THE SIAN FACE OF ISTANBUL:
USKUDAR AND KADIKOY
CITY OF THE BLIND: KADIKOY
According to the legends of
the first settlers of Istanbul, Kadikoy
was the land of blindmen who failed to see the beauty of Sarayburnu and
who settled in Kadikoy instead. However, this is an unlikely story. Kadikoy may
not have the geographical advantanges of Sarayburnu, but it was believed to
have a special air that helps the sick and prevents illness. So it served for generations
Byzantine and Ottoman emperors as hunting and recreation ground. Kadikoy is one
of the oldest settlements in Istanbul and surface surveys indicate that its
history goes back to 3000 BC.
Even today, though Kafikoy is
part of a metropolis, it has not completely abandoned the summer residence
atmostphere it was renowned for during the Byzantine and Ottoman periods. A
nostalgic tram journey on the Bahariye – Moda –Muhurdar route brings you to the
Bahariye- Moda- Muhurdar route brings you to the promenades of Moda, Kalamis
and Fenerbahce. With the tea houses in the green setting, they are ideal for
those who want to escape from the city crowds. Both Byzantine and Ottoman
emperors chose this area or their summer palaces. The Fenerbahce peninsula has
pedestrian routes lined with centennial trees and colourful displays of
flowers.
The tables lining the shore
enable you to enjoy a vista of the Sea of Marmara and the Prince Islands. And a
hotair balloon takes its customers 300 meters high above the throng, offering a
view of this world city from a bird’s eye level.
One of the most important
monuments of Kadikoy is the Haydrpasa Train Station. Its German style
architecture at the seaside location makes it a symbl of Kadikoy. It is the
point of departure for those travelling from Istanbul to cities and towns in
Anatolia, as well as the terminal stop for those arriving from Anatolia. Its
construction was completed in 1908.For those who arrived in Istanbul from
Anatolia during the waves of mass immigration in the 20th century;
this was their first foothold in Istanbul.
Some of the warehouses were used for
ammunition during the First World War, and sabotage led to an explosion which
caused extensive damage to building. However, the station has survived to our
day as a monumental building on the Asian side of Istanbul.
Another symbolic building in
Kadikoy is the Sureyya Opera House. It can be seen on the road between
Haydarpasa and Fenerbahce. It was opened in 1927 and later converted to a
cinema used for a long while. The building was recently renovated to its
original use. Its architecture is quite interesting since it took bits and
pieces from many theatres and opera buildings in various parts of Europe. For
example, the hall resembles the Champs-Elysee theatre in Paris, while the
interior resembles German theatres.
USKUDAR
Across the Kiz Kulesi )
Leander’s Tower), on the hills of Uskudar , the gathering and worshipping place
of the Celveti Sufi Order, the Aziz Mahmut Hudai Complex was built in 1595. The
Celveti Order was one of the most important religious orders of the Ottoman
Empire. The building was later extended with additional buildings and used
until 1925 as the seat of the religious order. After the new law banning orders
and confiscating their buildings, it was used only as a mosque. Ottoman sultans
paid respects to Mahmut Hudai, the leader of the Order and his tomb is visited
by many people as we have seen in the case of Eyup Sultan’s tomb. The painted
decorations of the interior of the mosque are splendid.
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