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The Fındıklı neighborhood in Beyoğlu, Istanbul, Turkey, isn’t a prime destination, but it features a handful of minor attractions.
Fındıklı is cut in two by the busy Meclis-i Mebusan Street, which runs from Tophane to the west. It continues east to the transportation hub of Kabataş. All points of interest are on the Bosporus side of the road.
Double Palaces (Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University)
At the westernmost point of Fındıklı is Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University (Mimar Sinan Güzel Sanatlar Üniversitesi). It was founded on January 1, 1882, by Ottoman artist Osman Hamdi Bey. Best seen from a ferry on the Bosporus, the university is housed in the Double Palaces (Çifte Saraylar). They were built between 1856 and 1859 by Ottoman Armenian architect Garabet Amira Balyan for the daughters of Sultan Abdülmecid I, Cemile Sultan (1843-1915) and Münire Sultan (1844-1862).
The Cemile Sultan Palace sits to the east. From 1913 to 1920, it functioned as Ottoman Parliament (Meclis-i Mebusan), which gives the road its name. The palace became property of the university in 1926. The Münire Sultan Palace, which sits to the west, was transferred to the university in 1969.
Fındıklı Park
Fındıklı Park (Fındıklı Parkı) is a pleasant seaside park with sculptures, benches, and trees. There’s also a small café. It’s a nice place to relax and enjoy the views across the Bosporus.
Molla Çelebi Mosque
Molla Çelebi Mosque (Molla Çelebi Camii) sits east of the park. It’s a minor work of Mimar Sinan, built between 1570 and 1584. The mosque was commissioned by Kazasker Mehmet Vusuli Efendi, the chief judge of Constantinople.
Though relatively small, the mosque is quite impressive. It has a beautifully decorated prayer hall that measures only 18.9 by 16.4 meters and is topped by a dome.
Behind the mosque is the ablutions fountain, which is a single row of faucets set below ground level.
