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[+] [+] Contents [hide] Understand Get in Get around See Do Buy Eat Drink Sleep Contact Get out Middle East : Turkey : Marmara : Istanbul Province : Istanbul : Golden Horn Tour Turkey? zicasso.com Golden Horn (Turkish: Hali) is both the name of the estuary of the Bosphorus towards west in Istanbul, and also of the district on banks of it. This article concentrates on the areas around Golden Horn banks west of city walls. For southeastern banks, see Istanbul/Sultanahmet-Old City. For northeastern banks, see Istanbul/Galata. Understand [edit] English name of the bay comes from its Greek counterpart, Hrison Keras ( ), which literally translates "Golden Horn". The "horn" part perhaps comes from the deep curve the bay has towards its end in the northwest. "Golden" part is more obscure, but possibly it's a poetic referral to reflections on the Horn's water during beautiful sunsets. History [edit] Page Discussion Read Edit View history Search Main Page Project Home Travellers' Pub Recent changes Random page Help Report a problem Upload a picture Wikitravel Shared Contact Wikitravel Feeds Travel news Destination Docents Tools In other languages Create account Log in Do you need professional PDFs? Try PDFmyURL! Golden Horn as seen from Pierre Loti Cafe Golden Horn, an estuary formed by flooding of valleys of two rivers confluenting just northwest of Eyp by Bosphorus in prehistorical times, had always been Istanbul's primary harbour. In fact, it can be argued that Istanbul would never have existed in such a grand way if it weren't for this superb harbour (and also the superb trading route through and across Bosphorus, by the way). In 1700s, mansions and large gardens full of tulips along the Horn, then called Sadabad, were favourite retreats of Ottoman state elite, who conducted costly parties thereabouts, which were later accused of economic destruction and the eventual dissolution of Ottoman Empire. Those years were called either Lale Devri ("Tulip Era") or Sefahat Devri ("Debauch Era") by different classes of society. Very little is left from that period physically. Then, about a century later, in 1800s, the banks of Golden Horn was where the industrial revolution first started in Ottoman Empire and up to 1980s, Golden Horn continued to be one of the industrial powerhouses of the Turkish economy, however this situation had its heavy toll on what was once "golden" Horn: the industrial effluents in addition to the untreated wastewater from rapidly expanding city's sewers caused the Horn stinking to high heaven, as much as that people were actually trying to avoid the avenues along its banks even if those routes meant a shortcut to where they are heading. Then in late 1980s, the first attempts to bring the Horn to its former glory began. Today its water is much cleaner (although not clean enough for a swim and there is still some way to go), and pleasant parks on the lots of demolished factories surround its banks. Neighbourhoods on its banks, Eyp in special, put a special emphasis on celebrating the Ottoman roots of the area. Get in [edit] Buses depart from Eminn for Eyp on the southern shore of the Horn, and also for neighborhoods on the northern shore. Ferries from skdar (Asian coast), which also call at Eminn and Karaky, zigzag between neighborhood quays located on both shores of the Horn. Get around [edit] Pedestrianized Old Galata Bridge (Eski Galata Kprs), built in 1912, and once connecting Eminn with Karaky, is replaced with the current bridge in its former place after it suffered from a big fire in 1992 in the stores on its lower level, and towed to its present upper location on Golden Horn, between Feshane Cultural Centre (Feshane Kltr Merkezi) at the eastern entrance of Eyp on the southern bank of the Horn and Stlce on the northern bank of the Horn, providing an easy link for pedestrians between sides of the Horn. However, the middle section of the bridge is sometimes towed away to provide water circulation along the Horn, so it entirely depends on your luck whether you'll be able to cross the Horn on foot on any given day. Small ferries zigzaging between neighbourhood quays on each side of the Horn are also another way of crossing to the other side of the Horn. There is also a chairlift line between downtown Eyp and Pierre Loti on a hill overlooking the Horn, see below Affordable Istanbul Tours Book Now, Save up to 35%. Istanbul Tours with our experts. www. istanbulsightseeings. com Tour Turkey? zicasso.com 4 & 5 Star Custom Tours From Top Travel Agents. Great Advice & Value Do you need professional PDFs? Try PDFmyURL! ("Drink" section) for more details. See [edit] [add listing] Eyp Mosque Complex (Eyp Camii), Eyp. This is the main attraction around this part of the city. The holiest Islamic shrine in the city, the complex includes, right next to the mosque, the tomb of Abu Ayyub al- Ansari (Eyp Ensari Trbesi), the standard bearer of Prophet Mohammad, died and buried here during the first Muslim siege of Constantinople (674678 AD). It was him the neighbourhood was named after. Muslims flock in so huge numbers that sometimes you have to queue for a few minutes before entering the tombhere also to see a rather uninteresting plaque made of plastic, which is purported to be Mohammad's footprint. The interior of the tomb, covered with fine tiles/faience, is nonetheless well worth a look, however. It is also interesting to see the devout Muslims leaving the place by walking backwards through its exit hallway, as not to turn their backs to al-Ansari's catafalque, although no one expects everyone to leave the place in the same manner. Free. edit Around the mosque complex is cemeteries and tombs all of which date back to Ottoman period, with their distinctively decorated marble headstones. Besides, there are a number of other mosques, streets and stores surrounding the Eyp Complex, all pleasantly preserved, and give the visitors an idea of how Ottoman Istanbul should be looking like. Here is where all of those "boys-to-be-circumsized photos" are taken, as its a tradition to take the boys in their special Ottoman prince clothes to this particular mosque before the event. In the adjoining streets, you can find shops offering interesting Ottoman-style stuff like wooden toys or traditional salty biscuits shaped like a ring (halka) which you cannot easily find elsewhere. Feshane, Eski Feshane Caddesi, Eyp (on the waterfront, just east of central Eyp; get off the bus at 'Defterdar' stop), +90 212 501-73-26 (fax: +90 212 501-73-28), [1] . Originally a factory producing fezzes (fes), Ottoman red hats made of felt, adopted in Ottoman Empire in early 1800s as a part of westernizing efforts in lieu of much more traditional turbans. However, as an irony of fate, fez itself was scrapped away in favour of outright western garments during Atatrk's reforms of 1920s and '30s as it was thought to symbolize the old, decidedly oriental regime. Today, Feshane serves as a cultural and exhibition centre, which hosts celebrations on local days, and some temporary art exhibitions. During Ramadan, it becomes some sort of playground showcasing how Ramadan was celebrated during Ottoman era, with traditional sweets and all. edit Miniaturk [2] , at Stlce (on northern shore of the Horn). M-F 09:00-19:00 and S-Su 09:00-21:00. It was built in 2001 and is the first miniature park in Istanbul (the world's largest miniature park in respect to its model area). The park hosts icons of many cultures and civilizations. Models vary from the Hagia Sophia to Galata Tower, from Safranbolu Houses to the Sumela Monastry in Trabzon, from Qubbat As-Sakhrah to the ruins of Mount Nemrut. In addition, some works that have not survived into the present, such as the Temple of Artemis, the Halicarnassus Mausoleum and Ajyad Castle, were recreated. All former Ottoman Empire in one place. Rahmi M. Ko Industrial Museum (Sanayi Mzesi), Hasky Caddesi 27, Hasky (on the northern shore of the Horn), +90 212 256 71 53-54, [3] . This is a typical industry museum which showcases evolution of Do you need professional PDFs? Try PDFmyURL! machines. Many transport related items including a submarine, classic cars, railway carriages, an out-of- service Bosphorus ferry and a Douglas DC-3 aircraft (possible to go inside) is, among others, in the display. Also houses a typical Istanbul streetscape with its shops and all as how it would look like in the past. edit Santral stanbul, Silahtar Mah., Kazm Karabekir Cad. 1, Eyp (at the upper end of the Horn, confluence of two creeks; free shuttles every half an hour 08:30-21:0. daily from Atatrk Cultural Centre in Taksim Square is available in addition to a wide array of public buses which call at the nearby 'Silahtar' stop), +90 212 311 78 09, [4] . Tu-Su 10:00-20:00. A contemporary art museum located in a building converted from an old power plant (first such plant in Istanbul and the Ottoman Empire). Part of the plant was kept in almost exact original condition and now serves as the "Energy Museum". 7 TL (students 3 TL, under 12 and over 65 years of age free). edit Do [edit] [add listing] Walk the town of Balat. Balat housed the first Jews who settled in Istanbul after the Spanish expulsion. Today, its a middle class neighborhood and as you walk you can see the oldest Jewish houses with the Star of David. Buy [edit] [add listing] Eat [edit] [add listing] Akmanolu Frn, (near Eyp Mosque), +90 212 581 06 39, [5] . This is the bakery where halkas mentioned in see section, as well as a number of other traditional cakes, both sweet and salty, are produced and sold. edit Lale Lokantasi, Feshane Caddesi, Eyp (inside Feshane Kltr Merkezi - cultural centre), +90 212 501 73 72. Traditional Turkish/Ottoman cuisine. edit Restaurants around this neighbourhood, [6] . edit Drink [edit] [add listing] Cafs [edit] Pierre Loti is an open air caf on a hill overlooking Golden Horn in Eyp. Its rumored that a famous French writer used to love to visit this caf during his residence in Istanbul. There is a cable car, lasting about 3 minutes; departs every 5 min between 08:00-midnight), which offers some nice views, between the shore of Golden Horn and the hill on which caf is situated. Its also possible to walk uphill or to take a taxi. Sleep [edit] [add listing] Do you need professional PDFs? Try PDFmyURL! Privacy policy About Wikitravel Terms of use This page was last modified on 31 December 2013, at 10:36. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details. There are not many places to stay in the Golden Horn, and it is mainly visited as a day trip from nearby districts, Galata and especially Old City. However, if it attracted your attention much as to arouse a desire to overnight there, you have an option or two. Turquhouse Boutique Hotel, Merkez Mah. dris Kk Caddesi, Eyp (1 km to downtown Eyp), +90 212 497 13 13 (fax: +90 212 497 16 16), [7] . Boutique hotel housed in 7 separate buildings in the same yard. Rooms with en-suite bathrooms, air-con, satellite TV and wireless internet access. 90/110/140 for single/double/triple rooms. About 20% cheaper Nov-Mar. edit Contact [edit] Get out [edit] A trip to Eyp can easily be combined with some more sightseeing in areas of old city of Istanbul that are close to the banks of Golden Horn, such as the former Greek neighbourhood of Fener/Phanar, which houses Patriarchate of Constantinople and Bulgarian church of St. Stephen, one of few prefabricated cast iron churches in the world. This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow! Category: Usable articles Do you need professional PDFs? Try PDFmyURL!