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Kadırga is a neighborhood in Istanbul, Turkey. It sits between Kumkapı and Küçük Ayasofya, and has a few minor points of interest.
Introduction to Kadırga
During the Byzantine period, Kadırga was known as Kontoskálion (Κοντοσκάλιον). It served as a harbor for the city of Constantinople from the 6th century all the way up until the mid-18th century. The harbor was also known as the Harbor of Julian, Harbor of Sophia, and Portus Novus. During the Ottoman period, it was called the Harbor of the Galleys (Kadırga Limanı). In fact, today’s Kadırga Limanı Street follows the old shoreline of the harbor, and much of the neighborhood is built on reclaimed land.
Kadırga Park
The harbor has since been filled in, and part of it is occupied by Kadırga Park (Kadırga Parkı). It contains a large fountain in the center and is a nice place to sit and relax.
Esma Sultan Fountain
The Esma Sultan Fountain (Esma Sultan Çeşmesi) sits in a corner of the park. It was built in 1781 by Esma Sultan (1726-1788), the daughter of Sultan Ahmed III. A staircase on one side led to an open-air prayer space for Muslims on top.
Istanbul Photography Museum (Permanently Closed)
On the west side of the park is the Istanbul Photography Museum (İstanbul Fotoğraf Müzesi). It opened on November 19, 2011, and consists of five photo galleries, an archive, and a library.
Kadırga Hamam
Just north of the park is the historic Kadırga Hamam (Kadırga Hamamı). It was built in 1741 by Hatibzade Yahya Pasha (d. 1755), the Ottoman governor of Egypt at that time. He also briefly served as Grand Admiral (Kaptan-ı Derya) of the Ottoman Navy.
The hamam looks run down from the outside, but the inside is typically what you’d expect from a hamam. There’s a men’s and women’s section and it’s open daily. Check the official website for prices.
Üsküplü Gazi Yahya Pasha Primary School
Heading east from the park towards the Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque is the Üsküplü Gazi Yahya Pasha Primary School (Üsküplü Gazi Yahya Paşa Sıbyan Mektebi). It was built in 1506 by Üsküplü Gazi Yahya Pasha (d. 1506), an Ottoman statesman and governor of Bosnia during the reign of Sultan Bayezid II. He married Hüma Hatun (1466-c. 1520), Bayezid II’s daughter, in 1501.
The building has two floors and is topped by an octagonal dome. It was restored by the local government in 2016. Today, it’s occupied by Deco Turca, an antique shop selling carpets, ceramics, and other items.
Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque
The Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque (Sokollu Mehmet Paşa Camii) is a historic mosque included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing of the Historic Areas of Istanbul. It was built by Sokollu Mehmed Pasha (1506-1579) and his wife Ismihan Sultan (1545-1585) between 1568 and 1572. It’s one of three mosques in Istanbul with the same name, all designed by legendary architect Mimar Sinan (1490-1588). The others are in Azapkapı and Büyükçekmece.
Sokollu Mehmed Pasha served as Grand Vizier under Süleyman the Magnificent, Selim II, and Murad III. He was born into a Serbian Orthodox Christian family and taken away as part of the devşirme system. After serving as a Jannisary, he rose through the ranks of the Ottoman imperial system, serving as Grand Admiral (Kaptan-ı Derya) from 1546 to 1551; Governor-General of Rumelia from 1551 to 1555; Third Vizier from 1555 to 1561; Second Vizier from 1561 to 1565; and eventually Grand Vizier from 1565 to 1579. Sokollu Mehmed Pasha was assassinated in 1579. He’s buried in a tomb in Eyüp near his wife, Ismihan Sultan.
Courtyard of the Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque
The mosque was built on a steep slope. Mimar Sinan solved this problem by building a two-story courtyard. Shops built into the bottom level would provide rent for the maintenance of the mosque.
There are three gates to the courtyard. The entrance from the front leads up a flight of stairs. The entrance from the north on the upper side of the hill is through a small garden with a corridor.
Three sides of the courtyard contain student cells for the madrasa, each with a window, fireplace, and niche. On the fourth side is the mosque itself. In the center is an ablutions fountain (şadırvan) with 12 columns and an onion-shaped dome.
The mosque entrance sits behind a domed portico. There are Iznik tile panels above the windows featuring Quranic script. The entrance portal is under a muqarnas niche.
Prayer Hall of the Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque
The prayer hall of the mosque is decorated with beautiful Iznik tiles all the way up to the dome. There are stained-glass windows above the mihrab. The minbar is made of white marble and is capped with a cone decorated in Iznik tiles.
The dome is 13 meters (43 feet) in diameter and 22.8 meters (75 feet) high. It’s supported by four half-domes. The mosque was designed as a hexagon inside a rectangle.
Above the entrance is a fragment of the Kaaba in Mecca. It sits behind a gilded brass bezel. Other fragments are above the mihrab and minbar.
Bukhara Uzbek Dervish Lodge
Just north of the Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque is the Bukhara Uzbek Dervish Lodge (Buhara Özbekler Tekkesi). It was built in 1692 by Ismail Bey, a treasurer of the Ottoman Empire. It hosted Sufi dervishes traveling to Constantinople from central Asia to visit the tomb of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari at the Eyüp Sultan Mosque. The lodge was also a gathering place for local members of the Nakhshbandi order of Sufis who arrived in the city in the 17th century.
The building was renovated in 1887 by Sultan Abdülhamid II. In 1965, the wooden roof was destroyed by fire, leaving much of the building in ruins. The city of Istanbul renovated it between 2006 and 2008, and it now houses the Istanbul Design Center (İstanbul Tasarım Merkezi). They periodically host art workshops and exhibitions.
Ottoman Architecture in Kadırga
Finally, one of the joys of wandering through Kadırga is admiring the old wooden Ottoman homes and buildings. Many are quietly crumbling with time, but some have been nicely restored. Also, nearby you can visit the Little Hagia Sophia Mosque, which is older than Hagia Sophia itself.
