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Selimiye sits behind the unsightly docks of the Port of Haydarpaşa (Haydarpaşa Limanı), piled high with containers unloaded off ships from all over the world. This is an area often overlooked by those exploring Istanbul. There are some unique historical treasures to be found.
Selimiye, located in Üsküdar, is not a residential or commercial area. It’s populated with several military buildings, universities and schools, and hospitals. A few of the interesting buildings located there are visible from the ferries coming from the European side to Kadıköy.
Marmara University
One of these buildings belongs to the medical faculty of Marmara University (Marmara Üniversitesi). To me, it looks somewhat like a huge haunted mansion.
The building was originally constructed between 1894 and 1903 as the Imperial College of Medicine (Mekteb-i Tıbbiye-i Şahane), which was commissioned by Sultan Abdülhamid II as the first modern medical school in the Ottoman Empire. It was designed by French Ottoman architect Alexander Vallaury (1850-1921) and Italian architect Raimondo D’Aronco (1857-1932). It was then used as the Haydarpaşa High School (Haydarpaşa Lisesi) from 1933 to 1983.
My friend Selen attended law school there and said it’s just as scary on the inside as it is on the outside, but nonetheless quite a remarkable building.
Selimiye Barracks
The other noticeable structure is a massive building with a large tower in each of its four corners. This is the historic Selimiye Barracks (Selimiye Kışlası). Built originally of wood in 1799 by Selim III, the Janissaries burned it down in a revolt in 1808. Mahmud II rebuilt it in 1828 out of stone. It was temporarily used as a British military hospital in 1853 during the Crimean War. The barracks now serve as the headquarters for the Turkish Land Forces (Türk Kara Kuvvetleri), the main branch of the Turkish Armed Forces.
A little known fact is that English nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) lived and worked at the barracks from 1854 to 1857. She developed the first organized military hospital and documented many modern nursing techniques in hygiene and sanitation. In the past, a room in the northernmost tower served as a museum dedicated to her contributions, while the actual room is currently being used by the Turkish military.
Haidar Pasha Cemetery
Unfortunately, over 6,000 British soldiers died at the Selimiye Barracks during the Crimean War. Many of them are buried in the nearby Haidar Pasha Cemetery, hidden away out of sight and very much off the tourist trail. Most of the Crimean War graves are not marked, but there are graves of Commonwealth soldiers from both World Wars and several British civilians. In addition, there’s an obelisk erected by Queen Victoria in 1857 and a plaque dedicated to Florence Nightingale in 1954. A marker points visitors in the direction of the well-kept cemetery.
Great Selimiye Mosque
On a hill overlooking the Selimiye Barracks is the Great Selimiye Mosque (Büyük Selimiye Camii), built between 1801 and 1805 by Selim III. The architect is unknown.
The gates to the mosque lead to a beautiful courtyard. I really enjoyed the shaded setting among the tall trees. Also, if you look closely, you may be able to spot birdhouses built into the mosque.
It’s not often visited by tourists, but the Great Selimiye Mosque is thought of as one of the more beautiful mosques in Istanbul. The prayer hall is stunning. Look out for the sultan’s loge on the right side. Click here for a virtual tour.
Numune Hospital
Finally, on the road to Kadıköy just above the Marmara University building is the Numune Hospital (Numune Hastanesi). It opened in 1872 under Sultan Abdülhamid II to treat injured soldiers. Construction on the current building started in 1893, and the hospital only treated soldiers until 1910. The hospital is also known as the Haydarpaşa Numune Hospital (Haydarpaşa Numune Hastanesi).
Getting There
To get to this part of Üsküdar from the European side, first take a ferry to Üsküdar. You can take a dolmuş going from Üsküdar to Kadıköy and ask the driver to let you out at Karacaahmet Cemetery. All the sites are within walking distance from there. Alternatively, a taxi wouldn’t cost much to hire to take you directly to the area with the barracks, university, and cemetery. You can also walk south along the seaside if you have extra time to kill. It could take about 45 minutes.
