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Kadıköy is a neighborhood of the eponymous district on the Asian side of Istanbul. It surrounds one of the city’s busiest transportation hubs.
Introduction to Kadıköy
Kadıköy was originally settled by the ancient Greeks as Chalcedon (Χαλκηδώνα) in 685 BC, almost 20 years before Byzantium (Constantinople). It played a very important role in ecclesiastical history as the location of the Fourth Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon in 451, where the human and divine nature of Jesus Christ was defined. The city later fell into obscurity as the importance of Constantinople grew.
Unfortunately nothing remains of ancient Chalcedon. Nowadays, the area is filled with modern apartment buildings and a few Ottoman homes and mansions scattered here and there.
Despite the lack of attractions, Kadıköy is a great place to spend time and observe local life. Central Kadıköy (Kadıköy Merkez) will be most people’s first and only look at the Kadıköy district. The area surrounding the port has a few great restaurants, excellent cafés, and lively markets scattered throughout its bustling pedestrian streets. It’s a fun place to observe daily life in the city. There’s also easy access to the upscale Moda neighborhood.
Getting to Kadıköy
Most people will arrive in Kadıköy via ferry from the European side. There are frequent ferries from Eminönü, Karaköy, Kabataş, and Beşiktaş (as of March 2024) on the public Istanbul City Ferry Lines (İstanbul Şehir Hatları). Turyol ferries run service from Eminönü and Karaköy (as of March 2024). Dentur Avrasya can get you there from Beşiktaş (as of March 2024).
You can also arrive via dolmuş from Üsküdar, Taksim Square, and Bostancı. The main city bus terminal is located near the ferries. The metro for the Asian side of the city also terminates in Kadıköy, and you can get there by riding the Marmaray and changing at Ayrılık Çeşmesi.
Kadıköy Pier
Kadıköy Pier (Kadıköy İskelesi) is a bustling area with people heading in every direction. It’s a great place for people watching and you can admire a few historic buildings.
Kadıköy Square
The area next to the pier is Kadıköy Square (Kadıköy Meydanı). In the center is a monument to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938) introducing the Turkish alphabet in 1928 as part of his reforms.
Kadıköy Haldun Taner Stage
East of the square is Kadıköy Haldun Taner Stage (Kadıköy Haldun Taner Sahnesi). It was built by Italian architect U. Ferrari between 1925 and 1927 as the first modern produce market building in Istanbul. Unfortunately, nobody wanted to be a tenant and it sat unused for 10 years. It was later used as a fire department and a scrap vehicle depot.
The building was renovated in 1984 and transformed into a cultural center. In 1986, it was allocated to Istanbul University (İstanbul Üniversitesi) as a conservatory. The ground floor was converted to its current use as a theatre in 1989. The theatre is operated by City Theatres (Şehir Tiyatroları) and named after Turkish playwright Haldun Taner (1915-1986).
TESAK
Sitting in a park across the street from Kadıköy Square is the Kadıköy Municipality History, Literature and Art Library (Kadıköy Belediyesi Tarih Edebiyat Sanat Kütüphanesi), or TESAK for short. It was originally built in 1913 as a municipal office building by Ottoman Armenian architect Yervant Terziyan, an assistant to Constantinople-born Italian architect Giulio Mongeri (1873-1951). The building was renovated and reopened as a library on March 15, 2014.
Türkbalon (Permanently Closed)
West of the ferry terminals you’ll notice a huge balloon with Turkish flags on it. This is the Türkbalon. It ascends up to 200 meters in the air for a panoramic view of Istanbul. In all my years in Istanbul, I’ve seen it in the air just once.
Kadıköy Çarşı
Further inland from the park, you’ll find yourself in Çarşı, which is the heart of Kadıköy. Feel free to just explore the few streets parallel to the ferry terminal. It’s a pedestrianized area full of shops, restaurants, fruit and vegetable stands, fish markets, bars, cafés, and lots of life. This is one of the treats of life in Kadıköy.
Sultan Mustafa Port Mosque
Facing Kadıköy Square is the Sultan Mustafa Port Mosque (Sultan Mustafa İskele Camii). It was built by Sultan Mustafa III in 1760 and rebuilt in 1858 by Abdülmecid I. The mosque was under renovation during my last two visits.
Agia Efimia Greek Orthodox Church
A few historic churches are located just one block in. The first is Agia Efimia Greek Orthodox Church (Aya Efimia Rum Ortodoks Kilisesi). It’s the historic cathedral of Chalcedon and was originally built in 1694. The current building dates back to 1832.
An ancient cathedral once stood on the site but it disappeared around 1555. The Fourth Ecumenical Council took place in that cathedral from October 8 to November 1, 451. It was called by Emperor Marcian and presided over by Anatolius (d. 458), the Patriarch of Constantinople.
Surp Takavor Armenian Orthodox Church
Next is Surp Takavor Armenian Orthodox Church (Surp Takavor Ermeni Ortodoks Kilisesi), which is two blocks south. It was built in 1720 and refurbished in 1814. The church burned down in 1855 and was rebuilt, opening in 1858.
Khalkedon
If you walk down the street towards the pier from the Armenian church, you’ll notice the word “Khalkedon” spelled out on the path. This pays homage to the ancient roots of Kadıköy, which was founded by the ancient Greeks as Chalcedon (Χαλκηδώνα) in 685 BC.
Anatolian Protestant Church
The Anatolian Protestant Church (Anadolu Protestan Kilisesi), made up of a congregation of Turkish Christians, is a few more blocks south. Unfortunately, I don’t have a photo.
Osmanağa Mosque
The Osmanağa Mosque (Osmanağa Camii) is located a couple blocks inland along busy Söğütlü Çeşme Street. It was originally built in 1612 by Osman Ağa, the Chief Black Eunuch of the Ottoman Harem under Ahmed I, to replace an older mosque that had just burned down. The mosque was renovated by Mahmud II in 1811. It burned down in 1878 and was rebuilt the same year. The plane tree in the courtyard was planted in 1880 by the imam, Mehmed Asım Efendi.
Bahariye
Bahariye is a small neighborhood near Çarşı. The area is focused around Bahariye Street, which contains lots of shops.
The Bull
I’ll start with the Bull. This life-sized statue of a bull is a popular meeting point and point of reference. When you tell someone who knows Kadıköy to “turn left at the Bull” or “meet me at the Bull”, they know exactly what you’re talking about. The Bull is at Altıyol Junction, a short walk inland down Söğütlü Çeşme Street.
Sultan Abdülaziz commissioned 24 animal statues to decorate the gardens of Beylerbeyi Palace and Çırağan Palace. They were designed in 1864 by French sculptor Pierre Louis Rouillard (1820-1881). 12 were made of bronze and 12 of marble. The Bull was originally located at Beylerbeyi Palace then moved to Yıldız Palace. It had a few other homes until it was relocated to Altıyol Junction in 1990.
Ali Suavi Street
Follow the tram tracks and turn left on the first street. This is Ali Suavi Street (Ali Suavi Sokak). There’s a monument dedicated to Ali Suavi (1839-1878), an Ottoman political activist who was the first Turk to die in the name of democracy. There are several art and book shops on this street as well as the Nazim Hikmet Cultural Center (Nâzım Hikmet Kültür Merkezi), founded in 1997 and named after Turkish writer Nâzım Hikmet (1902-1963).
Surp Levon Armenian Catholic Church
Surp Levon Armenian Catholic Church (Surp Levon Ermeni Katolik Kilisesi) is also on Ali Suavi Street. It was originally built as a wooden chapel in 1890. After the congregation outgrew the chapel, it was demolished in 1905 and rebuilt. The new church opened to worship in 1911.
Rasimpaşa
The somewhat seedy area east of the port is Rasimpaşa. This area is much less visited than Çarşı or Moda for the simple fact that it doesn’t have as much to offer. There are some colorful Ottoman homes scattered throughout the neighborhood. Some have been nicely restored and others are falling apart.
Hemdat Israel Synagogue
First, a couple blocks inland from the port down İzzettin Street is the Hemdat Israel Synagogue (Hemdat İsrael Sinagogu), which sits behind a high concrete wall and barbed wire fence with security cameras. It was built in 1899 during tensions between the Greek and Jewish communities of Constantinople. It’s possible to visit the synagogue by contacting the Chief Rabbinate of Istanbul in advance.
St. George Greek Orthodox Church
A few blocks away is the St. George Greek Orthodox Church (Ayios Yeorgios Rum Ortodoks Kilisesi). This small church was built in 1927 on the site of a school demolished in 1919. The 15-meter high bell tower was built by Samatyalı Zilciyan Usta.
Our Lady of the Rosary Church
Finally, there’s the former Our Lady of the Rosary Church (Église Notre-Dame du Rosaire), which was a French Catholic church built in 1895. It was part of the Sainte-Euphemie Secondary School. The church was damaged by fire in 1911 and repaired by the government of France. It was transferred to the Turkish Ministry of Eduction in 1935 and became a public high school. In 1980, it was converted to a gym. The Kadıköy Municipality restored the building in 2013, and in March 2014, it reopened as the Windmill Art Center (Yeldeğirmeni Sanat Merkezi).
Haydarpaşa Railway Station
The majestic Haydarpaşa Railway Station (Haydarpaşa Garı) greets everyone traveling to and from Kadıköy by ferry. It once served as the busiest commuter station in Istanbul connecting to other cities in Anatolia.
The original station, which opened in 1872 under Sultan Abdülaziz, was the first railway station in Istanbul. In 1904, it was chosen to be the northern terminus for both the Baghdad Railway and the Hejaz Railway.
The current building opened in 1909 and was built on land reclaimed from the sea. Germans Otto Ritter and Helmut Conu were the architects. It boasts elegant German and Italian stone work and an elaborate interior.
In November 2010, the roof was damaged by a devastating fire caused by carelessness during restoration. This caused a lot of speculation about the future of the building. There was controversy over whether it would remain a railway station or not, with rumors it would be sold to a private company and turned into a hotel.
However, it was announced in December 2015 that the building would be fully integrated into the Marmaray network of the Turkish rail system. Since the announcement, Haydarpaşa Railway Station has been restored and renovated. The tracks have been upgraded and archaeological excavations have taken place, but there are still questions over the building’s future (as of April 2024). For a virtual tour, click here.
Haydarpaşa Pier
Outside the front entrance you can find the Haydarpaşa Pier (Haydarpaşa İskelesi), an original Ottoman ferry station with beautiful tile work and an old wooden ticket booth. It was built in 1915 and functioned until 2014. If scheduled rail service returns to Haydarpaşa Railway Station, it will likely reopen. There’s also an antique steam engine sitting in front of the building. For a virtual tour of the exterior, click here.
Views of Kadıköy
From the Haydarpaşa Railway Station, there are great views of Kadıköy. To the left you can see Haydarpaşa Mosque (Haydarpaşa Camii). It replaced an original mosque destroyed when the railway station was built. The new mosque opened in 1998 and was built in the Ottoman style.
