Kuzguncuk: An Old Styled Bosphorus Town
1 Comments Published by Ezgi on Monday, 25 June 2007 at 20:26.
Our second post is about Kuzguncuk, a small Bosphorus town where is so close to Üsküdar. We always complain about lack of communication between people. Despite of city life's negativities, Kuzguncuk's people still have humanity and hospitality. In Turkish language, we say "this place has a quarter soul" about districts such as Kuzguncuk. People still belive neighborhood's importance and says "Good Morning/ Afternoon/Evening" to each other when they meet. Belive me, it is suprise to see these kind of friendly relations in Istanbul.
I visited Kuzguncuk in winter, it was so cold and rainly. I did not care, because I was taking photos of these beautiful old houses. Kuzguncuk's old wooden houses is very famous and unique. They are not desolated, there are still families who live in these houses. They are almost restorated by their owners.
I was listening Edith Piaf's L'etranger when taking these photos and wandering Kuzguncuk streets. Then I heard a sound from an antiquarian, Edith was singing Hymne a l'amour. What a good coincidence! I stopped to take photograph. I stepped through door and said "Hello" to a man who was sculping a piece of wood. As an uninvited guest, I started to observe around carefuly. I saw a antique, wooden piano. It was so great! Unfortunately, it was ruined. Then I saw a gramophone and old records of Piaf. We started to talk with Mr. Doğan (owner of this wonderland) about life in Kuzguncuk.
After a long conversation, I continued to my tour. In Kuzguncuk, an Armenian church sits next to a synagogue, and on the other side of the road a Greek Orthodox church is found beside a mosque. A bridge between religions! Kuzguncuk was known as a Jewish settlement in Ottoman Empire times, then Greeks and Turks came. It is still possible to see this multicultural structure of Kuzguncuk.
Post Office of Kuzguncuk
How to go: Kuzguncuk is very close to Üsküdar. If you are coming from European side, you can use motorboats or ships from Beşiktaş to Üsküdar. Then, you can walk if you are a sportive person. You can use a taxi, dolmush (Oups! What is this? Dolmush is a kind of taxi which only starts when it is filled with passengers) or bus (here is a list of buses which stop in Kuzguncuk).
What to do: Do not forget your camera, see old houses, visit Mr. Doğan's wonderland and talk about Kuzguncuk and his artworks with him, then go to İsmet Baba's place to drink Rakı and taste delicious foods and watch Magnificent Bosphorus.
I have many Kuzguncuk photograps but they are in my other computer. I will post them later and I will write about Kuzguncuk again. Good Night!
Bonus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuzguncuk
A Youtube video of Müzeyyen Senar, primadonna of Turkish Classical Music.
I visited Kuzguncuk in winter, it was so cold and rainly. I did not care, because I was taking photos of these beautiful old houses. Kuzguncuk's old wooden houses is very famous and unique. They are not desolated, there are still families who live in these houses. They are almost restorated by their owners.
I was listening Edith Piaf's L'etranger when taking these photos and wandering Kuzguncuk streets. Then I heard a sound from an antiquarian, Edith was singing Hymne a l'amour. What a good coincidence! I stopped to take photograph. I stepped through door and said "Hello" to a man who was sculping a piece of wood. As an uninvited guest, I started to observe around carefuly. I saw a antique, wooden piano. It was so great! Unfortunately, it was ruined. Then I saw a gramophone and old records of Piaf. We started to talk with Mr. Doğan (owner of this wonderland) about life in Kuzguncuk.
After a long conversation, I continued to my tour. In Kuzguncuk, an Armenian church sits next to a synagogue, and on the other side of the road a Greek Orthodox church is found beside a mosque. A bridge between religions! Kuzguncuk was known as a Jewish settlement in Ottoman Empire times, then Greeks and Turks came. It is still possible to see this multicultural structure of Kuzguncuk.
Post Office of KuzguncukHow to go: Kuzguncuk is very close to Üsküdar. If you are coming from European side, you can use motorboats or ships from Beşiktaş to Üsküdar. Then, you can walk if you are a sportive person. You can use a taxi, dolmush (Oups! What is this? Dolmush is a kind of taxi which only starts when it is filled with passengers) or bus (here is a list of buses which stop in Kuzguncuk).
What to do: Do not forget your camera, see old houses, visit Mr. Doğan's wonderland and talk about Kuzguncuk and his artworks with him, then go to İsmet Baba's place to drink Rakı and taste delicious foods and watch Magnificent Bosphorus.
I have many Kuzguncuk photograps but they are in my other computer. I will post them later and I will write about Kuzguncuk again. Good Night!
Bonus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuzguncuk
A Youtube video of Müzeyyen Senar, primadonna of Turkish Classical Music.
Karaköy and Galata Tower, Photo by: Ezgi AktaşThis website is an Istanbul Guide for travelers who like discovering unknown corners. We would like to share our experiences about Seven-Hill (Yeditepe) İstanbul. This experiences should include an old street of city, an art shop or a local restaurant or cafe. Please remember, Istanbul is not only Sultanahmet and Taksim, but also many other beauties to discover. Please follow us, this is an amateur city guide and you know that amateur is a French word that is originally coming from amare (love). We are in love with blue-eyed Istanbul and only a lover could understand Istanbul's language and translate to others.
We know that there are many websites which are titled as "Istanbul Guide". Our difference from commercial websites is our experiences. We do not add a advertisements about a restaurant or hotel if we have no idea about it. If we are telling about a cultural event, most probably we are going to share our opinions about it. Alternatif-İstanbul is a city guide which is completely formed with life styles, experiences, loves, dreams, opinions and sometimes melancholies, hates and wearinesses. Istanbul is an alive city and it is hard to follow it's dynamism.
We were drinking Efes Beer with Linda in a restaurant under Galata Bridge last summer. View was magnificant, but waiters were a little bit rude. We did not care because of the fact that we were İstanbul drunks. You may see a ship in your drink in only one city in the world: İstanbul. :) Photo by: Ezgi Aktaş
Cheers! We are getting started! As soon as possible, we are going to add our post about Kuzguncuk, an old Bosphorus town where is located Asian side and famous with it's own historical houses and hospitality people.
Bonus: In our first post, we would like to share a nostalgic song about Istanbul. "Yarim İstanbul'u Mesken mi Tuttun" is very sentimental requem about a woman whose her husband has to immigrate from his hometown to Istanbul to work and earn money. Please click the link below to listen to Zeki Müren's version of this song:
Yarim İstanbul'u Mesken mi Tuttun?
We know that there are many websites which are titled as "Istanbul Guide". Our difference from commercial websites is our experiences. We do not add a advertisements about a restaurant or hotel if we have no idea about it. If we are telling about a cultural event, most probably we are going to share our opinions about it. Alternatif-İstanbul is a city guide which is completely formed with life styles, experiences, loves, dreams, opinions and sometimes melancholies, hates and wearinesses. Istanbul is an alive city and it is hard to follow it's dynamism.
We were drinking Efes Beer with Linda in a restaurant under Galata Bridge last summer. View was magnificant, but waiters were a little bit rude. We did not care because of the fact that we were İstanbul drunks. You may see a ship in your drink in only one city in the world: İstanbul. :) Photo by: Ezgi AktaşBonus: In our first post, we would like to share a nostalgic song about Istanbul. "Yarim İstanbul'u Mesken mi Tuttun" is very sentimental requem about a woman whose her husband has to immigrate from his hometown to Istanbul to work and earn money. Please click the link below to listen to Zeki Müren's version of this song:
Yarim İstanbul'u Mesken mi Tuttun?
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