Explore No : #430
Eminönü
Eminönü is a district of Istanbul in Turkey. This is the heart of the
walled city of Constantine, the focus of a history of incredible
richness. Eminönü covers the point on which the Byzantine capital was
built. The Galata Bridge crosses the Golden Horn into Eminönü and the
mouth of the Bosphorus opens into the Marmara Sea. And up on the hill
stands Topkapı Palace, the Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii) and Hagia
Sophia (Aya Sofya). Thus Eminönü is the main tourist destination in
Istanbul.
History
The Golden Horn was a natural port, particularly the Eminönü/Sirkeci
shore, which being on a peninsula was also eminently defensible. It
was for this port that İstanbul was built, and from here that İstanbul
grew, with the oldest neighbourhoods being the port districts along
the Golden Horn. In time the Byzantine port was also occupied by
merchants from Genoa and Pisa, who eventually acquired their own
wharfs and waterfront districts.
The Golden Horn was still a thriving port in Ottoman times, occupied
by importers, warehousemen, sailors and traders of every description,
the centre of trade in the city, a labryinth of narrow streets
wokshops and markets leading uphill to Topkapı Palace, the Ottoman
capital.
The district's name, Eminönü, also reflects its' place in history.
Translated from Turkish to English it roughly means 'in front of
justice'. Emin meaning 'justice', önü meaning 'in front of'. The name
most probably came from the Ottoman courts and customs houses on the
docks.
The nature of the place did of course change in the industrial age;
the Galata Bridge was built across the Golden Horn; steamships came,
then electricity, then the railway and the Istanbul terminal of the
Orient Express was naturally sited at Sirkeci Station. The sea walls
still surrounded the city, and the sea gates of the port of Eminönü
were the point of entry for goods, and for people.
Following the huge railway station, other grand stone buildings
followed in the late Ottoman period, commercial buildings, the central
post office among others. And in the early days of the Turkish
Republic, Eminönü was renovated extensively; the big square was opened
up in front of Yeni Cami (by clearing out the tollbooths at the end of
the Galata Bridge); The Spice bazaar was restored; the fish market was
cleared off the shore of the Golden Horn and a road opened up to the
new bridge at Unkapanı.
By the 1950s, the area was continuously clogged up with traffic, which
was eased somewhat by the construction of the large coast road around
the point and all the way out to Istanbul airport.
Things to see
Eminönü has many historical mosques and buildings, many of Istanbul's
best-known landmarks. Recent development has improved Eminönü greatly
and many of its winding streets which can at first seem imposing have
been developed and improved, while Eminönü has started to repair the
many mosques.
•Sultanahmet - which contains Topkapı Palace, Aya Sofia, the Blue
Mosque and Aya Irini among about a thousand other incredible pieces of
architecture;
•Süleymaniye - the huge mosque complex of Suleyman the Magnificent;
•Yeni Cami (The new mosque) - the mosque that dominates the waterfront
by the Galata Bridge; there is a wide open space in front where people
feed the pigeons.
•The Grand Bazaar - as much to look at as to shop in.
•The Spice Bazaar - another Ottoman caravanserai, not as huge as the
Grand Bazzar but right on the water, next to Yeni Camii;
by Wikipedia
Atilla1000, FoTógRaFoURbaNo - javiercastillofotografo.com, Dimitri Depaepe, baby7, and 86 other people added this photo to their favorites.
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Annie K... 40 months ago | reply
Music To My Eyes - (post 1 - give an award to 5)
G.Hotz Photography (busy as a bee =) 40 months ago | reply
excellent work !
Music To My Eyes - (post 1 - give an award to 5)
Kıvanç Niş 39 months ago | reply
thanks for all wonderful comments faves and awards !!!
themoonmachine 38 months ago | reply
Hello!
I just wanted to let you know that your photo was featured in a travel article on Matador Network with a link back to your photostream.
You can view the article here:
matadortrips.com/what-not-to-do-in-istanbul
Thanks so much for sharing your great work! Feel free to add this photo or any other travel photos to our Matador Flickr Group!
Sarah