Ortaköy literally means "the village in the middle" and in fact this area was only 8 kilometers northeast of Sultanahmet in the center of the European Bosphorus shore. Today Ortaköy is now one of the coolest, artsy and trendy neighborhood of Istanbul, with atmospheric cafés and bistorts, masses of sophisticated, young residents and visitors, and trendy boutiques.
view of Ortaköy, down from the Bosphorus Bridge
Image by Guillén Pérez via Flickr
Ortaköy is one of the most beautiful areas on the Bosporus from Istanbul's Besiktas districts , just below the first Bosphorus Bridge. During the Ottoman period Ortaköy was just a small fishing village with an attractive location, as a result, it was also a resort for the Ottoman dignitaries. The popularity of the district still has not faded after so many years since foreign visitors and local Turks continue to visit.
Image by Turan Ko via Flickr
It is a 620px good place for all that you might want to stop for coffee or tea, a meal or a snack, take a break or a boutique window shop, especially when an entire morning was issued on a Bosphorus sail north to Sariyer.
If it's a Sunday, an unprepared market street of artists can expect to see in the neighborhood with their wares on display, so that passers-by can admire them and even buy them can be. Ortaköy not start with tourists, but the area has a lot of history. For those who want to pay a visit to the synagogue Etz Ahayim, all you have to do Hop on a bus or minibus and hop off at Osmanzade Sokak, which is very close. The bell tower and the steeple of a small Orthodox Church Synagogue are also very close to the Etz Ahayim.
Traditional Ortaköy houses
Picture of Pi István Tóth via Flickr
Anyone who wants to come to the Bosphorus shores and the Büyük Mecidiye Camii, which is the most famous landmark in Ortaköy, all they have to do, walk east on Osmanzade. The Büyük Mecidiye Camii literally Grand Imperial Mosque of Sultan Abdülmecid I. But usually it's just called Ortaköy Camii or Ortaköy mosque. The mosque is a late example of the imperial mosques in Istanbul, almost over the Bosphorus European banks "on the water.
Image by Elaine via Flickr
Nikogos Balyan is the architect, the eclectic baroque mosque designed 1854th He also designed the Dolmabahce Palace, and was a descendant of a number of Armenian imperial architect. Quite a few masterful Arabian calligraphies are inside the mosque, Sultan Abdülmecid executed since he hung an experienced calligraphers.
The Grand Imperial Mosque of Sultan Abdülmecid
Image by Guillermo Fdez via Flickr
June 2014 marked the completion of the restoration work that had been, take away to Ortaköy Mosque and now it is once again open to the public and the faithful. The sea next to the mosque is filled with cafes and terraces tea for decades. These coffee houses and tea terraces that overlook the water, which also happens to be among the main attractions in Ortaköy.
Maiden's Tower (Kiz Kulesi)
Image by la_imagen via Flickr
On the weekends, there tends to be too heavy and slow traffic be on the road along the Bosphorus shore. Therefore, the perfect time to Ortaköy visit on weekdays during lunchtime. Whether tourists want to see the many historic monuments in Ortaköy or visit one of several glamorous bars and clubs, all they need is a Turkey visa to travel to Turkey and go to Ortaköy.
Image by Tolga" Musato "via Flickr
