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Cibali is a neighborhood on the southern shore of the Golden Horn in Istanbul. It’s located in the Fatih district between Ayakapı and Unkapanı, and sits opposite Kasımpaşa.
The neighborhood is named after Cebe Ali Bey (see below), a military commander from Bursa under Mehmed the Conqueror. It was home to a large population of Spanish Jews until the 18th century. It’s now a lower middle class area populated by lots of migrants from other parts of Turkey.
Cibali Gate
First is the Cibali Gate (Cibali Kapısı), which sits on the main road through the area. The gate was part of the Byzantine walls on the Golden Horn.
According to legend, Cebe Ali Bey broke through the gate on May 29, 1453, in order to gain access to the city during the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. A plaque next to the gate commemorates the event.
Cibali Tobacco Factory
Also along the main road is the former Cibali Tobacco Factory (Cibali Tütün Fabrikası). It was commissioned by Sultan Abdülhamid II in 1884 and built by Ottoman French architect Alexander Vallaury (1850-1921).
The factory was under French administration until March 1, 1925, when the Turkish Republic nationalized operations. It functioned until 1995 and the building was abandoned. The building was allocated to Kadir Has University (Kadir Has Üniversitesi) in 1997. It was restored between 1998 and 2002, when it finally opened its doors as an educational institution.
Rezan Has Museum
The Rezan Has Museum (Rezan Has Müzesi) is located at Kadir Has University. The museum specializes in culture, art, and history, and has one of the largest collections of Urartian jewelry in Turkey. It’s situated in a 17th century Ottoman building and the Seferikos Cistern, built in the 11th century by the Byzantines. Admission is 50₺ (as of October 2023) and it’s open daily from 9am to 6pm. I visited in July 2023 and will update this post with photos and info soon.
