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Vişnezade is a neighborhood in the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul. It sits just uphill from Dolmabahçe Palace.
Origins of Vişnezade
Vişnezade is named after İzzeti Mehmet Efendi (1629-1681) an Ottoman statesman who was known to cultivate sour cherries in the area long before the neighborhood formed. His nickname was Vişnezade.
İsmet İnönü Park
On the west end of Vişnezade is İsmet İnönü Park (İsmet İnönü Parkı). This public park sits across the street from the southern end of Maçka Park.
Other than being a pleasant spot to relax, İsmet İnönü Park is dedicated to İsmet İnönü (1884-1973). It features a large equestrian monument of the Turkish army officer and statesman.
İnönü Monument
The İnönü monument was designed and built by German sculptor Rudolf Belling (1886-1972) in 1940. It consists of a 5 meter tall bronze statue of İsmet İnönü on a horse. The pedestal, which stands 7 meters high, was a later addition in 1944. It was made by architect Mehmet Ali Handan (1915-1990) between 1943 and 1944.
In front of the pedestal is a young male figure holding a laurel branch in his right hand and a torch in his left hand. The laurel branch represents peace while the torch symbolizes the brightness of the Turkish Republic. Belling used one of his students, Hüseyin Anka Özkan (1909-2001), as the model.
On the left side of the pedestal are words of love, respect, and gratitude from the city of Istanbul to İsmet İnönü. The right side of the pedestal contains a telegram sent by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938) sent in 1921 to celebrate victory in the Second Battle of İnönü during the Turkish War of Independence.
Monument Locations
The İnönü monument originally stood in Gezi Park at the top of the marble steps overlooking Taksim Square. In 1944, shortly after it was placed on the pedestal, the statue was removed from its base and placed in storage to avoid competition with the smaller Republic Monument across the square.
In 1982, a committee of architects and sculptors was formed to decide on a new home for the monument. They discussed three options: Dolmabahçe, Kabataş, and Taşlık Park in Vişnezade. The majority voted for Taşlık Park, which was situated near İnönü’s house.
The pedestal was dismantled and moved to Taşlık Park, which was renamed to İsmet İnönü Park. The statue was then reunited with the pedestal after 38 years. The monument was inaugurated on July 24, 1982, on the 59th anniversary of the Treaty of Lausanne.
Viewing Platform
A viewing platform was built next to the monument. It allows visitors to get a different perspective and see the statue at eye level. There are also views of the Bosporus from the platform.
Underneath the platform is a timeline of İnönü’s life. Rotating panels featuring his biography are attached above the timeline, with information in both Turkish and English.
Interpretive Panels
Scattered throughout İsmet İnönü Park are a series of interpretive panels. Each one contains information about a different aspect of İnönü’s public and personal life as well as photos. One of the panels profiles his wife, Mevhibe İnönü (1897-1992). Again, information is written in both Turkish and English.
Bezmiâlem Valide Sultan Fountain
Next, in the heart of the neighborhood along Süleyman Seba Street is the Bezmiâlem Valide Sultan Fountain (Bezmiâlem Valide Sultan Çeşmesi). It was built in 1839 by Bezmiâlem Sultan, the mother of Sultan Abdülmecid I. It was one of 12 fountains she commissioned in Constantinople.
Poet’s Sofa Park
A couple blocks downhill is Poet’s Sofa Park (Şair Sofası Parkı). This small leafy park is scattered with sculptures of Turkish poets and musicians.
Akaretler Row Houses
Occupying the rest of Süleyman Seba Street all the way down to Beşiktaş are the Akaretler Row Houses (Akaretler Sıraevler). These apartments were commissioned by Sultan Abdülaziz to house the workers of Dolmabahçe Palace.
The houses were designed by Ottoman Armenian architect Sarkis Balyan (1835-1899) and originally consisted of 138 housing units. They were built in 1874 and are the finest example of 19th century public housing in Istanbul.
For many years after the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the Akaretler Row Houses were inhabited by low income earners, mechanics, and grocers. They sat abandoned from the mid-1980s to 1995, when a long restoration process began. It was completed in 2008.
Today, the Akaretler Row Houses host nearly 100 offices and residences of various sizes and over 40 shops and restaurants. The W Istanbul, a luxury hotel, occupied a large section until it closed permanently on February 1, 2024.
Akaretler Mustafa Kemal Museum
One of row houses is occupied by the Akaretler Mustafa Kemal Museum (Akaretler Mustafa Kemal Müzesi). It opened in 2010 and is dedicated to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic.
The Akaretler Mustafa Kemal Museum is open weekdays from 10am to 4pm and admission is free (as of July 2024). It tells the life story of Atatürk, consisting mostly of photographs and a few interpretive panels. All the information is in Turkish. To be honest, it’s not that great as far as Atatürk museums go.
Atatürk’s mother, Zübeyde Hanım (1856-1923), moved to Constantinople from Salonica (Thessaloniki), which was part of the Ottoman Empire from 1430 until 1912, after it was surrendered to Greece. She lived in the house from the end of 1912 to 1918. After her time in the Akaretler Row Houses, she moved to another house in Şişli, which is also an Atatürk museum.
Where to Eat in Vişnezade
As I haven’t had much reason to linger, I’ve only eaten at one place in Vişnezade.
Akali
While on our way to visit a friend living in Vişnezade, we stopped into Akali. They serve delicious gigantic juicy burgers with a good variety of extra toppings. The only problem is that the bread gets soggy and the burgers fall apart easily. Expect a messy meal.
Around Vişnezade
The western part of Vişnezade sits across the street from Maçka Park. From lower end of the Akaretler Row Houses, it’s a few steps to the heart of Beşiktaş and the Istanbul Naval Museum. You can also access the National Palaces Painting Museum and Palace Collections Museum from there.
