-i Kasım Paşa Camii). It was built in 1515 by Cezeri Kasım Pasha, a vizier under Sultan Selim I. It’s a small mosque with four columns supporting the front porch.
Defterdar Mosque
Finally, a short walk south of Feshane is the Defterdar Mosque (Defterdar Camii). It was built in 1541 by Defterdar Nazlı Mahmud Efendi (1500-1552), a calligrapher and bookkeeper under Süleyman the Magnificent. The architect was Mimar Sinan.
The mosque was once topped by a dome, but it suffered damage in a 1768 earthquake and has since been replaced with a flat roof. The roof has an ink pot and pen on top rather than a crescent, indicating the profession of its builder. The tomb of Mahmud Efendi is next to the mosque.
