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Busy Aksaray isn’t my favorite area of Istanbul. While it’s not dangerous, this neighborhood in the Fatih district does have a seedy reputation.
Introduction to Aksaray, Istanbul
The Istanbul neighborhood of Aksaray was named after the city in Central Anatolia. Migrants from that city were resettled there by Mehmed the Conqueror in the 15th century in order to repopulate Constantinople after the Ottoman conquest. During the Byzantine period, the area was known as Bóos (Bοῦς).
Today, Aksaray is a modern area full of hotels and shops mostly popular with Russians and Eastern Europeans visiting Istanbul. It has also seen an influx of refugees from Syria who moved into the area to escape their country’s civil war.
Getting to Aksaray, Istanbul
Aksaray is a busy transportation hub located west of Laleli, north of Yenikapı, and south of Saraçhane. There are stops on both the M1 metro line and the T1 tram line. The M1 metro opens onto Aksaray Square (Aksaray Meydanı), which is surrounded by several restaurants.
Red Minaret Mosque
A block north of Aksaray Square down Horhor Street is the Red Minaret Mosque (Kizil Minare Camii). It was built by Mehmed bin İlyas in 1521, and as the name indicates, it has a minaret made of glazed red bricks. The mosque was destroyed by fire in 1718 and rebuilt by Halil Ağa. In 1965, it was enlarged, and in the 1990s, the wooden roof was removed and replaced with a dome. The minaret is the only remaining original feature.
Murad Pasha Mosque
Just south of Aksaray Square is the Murad Pasha Mosque (Murad Paşa Camii). It was built between 1465 and 1478 by Has Murad Pasha (d. 1473). He was a vizier under Mehmed the Conqueror and a military commander. His brother Mesih Pasha (d. 1501), a Grand Vizier under Sultan Bayezid II, oversaw completion of the mosque and is buried in a tomb on the premises. The two brothers were of Byzantine Greek origin and nephews of Emperor Constantine XI. Had the Byzantine Empire continued, one of them most likely would have inherited the throne from a childless Constantine XI.
The Murad Pasha Mosque was once part of a large complex. It contained a madrasa, hamam, fountain, and tombs. The madrasa was destroyed in 1930 while the hamam was demolished in 1958 during the construction of Adnan Menderes Boulevard. The fountain and tombs were moved to the courtyard.
Alaiyeli Kaptan-ı Derya Ebubekir Ağa Complex
Across a complicated intersection south of the Murad Pasha Mosque is the Alaiyeli Kaptan-ı Derya Ebubekir Ağa Complex (Alaiyeli Kaptan-ı Derya Ebubekir Ağa Külliyesi). The complex contained a primary school, fountain, and tomb. It was built in 1724 by Ebubekir Pasha (1670-1758), a Grand Admiral (Kaptan-ı Derya) of the Ottoman Navy and governor of Egypt, Jeddah, Bosnia, and Cyprus. He was married to Safiye Sultan (1696-1778), the daughter of Sultan Mustafa II.
Pertevniyal Valide Sultan Mosque
The most impressive structure in Aksaray sits on the northwest corner of the intersection of Atatürk Boulevard, Turgut Özal Millet Avenue, and Ordu Avenue. The Pertevniyal Valide Sultan Mosque (Pertevniyal Valide Sultan Camii) was commissioned by Pertevniyal Sultan (1810-1884), a consort of Sultan Mahmud II and the mother of Sultan Abdülaziz. It was built between 1869 and 1872. The mosque was probably designed by Ottoman Armenian architect Sarkis Balyan (1835-1899).
The mosque sits next to the Pertevniyal High School (Pertevniyal Lisesi), which was also built by Pertevniyal Sultan in 1872. The complex contains a madrasa, library, fountain, and the tomb of Pertevniyal Sultan.
One of the most beautiful mosques in Istanbul, its architecture is a mix of Ottoman, Gothic, Moorish, Renaissance, Rococo, and other styles. The prayer hall has a square plan measuring 10 x 10 meters topped by a single dome.
On the day I visited the mosque with my Turkish friends, Selen and Canan, the imam was very happy to give us a tour. He talked about the history of the mosque, recent restorations, the elaborate decorations, and also took us to the upper gallery for better views.
St. Theodore Greek Orthodox Church
Across Atatürk Boulevard walking south towards Yenikapı is the St. Theodore Greek Orthodox Church (Αγίων Θεοδώρων Βλάγκας / Aya Todori Rum Ortodoks Kilisesi). It was originally built in 1648 and was rebuilt in 1830 after it was damaged by fire.
The church is connected to the Langa Greek Primary School (Özel Langa Rum İlkokulu), which was founded in 1906.
Molla Fenari Isa Mosque
The Molla Fenari Isa Mosque (Molla Fenari İsa Camii) is along Adnan Menderes Boulevard a short walk northwest of Aksaray Square. The mosque was originally the Byzantine Lips Monastery (Μονή του Λιβός). It was made up of two interconnected churches.
The first church was built as part of a nunnery in 908 by Constantine Lips (d. 917), a Byzantine admiral. It was dedicated to the Theotokos Panachrantos (Immaculate Mother of God / Παρθένα Θεοτόκο Παναχράντου) and the relics of St. Irene were stored there.
The second church was built to the south by Empress Theodora between 1286 and 1304. It was dedicated to St. John the Baptist (Eκκλησία του Αγίου Ιωάννου Προδρόμου του Λίβος) and several members of the Palaiologos dynasty were buried there. Later in the 14th century, an esonarthex and parecclesion were added.
History as a Mosque
In 1497, the south church was converted to a mosque by Fenarizade Alâeddin Ali ben Yusuf Efendi, the Ottoman chief judge (kazasker) of Rumeli. He named it after his uncle, Molla Şemseddin Fenari (1350-1431), an Ottoman scholar and theologian. The name of one of the teachers of the madrasa, Isa, was added to the name of the mosque.
The mosque burned down in 1633 and was rebuilt in 1636 by Bayram Pasha (d. 1638), a Grand Vizier under Sultan Murad IV. He also converted the north church into a dervish lodge and removed the Byzantine mosaics.
The Molla Fenari Isa Mosque was damaged by fire in 1782 and restored between 1847 and 1848. It burned down again in 1918 and was abandoned.
In 1929, excavations uncovered 22 sarcophagi. The Byzantine Society of America restored the building in the 1970s and 1980s. After the restoration was complete, it opened as a mosque once again.
Where to Eat in Aksaray, Istanbul
Aksaray is popular in Istanbul for its restaurants serving cuisine from Southeastern Anatolia, especially the cities of Urfa, Diyarbakır, and Hatay.
Hatay Medeniyetler Sofrası
Hatay Medeniyetler Sofrası is a great place that knows how to do Hatay cuisine in Istanbul. Although it isn’t the ONLY place in Istanbul that can cook up some great Hatay cuisine, it was recommended by several of my students who know food extremely well.
Hatay is a province in southern Turkey where the city of Antioch (now Antakya) is located. It has been a Turkish province since 1939 and is also claimed by Syria. There’s an eclectic mix of people and religions and Arabic can be heard spoken in the streets. Hatay also has some of the best food in Turkey, incorporating lots of meats with spices for an incredible flavor.
Our Meal
My first chance to visit Hatay Medeniyetler Sofrası came when my friend Tim’s parents were visiting Istanbul and they invited me along to dinner. I met them at the restaurant as they were arriving, and a friendly waiter escorted us to our table.
We started off with a few meze plates – haydari (yogurt with garlic and mint), patlıcan salatası (eggplant dip), and muhammara (spicy walnut dip). All were excellent. The waiter even brought out a fresh loaf of hot bread with Tim’s mom’s name spelled out on top of it in black seeds. Nice touch!
For the main course, it was difficult to choose. The entire menu looked phenomenal. There was a plethora of kebabs to choose from, but they didn’t exactly whet our appetite. We asked our waiter for something special and he recommended two dishes. One was lamb and vegetables cooked in a clay jug and the other was chicken stuffed with rice and cooked in a dome of salt. The presentation was wonderful as both dishes were brought to the table in flames.
The waiter very carefully broke open the dome of salt and dissected the chicken before putting it on the plate. He then smashed the clay jug and poured the contents onto another plate. Both dishes were delicious. The lamb was very tender and perfectly spiced. The chicken wasn’t dry at all, as we were kind of expecting, and the rice was incredible.
We didn’t have much room for dessert after such a huge meal, but we opted for the künefe and it was very good. In the end, all the food was the perfect amount for the four of us and everything was very reasonably priced.
Our Thoughts on Hatay Medeniyetler Sofrası
Overall, we were all very pleased with the meal. We actually came back a few nights later and had the exact same thing. The chicken was a bit dry the second time but it didn’t take away from the experience. At least the flavor was still there.
The only thing on the menu I would love to go back and try is the çığ köfte (raw meatballs). I had them often during my visit to Lebanon and Syria and loved the flavor. They’re very difficult to find in Istanbul due to health codes, but Hatay Medeniyetler Sofrası has them on the menu.
In addition to the branch in Aksaray, there are couple other branches in Istanbul. One is just off Taksim Square along Istiklal Street and another is in the Etiler area of Beşiktaş. I highly recommend any branch of this restaurant to anyone who visits Istanbul.
Yüksel Uygur Restaurant
Tim and I decided to try Yüksel Uygur Restaurant, which is located in Aksaray just across from the Yusufpaşa tram stop. I had never eaten Uygur cuisine before and I had no idea what to expect. Tim had traveled to Xinjiang province in China so he was familiar with it. I let him have free reign over the order.
Our Experience at Yüksel Uygur Restaurant
After entering the restaurant, we were greeted with a friendly smile and took our seats. The waiter brought a large pot of tea to our table immediately. Tim placed our order, and shortly after we were brought a samsa, which is a small meat-filled pastry. It was very tasty, and I could describe it as similar to an empanada.
Our next dish was Uygur pilav, which is rice with small chunks of meat and shredded carrots. Tim suggested adding the complementary salad (tomatoes and cucumbers) to the pilav as he did in Xinjiang province, and it turned out to be a great suggestion.
The meal continued with lağman, which is thick noodles with sautéed vegetables and thin strips of meat, mixed in a perfectly spiced sauce. It was my favorite dish of the night.
Our final dish was the Uygur mantı. While Turkish mantı is very small and smothered in yogurt sauce and spices, the Uygur variety was big enough to fit in the palm of my hand and filled with lots of meat. While it tasted good, it was squirting juices as I cut into it and there were a few unexpected bones. It was kind of an anticlimactic finish to the meal. I’d skip it and try something else.
All in all, the meal was an enjoyable experience and a great introduction to Uygur cuisine. It was also very affordable for the quality and amount of food we got.
Kebapçı Mahmut
If you’re looking for a good steak or some unique specialties from Southeastern Anatolia, head to Kebapçı Mahmut. It’s near the Molla Fenari Isa Mosque a short walk northwest of Aksaray Square. Ignore the strange Texas cowboy theme favored by the waiters and focus on the delicious food.
We went with a group of four and started with lentil soup (mercimek çorbası) and some meze dishes. Our main course was chicken baked in a salt dome and lamb cooked in a clay pot. They were brought table-side, set on fire, and expertly prepared in front of our eyes. Everything was delicious and my guests enjoyed the unexpected show.
