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Paşabahçe is a village on the Asian side of the Bosporus in Istanbul. It was home to a famous glass factory and not much more.
History
Paşabahçe literally means “Pasha’s Garden”. It takes its name from a mansion built there by Grand Vizier Hezarpare Ahmet Paşa in the middle of the 17th century.
The village was once exclusively inhabited by non-Muslims, but Sultan Mustafa III built a mosque, school, hamam, and fountain there in the middle of the 18th century. He then settled Muslim Turks in the area. The Christian population dwindled but never disappeared, and there is still a Greek Orthodox church there, built in 1894.
The glass factory opened in 1934 and the population of the village increased rapidly. Paşabahçe glassware is now exported all over the world, although the factory is no longer located there.
Square
Paşabahçe Square (Paşabahçe Meydanı) is the center of life in the village. On the square are a mosque and a Greek Orthodox holy spring dedicated to Agia Paraskevi (Αγίασμα Αγίας Παρασκευής Πασάμπαχτσε).
Seaside
A road from the square extends all the way to the Bosporus. Along the way there are outdoor cafés and restaurants lining the street. When you reach the Bosporus, you’ll find a ferry terminal and small boats moored to the pier.
Getting There
The easiest way to get there is through Üsküdar. Take a ferry to Üsküdar and walk to the Üsküdar Cami Önü stop (in front of the mosque across the street from the ferry terminal). Hop on pretty much any bus with a number 15 until you reach the Paşabahçe stop. You can also take a dolmuş going to Beykoz and ask the driver to let you out at the village – it’s much faster than the bus. There’s a ferry to Paşabahçe on the Istanbul public ferry lines (İstanbul Şehir Hatları) but service is not frequent or convenient.
