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Şişhane is a small area south of Tepebaşı and steps from Istiklal Street in Istanbul, Turkey. There’s a metro station named after the area and Tünel is also nearby.
Government Buildings in Şişhane
Two important government buildings are located in Şişhane. First is the Beyoğlu Municipality Building (Beyoğlu Belediye Binası), which faces a small plaza. It was built by Italian architect Giovanni Battista Barborini between 1879 and 1893. Two buildings away on the plaza is the Beyoğlu Tax Office (Beyoğlu Vergi Dairesi).
Decugis Building
Just north of the Municipality Building is the Decugis Building (Decugis Binası). It was built in 1895 on the corner of Meşrutiyet Street and the stairs leading up to Tünel Square. The architect was Ottoman French architect Alexander Vallaury (1850-1921) and it was built for the Décugis, a wealthy Levantine family. If you continue north down Meşrutiyet Street you can visit Tepebaşı.
Frej Apartment
The Frej Apartment (Frej Apartmanı) sits a few buildings down from the tax office. It was built by Selim Hanna Frej, a wealthy member of the city’s Lebanese Maronite community, originally from Beirut. Ottoman Greek Konstantinos Kyriakidis (1881-1942) was the architect. The exact date of construction is unknown, but it may have been completed in 1905 or 1906.
The Frej Apartment is one of the most important Art Nouveau buildings in Istanbul. It features stone from Malta on the exterior, marble from Italy on the stairs, and a French-style mansard roof. The most striking features are the sculptures on the fourth story balconies. The six story building is currently occupied by Istanbul Galata University (İstanbul Galata Üniversitesi).
Deniz Palace
Finally, at the end of Meşrutiyet Street on Şişhane Square is the Deniz Palace (Deniz Palas), which is also one of the best examples of Art Nouveau architecture in Istanbul. It was built by Ottoman Greek architect Georges Couloutros in 1920 as an apartment building.
Where to Eat in Şişhane
Şişhane has a handful of restaurants to choose from, but there are more appealing choices in Galata or Asmalı Mescit.
Sushi Express
We walked into Sushi Express looking for something different than traditional Turkish cuisine. It’s located on the ground floor of the Decugis Building. It has a nice interior but service is a little below average.
We ordered edamame to start and both of us had noodle bowls. It wasn’t the best quality meat and overall it was of lower standard than Panda Express, which says a lot. To be fair, we didn’t try the sushi.
Miss Pizza Şişhane
The Şişhane branch of Miss Pizza is across the street from Sushi Express. The pizza isn’t great but it’s better than many in Istanbul.
