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One of my favorite places to spend time in Istanbul is a small village on the Asian side of the Bosporus called Kuzguncuk. It’s only a few minutes away from the busy transport hub of Üsküdar, yet it’s small enough to feel like you’re in a completely different world.
While I always enjoy sitting outside at one of the cafés, some people go there to look for antiques. Others go to wander through the streets to see the colorful Ottoman homes.
Bridge Views
There are also fantastic views of the European side of the Bosporus and the Bosporus Bridge from the seaside and a small square.
Surp Krikor Lusavoriç Armenian Church
Although most of the residents are now Muslims, Kuzguncuk (Κουσκουντζούκ in Greek) was traditionally home to Jews, Armenians, and Greeks. In fact, there wasn’t a mosque in the village until 1952. The Kuzguncuk Mosque (Kuzguncuk Camii) is located on the grounds of the Surp Krikor Lusavoriç Armenian Church. It was built with funds donated by the Armenian community.
Synagogues
There are two synagogues. One of them, the Bet Yaakov Synagogue (Bet Yaakov Sinagogu), built in 1878, is right outside of the bus stop. It’s still active every Saturday. The Bet Nissim Synagogue (Bet Nissim Sinagogu), which I wasn’t able to locate, was built in the 1840s and is only available to visit via appointment.
Agios Georgios Greek Orthodox Church
The Bet Yaakov Synagogue is located right next to a small Greek Orthodox church, Agios Georgios, built in 1821.
Agios Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church
A larger Greek Orthodox church sits a few blocks down the road, Agios Panteleimon. The church was rebuilt after a fire in 1872, and the bell tower at the entrance was built in 1911.
Across from Agios Panteleimon is the Agios Ioannis Greek Sanctuary, which contains a holy spring and a Greek cemetery.
Fethi Pasha Mansion
Just south of the village towards Paşalimanı and Üsküdar is the Fethi Pasha Mansion (Fethi Paşa Yalısı), which is best seen from the Bosporus. It was built by Ahmed Fethi Pasha (1801-1858), an Ottoman marshal and ambassador. In 1846, he created the Archaeological Artifacts Collection (Mecma-i Asar-ı Atika) and the Ancient Weapons Collection (Mecma-i Esliha-i Atika), at Hagia Eirini. It became the first official Ottoman museum in 1869.
Also known as the Pink Mansion (Pembe Yalı), the home is separated into two parts, a harem and selamlık. It was built from wood on a brick foundation. There are 16 rooms and two large halls spread over two stories. Fethi Pasha decorated his home with the rarest of furnishings as well as crystal and fountains. Sultan Abdülmecid I was so impressed with the furnishings, he commissioned Fethi Pasha to decorate Dolmabahçe Palace. A harem room and a butler’s room were destroyed by fire in 1922, but the rest of the mansion survives in good condition.
Getting There
The easiest way to get to Kuzguncuk is through Üsküdar. Take a ferry to Üsküdar and go to the Üsküdar Cami Önü stop (in front of the mosque across the street from the ferry terminal). Hop on a bus with the number 15. Kuzguncuk is the third stop. You can also take a dolmuş going to Beykoz and ask the driver to let you out at Kuzguncuk. There’s a ferry service on the Istanbul public ferry lines (İstanbul Şehir Hatları) but it isn’t frequent or convenient.
