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DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Istanbul

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DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Istanbul 174 ISTANBUL AREA BY AREA A 90-Minute Walk from Taksim Square to the Istanbul Modern Art Museum It was in the Pera district that Constantinople’s cosmopolitan population lived and worked in the 19th century, where the embassies and palatial residences mirrored the lifestyle of Topkapı Palace, on the opposite side of the Golden Horn. Once known as the “Paris of the East”, life centred on the main street of Pera, today’s İstiklâl Caddesi. Even today the Avrupa Pasajı and Balık Pazar markets seem wistfully unchanged, especially when contrasted with the remarkable Pera Museum A Çiçek Pasajı restaurant 4 and the sophisticated Istanbul Modern Art Museum. you reach the exquisite market, Çiçek Pasajı 4, built Pera Museum 8 (once the by Italian architect Michel Bristol Hotel), where the Capello in 1856, and now philanthropic Koç family filled with restaurants. At Stop exhibits their art collection Restaurant, veer left then right and Turkish tiles. ę on Şahne Sokak, which forms % %&4 $" the backbone of the Fish 4",*;"ć"$*$"% * Market, or Balık Pazar 5. 5"3-"#"ł 40, Return along Sahne #" #":3". )"."-#"ł*$"%-*,40 501±&,&/-&3 Sokak and stroll down #Ã:Ã, $ 40,"ć* " &łę- . , : 4 the arcaded Hall of 0, /&7ę;"%& , Mirrors, or Avrupa "34-"/40, 40 Pasajı 6 on the right. ę 4 The Neo-Renaissance & % ±&ł.&4ę40, interior, with marble % #"ł"ć" " ę floors and classical $ &4 % % " statues, was once lit $ :&/ę±"3ł*$" by gas lamps and . " 5 6 % Avrupa Pasajı bazaar mirrors amplified : ,"--"7ę E " 5ę:& the light. 4 40,"ć* * ć & " 4, , ę±ę Along İstiklâl Caddesi Turn right , ±& ę40, 4 0 ,± & .&ł36 ę : '¶ )":3 Begin the walk in Taksim and then left & ę45ę,-"-$"%%&4ę 3 /à 1 3ę ć* K Square at the Independence onto Meşrutiyet ;ę:"40," % Monument, completed by Caddesi and % &4ę $"% Pietro Canonica in 1928, follow the road #045"/#"ł* that depicts Atatürk with around to the left ."$"% his political contemporaries. with the British Before following the vintage Consulate General 7 on ±6,63 9 #045"/40, ±6,63$6,Ã-)" * /4 "/40,"ć 0, tram line down İstiklâl Caddesi, your right. Follow this street 50.50.,"15 #0ć";,&4&/$"%% have a look at the octagonal down, past TRT (Turkish 3 stone tower, known as the Radio and Television) and & Maksem 2, on the corner of the celebrated but now faded ,"%ę3- Taksim Caddesi. Dating from Grand Hotel de Londres until ," 3" 1832, it was once used as a # ½3.&"-5* "ł%&3&4ę reservoir – you can still see 40, F &4ę carved bird houses and 0, ,6.#"3"$*:0,6ł6 40, remains of a fountain. It now 64 - houses an art gallery. On 6 your right is the French ,"1*, 56-6.#"$* Cultural Centre, while on the 4*5,*40, left, further down at No. 127 is a traditional sweet shop, "-5*$"% &3 Hacı Bekir, dating from 1777. &. , Saray Muhallebicisi 3 is perfect for a coffee and one /&$"5ę#&:$"% of the renowned pastries. Market shopping Pass Yeşilcam Sokak, the home of Turkish cinema, and at Şarabi Wine House, turn into the former flower Dome of the Kılıç Ali Paşa Mosque y THREE GUIDED WALKS 175 Historic buildings TIPS FOR WALKERS Walk through the Odakule Arkade and turn left on to Starting point: Taksim Square. İstiklâl Caddesi. Opposite the Length: 2.5 km (1.5 miles). Galatasary High School is the Getting there: From Old Beyoğlu Post Office 9. Sultanahmet, take the tramway A campaign to keep it open to Karaköy, from where you can was unsuccessful and the ride the Tünel funicular train to Baroque marble building was Tünel Square at the southern closed in 1998. Originally a end of İstiklâl Caddesi in Beyoğlu. wealthy merchant’s residence, Travel up İstiklâl Caddesi by it still has an ornamental nostalgic tram to Taksim Square. fountain in the penthouse. Stopping-off points: The fish Take the second right onto market on Sahne Sokak has lots Tornacıbaşı of cheerful eateries. French Street Sokak, is ideal for an elegant drink. Istanbul Modern Art Museum p 5",4*. .&:%"/* 5" which takes you past Shopping and museums , 4 ę .$"% the Greek Orthodox Çukurcuma Caddesi and school, Zografyon 0 on Tomtom Kaptan Sokak &40, . 3"#*: the left. In front of you intersect here and both have *440,"ć* 6 5BLTJN ę."."%/"/ , ę $"%%&4ę 4 is Galata saray Hamamı curio shops such as Tüterler .&ł&-ę,40,"ć* & 40, q r % , Turkish baths built in at No. 186. At the bottom ę45ę,-"- % 40, " 1481 and in use ever since. of this street on the corner $ 1&, ę 3 Take the steep cobbled of Defterdar Yokuşu is the & - street that descends beside Tophane t, once an ę ±6,63-6 7 - the Turkish baths, Çapanoğlu Ottoman cannon foundry. ")6%6%640, 40, & )"ł/6/("-ę140,"ć* 4 Sokak, which becomes a Cross Necatibey Caddesi " 5&-40,"ć* 3 * staircase at the bottom. Turn over the tramline to the 16th- #ę--63$6 4 *ł*,40, right onto Harbiye century Kılıç Ali Paşa Mosque ,"ć* 0 y 4 Sokak and you will (see p106), one of the last "± . reach French Street, masterpieces of architect w -ę or Fransız Sokağı Mimar Sinan. Opposite is the 7" 40 u , on the left, where Tophane fountain (see an elegant French p106) built in 1732, which ambience meets now bestows locally bottled classy Beyoğlu. Enjoy drinking water. From here lunch or a glass of you can also see the Baroque "ć")".".*40,"ć* i 1"-"4," wine at one of the Clock Tower . 40, French-style cafés. Continue left along Salı Refreshed, Pazarı o with its shops, continue along restaurants and narghile ,"4"563" 40, French Street and (pipe) smokers. A sign 5Ã'&,±ę4"-ę)40, Interior of the Tophane at the end turn right directs you to the Istanbul % " $ foundry t onto Boğazkesen Modern Art Museum p (see à $ à Caddesi and p107), with its collection of ( , 3 continue left down the hill contemporary Turkish art. 5à #" 5"3:" 40, "%%&4ę until you reach Tomtom To get back to the city -"3$ Kaptan Mosque e. The 17th- centre, catch the west-bound ,"3 %&'5&3%"3:0,646 century fountain here, which tram which takes you directly 4"/"5 ,"3-"3.&,5&#ę40, "5 4"/ was once a grand landmark, back to Sultanahmet over the is now sadly neglected. Galata Bridge. H .&$-ę4ę.&#64"/$"%%&4ę C I M D = 0 metres 250 0 yards 250 KEY Walk route Metro Pera Museum 8.
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