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Bebek is an upscale neighborhood on the European side of the Bosporus in Istanbul, Turkey. It’s located in the Beşiktaş district between Arnavutköy and Rumeli Hisarı.
Introduction to Bebek
Bebek is a popular hangout for locals. There are several excellent restaurants and cafés as well as a few seaside fish restaurants.
The neighborhood has been a desirable residential area since Ottoman times due to its attractive position on the Bosporus. Bebek translates to Baby, and was known as Chiles (Χηλές) in Byzantine times.
Getting to Bebek
To get to Bebek, you can take just about any bus heading north along the Bosporus from Kabataş or central Beşiktaş. You can also take one of the infrequent ferries on the City Ferry Lines (Şehir Hatları) to the Bebek Ferry Terminal.
Bebek Park
At the heart of the neighborhood is Bebek Park (Bebek Parkı). It’s a nice green space right on the Bosporus. There’s a path along the shore where boats are moored.
In the center the park is a fountain and a statue of Fuzuli (1494-1556), a Turkic poet. There’s also a playground and plenty of places to sit. I’ve seen lots of families having picnics in the park.
Emine Valide Pasha Mansion
At the southern end of the park is the Emine Valide Pasha Mansion (Emine Valide Paşa Yalısı). It’s one of the largest Ottoman seaside mansions on the Bosporus.
There were two mansions on the site before the current one. The original mansion was built in 1781 by Dürrizade Mehmed Ataullah Efendi (1759-1811), the Şeyhülislam (Shaykh al-Islam) of Sultan Abdülhamid I. In the 19th century, Rauf Pasha (1780-1859) built the second mansion. He served as Grand Vizier twice under Sultan Mahmud II and three times under Sultan Abdülmecid I .
Ali Pasha (1815-1871), a five-time Grand Vizier under Sultans Abdülmecid I and Abdülaziz, purchased the mansion from Rauf Pasha and renovated it. After Ali Pasha died, his heirs couldn’t afford the upkeep of the mansion. Sultan Abdülhamid II purchased it and, depending on the source, either sold it or gifted it to Princess Emina Ilhamy (1858-1931) in 1895. She was the mother of Abbas II (1874-1944), the last Khedive of Egypt.
Princess Emina had the mansion demolished and commissioned Italian architect Raimondo D’Aronco (1857-1932) to build the current mansion. Upon her death, she donated the mansion to the Egyptian government. It opened as the Egyptian Consulate and residence of the consul general in the 1960s. The building underwent a 2 ½ year restoration completed in 2011.
Bebek Mosque
Sitting just north of the park is the Bebek Mosque (Bebek Camii), officially the Hümayûn-u Âbad Mosque (Hümayûn-u Âbad Camii). The first mosque on the site was built in 1726 by Nevşehirli Damat Ibrahim Pasha (1662-1730), a Grand Vizier under Sultan Ahmed III. That mosque was demolished and rebuilt in 1913 by Turkish architect Mimar Kemaleddin (1870-1927).
The mosque is on a square plan and has a main dome supported by four half domes. There are a total of 34 windows, six large and 28 small, illuminating the prayer hall. It was under renovation during my last so I wasn’t able to enter.
Agios Charalambos Greek Orthodox Church
Heading uphill from the roads at the north end of the park are two churches. The walk takes you through a residential area with a mix of modern and historic buildings.
The first church is Agios Charalambos Greek Orthodox Church (Ἅγιος Χαράλαμπος Βεβεκίου / Ayios Haralambos Kilisesi). The congregation dates back to at least 1796, and the current church was built in 1830.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Off the main road and hidden behind a high wall is Sacred Heart Catholic Church (Sacré-Cœur / Sakrekör Latin Katolik Kilisesi). It was built by the Lazarists between 1908 and 1910 along with a school and orphanage. The church is still operating but the school and orphanage have been converted to luxury residences.
Where to Eat in Bebek
Although Bebek is a popular destination in Istanbul with some great restaurants, I’ve only been there for coffee and sweets.
Granny’s Waffles
If you’re looking for waffles, Bebek has some great options. We went to Granny’s Waffles, which is a few steps past all the action on Cevdet Pasha Street. This chain originally from Dubai has your typical waffle toppings and of course the waffles are delicious.
Baylan
Also in Bebek is a branch of Baylan. This famous pastry shop has been around since 1923, when Filip Lenas moved to Istanbul from the mountains between Albania and Greece and opened the first branch in Beyoğlu.
The house specialty is the Kup Griye, which was invented in 1954 by Filip’s son, Harry Lenas. It’s vanilla ice cream topped with almonds and other nuts, caramel sauce, whipped cream, and a lady finger. The Kup Griye is an Istanbul original and a true gem.
La Sirène
Finally, if you’re looking for good coffee in a beautiful setting along the Bosporus, you can visit La Sirène. Although they have a full menu, we decided to sit and have a coffee outdoors by the Bosporus. Unfortunately, service was slow and unfriendly.
