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There’s lots to see in central Eyüp other than the Eyüp Sultan Mosque and Pierre Loti Hill. Most of the attractions are tombs of important Ottomans.
Whether you arrive by bus or ferry, you’ll most likely start near the Eyüp ferry terminal on the Golden Horn. From there, it’s a short walk to the center of the neighborhood.
Kaptan Pasha Mosque
First is the small Kaptan Pasha Mosque (Kaptan Paşa Camii), which is located in a park across from the ferry terminal. It was built in 1577 by Hacı Mahmud Ağa. It was renovated in 1819 by Cevri Usta and again in 1900 by Bozcaadalı Hasan Hüsnü Pasha (1832-1903), the Ottoman Navy Minister for whom it’s named.
Cami Kebir Street
From the mosque, it’s a block inland to Cami Kebir Street, which leads to Eyüp Sultan Square. The street is lined with shops selling all kinds of souvenirs and other goods.
Tomb of Ferhad Pasha
At the east end of Cami Kebir Street is the tomb of Ferhad Pasha (Ferhad Paşa Türbesi). It was built in 1595 and contains 16 sarcophagi. Serdar Ferhad Pasha (d. 1595) served as Grand Vizier once under Sultan Murad III and once under Sultan Mehmed III. He was of Albanian origin.
Tomb of Sokollu Mehmed Pasha
At the west end of Cami Kebir Street are two more tombs. First, to the left is the tomb of Sokollu Mehmed Pasha (Sokollu Mehmed Paşa Türbesi). It’s typically open Wednesday to Sunday from 9:30am to 4:30pm.
The tomb was built in 1569 by architect Mimar Sinan (1490-1588). It’s attached to a madrasa directly across from the tomb by a common courtyard. The two buildings also share the same eaves.
Sokollu Mehmed Pasha (1506-1579) served as Grand Vizier for over 14 consecutive years under Sultans Süleyman the Magnificent, Selim II, and Murad III, until he was assassinated at Topkapi Palace on October 11, 1579. He was born in Herzegovina to a Serbian Orthodox Christian family, was captured as a young boy, and brought up in the devşirme system. He built two mosques, both with his name, in Kadırga and Azapkapı. Other burials in his tomb include some of his children.
Tomb of Siyavuş Pasha
Across the street is the tomb of Siyavuş Pasha (Siyavus Paşa Türbesi), which was built between 1582 and 1584 by Mimar Sinan. It’s typically open Wednesday to Sunday from 9:30am to 4:30pm.
Siyavuş Pasha (d. 1602) was married to the daughter of Sultan Selim II and served as Grand Vizier three times under Sultan Murad III. He was either Hungarian or Croatian and was brought up in the devşirme system. There are 11 others buried inside his tomb, including his children.
The grounds of the tomb contains a small Ottoman cemetery as well as the tomb of Üryanizade Ahmed Esad Efendi (1813-1889). He was a Şeyhülislam (Shaykh al-Islam) under Sultan Abdülhamid II. The tomb was built by Italian-Swiss architect Giuseppe Fossati (1822-1891).
Eyüp Sultan Square
Cami Kebir Street opens up onto Eyüp Sultan Square (Eyüp Sultan Meydanı), which contains a beautiful fountain in the center. The gates to the Eyüp Sultan Mosque complex are on the north side of the square.
Saçlı Abdülkadir Mosque
On the south side of the square is the Saçlı Abdülkadir Mosque (Saçlı Abdülkadir Camii). It was built between 1585 and 1590 by Hoca Sadeddin Efendi (1537-1599), an Ottoman scholar and Şeyhülislam under Sultan Murad III. The mosque doesn’t have a minaret, and there are several tombs on the property.
Next…
From there, it’s a good idea to visit the Eyüp Sultan Mosque, the traditional coronation site of Ottoman sultans. It also contains the tomb of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (d. 674), a companion of the Prophet Muhammad who died of dysentery in the First Arab Siege of Constantinople.
The mosque exits onto the Cülus Yolu. After being girded with the Sword of Osman, the newly crowned sultans would start their procession to Topkapi Palace down this road. The tomb of Sultan Mehmed V is also in the area.
