Beyazit Tower is still in use today as a watch-tower as well as for signaling wather forecast and maritime navigation information to the ships on the Golden Horn at night. The tower lost its importance with the development of advanced communications technology.
Beyazit Tower on Google Maps
Besiktas history go back to the Ancient History. The first inhabitants of the region were Thracians. In ancient times the villages on the Bosphorus shore were isolated communities in the forest that lined the water-side. In Byzantine period the area was called “Diplokionion” means double column in Greek. The tradition of having a summer palace on the Bosphorus was began by the Byzantines with their Ayios Mamas palace complex. In the Ottoman period once the emperors had established control of the Black Sea coasts, the Ottoman navy was docked in the Bosphorus and the Bosphorus villages began to improve. For caravans and the Ottoman armies want to cross the Bosphorus, the area was a meeting place. Some of the most important hunting logdes and palaces was constructed in the district : Dolmabahce Palace, Yildiz Palace, Ciragan Palace and Ihlamur Pivillion.
Following the declaration of Turkish Republic in 1923, the Ottoman ruling family was deported. The palaces and mansions along the coast were emptied out. Some of these buildings were given to new government ministries and some used as schools and other public buildings, other were pulled down. Besiktas, in 1930 separated from Beyoglu district and became an independent district of Besiktas.
Besiktas Inonu Stadium
Besiktas Inonu Stadium is the home of the football club Besiktas J.K. It is located next to the Dolmabahce Palace. It was designed by Italian architect Paolo Vietti Violi who collaborated with Turkish architects Sinasi Sahingiray and Fazil Aysu for preparing the project. The stable of the Dolmabahce Palace was chosen as the location to build the stadium. The first foundation was laid in 1939, but the construction works were frozen due to the outbreak of the Second World War. The stadium was inaugurated in 1947 by Ismet Inonu, the second President of Turkey and himself a Besiktas fan, and Lutfi Kirdar, the Governor of Istanbul. In 1952, the stadium was named as the Mithat Pasa Stadium, later in 1973, it was renamed as the Inonu Stadium. For many years Galatasaray S.K. and Fenerbahce S.K. have share the stadium with Besiktas J.K. Later years for Galatasaray S.K. Ali Sami Yen Stadium was constructed in 1964 and for Fenerbahce S.K. Sukru Saracoglu Stadium was constructed in 1982. The stadium has a capacity of 32,000. It is the only stadium in the world from which a football fan can view two continents : Europe and Asia, which are separated by the Bosphorus.
Inonu Stadium is a holy place for Besiktas fans, because it has seen many victories against famous European football clubs, such as FC Barcelona, Liverpool, Marseille, Paris Saint Germain, AC Milan, and many others. Inonu Stadium holds the record for highest decibel level (132dB) ever recorded in football, in a match against Liverpoo breaking the previous record which was held by the Liverpool fans in Anfield. The football team wears black and white shirts and is nicknamed the Black Eagles. The club has earned notoriety for its faithful fans. Besiktas J.K. also has basketball, volleyball, and other sports teams.
Besides football, BJK Inonu Stadium can be configured to hold many other events, particularly major concerts. The first stadium concert in Turkey was performed by Bryan Adams at the Inonu Stadium on July 28, 1992. Madonna performed on October 7, 1993.
Besiktas District on Google Maps
In 1980’s the cistern was renovated by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and a promenade platform was built in the cistern. During renovation time two Medusa heads were revealed. It is not known exactly when or why the Medusa heads were brought to the cistern. Today the cistern is used one of the most important art and cultural centers of Istanbul.
The cistern was used as a location for the 1963 James Bond film From Russia with Love.
Basilica Cistern on Google Maps
According to a legend the church with its Holy Spring was built by Leo I, first half of V. century. After the church and Holy Spring was constructed on the area, it became famous. During Justinian I period church was reconstructed and amplified. During that restoration it is said the surplus metarial from Hagia Sophia was used. The region was a recreation area in Byzantine period for emperors and Holy spring was used as a health center. The building many times repaired over centuries, mainly by the damages made during eathquakes.
The icon that represents the Virgin of the Spring shows the Virgen Mary blessing and embracing the Child. She is surrounded by two angels and usually is sitting on the more elevated of two basins which are sustained by a water jet coming from a larger marble basin adorned with a cross. Around this, stands the Emperor with his guard, while on the left there is the Patriarch with his bishops. On the background, is represented Leo I with the blind man together with the walls of the City. Under the basin a paralytic and a mad are healed with the spring’s water.
According to the epigraphs of the church, in 1833 by an edict of the Sultan Mahmut II, it was reconstructed and was opened in 1835. The present church is rectangular in shape. It is roughly oriented in E – W direction, and has three naves divided by columns and preceded by an esonarthex. By the Northwest corner rises a metallic bell tower. The interior is richly adorned. On the right side near the middle of the nave there is a pulpit, while at the end lies a rich iconostasis. Right of the iconostasis there is an icon which the tradition says painted by Saint Luke. The source lies in a subterranean crypt outside the church, and can be accessed descending a stair parallel the long sides of the church. A symmetric stair leads from the crypt to the church’s yard. The crypt is adorned with paintings and icons, and is surmounted by a dome painted with Christ in a starry sky. The water flows into a marble basin, where fishes are swimming. These fishes, present in the basin since centuries, gave origin to the Turkish name of the complex (balikli in Turkish means “place where there are fishes”).
The church was restored in 1933 and in 1955 last time. From the conquest of Costantinople, until today from 268 patriarchs, 20 of them buried here. Some of the gravestones with Karamanli inscriptions (Turkish language written in Greek alphbet), which constitute by far the largest surviving group in this language.
Balikli Greek Church on Google Maps
Anadoluhisari is a small castle erected as a watch tower and is approximately 25 meters high, 2 meters thick wall. It is consisting of a keep and its sorrounding wall together with an outer wall guarded by three towers but outer wall partly demolished. There is a masjid in the fortress. The castle is the oldest Turkish architectural structure built in Istanbul.
The castle was restored in 1991 – 1993 by Turkish Ministry of Culture. Today, the castle with the old wooden houses leaning to its walls and its surroundings have a picturesque view. From the streets that borders the castle can be seen the breathtaking view of Rumelihisari and Bosphorus. Anadolu Hisari is an open air museum but only outer walls can be visited today.
Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, spanning Bosphorus is located just on the north of the Anatolian castle and Goksu creek on the south.
Anatolian Fortress on Google Maps
On the region around ferry dock there is very busy shopping area and a number of important Ottoman mosques from 16th century with a monumental fountain in the square. The miniature Semsi Pasa Mosque and the medrese on the shore are fine examples of Turkish architecture.
Mihrimah Sultan Mosque constructed by daughter of of Suleiman the magnifient, just a few pace fromthe ferry dock in the historical center of Uskudar between 1546 and 1548. Mihrimah Sultan was wife of Grand Vizier Rustem Pasa and her mosque was the first of the two mosques constructed by her. The Mosque is one of Uskudar’s best-known landmarks.
Other prominent neighborhood along the Bosphorus shore south of the historic center is Salacak. In Salacak there is a long promenade with a view of European shore of Topkapi Palace, Ayasofya, Blue Mosque Besiktas and Ortakoy up to Bosphorus Bridge. The most prominent view of Salacak is not in the coast but out in the water : Kiz Kulesi (Maiden Tower). Today the tower used as an an luxury restaurant. The tower take its name from a legend about a princess shut in the tower.
It is said during his fly from Galata Tower, Hezarfen Ahmet Celebi landed here on his hang-glider flight across the Bosphorus in 17th century.
Uskudar District on Google Maps