Located under the European leg of the Bosphorus Bridge, information about popular places, attractions, activities and transportation in Ortaköy, the symbol of the neighborhood...
Ortaköy is one of the most popular meeting points of Istanbulites with its popular nightspots, bars, cafes and restaurants, the İskele square overlooking the Bosphorus, shops selling souvenirs, handicrafts and interesting objects and kumpir shops.
The history of Ortaköy, which was called Arkheion in ancient times and Klidon in the Byzantine period, shows that Jewish, Greek and Muslim communities lived in the region and the area was famous for its taverns in ancient times. Today, there are popular entertainment venues along the Ortaköy coast. Here is the information we compiled from istanbeautiful.com...
Ortakoy Attractions, Activities
Among the places to visit and see in Ortaköy, Ortaköy square and beach, the seafront location and the magnificent architecture of the Büyük Mecidiye Mosque, commonly known as Ortaköy Mosque but its real name is Büyük Mecidiye Mosque.
Especially on Sundays at the weekend, the square and its surroundings are bustling with the neighborhood bazaar and shops selling souvenirs, handcrafted jewelry, hats, bags, second-hand books, colorful objects and products of local artisans.
The nightlife in Ortaköy is very colorful, especially on summer evenings. During the summer evenings, you can have a nice night entertainment with the boats departing from Ortaköy and touring the Bosphorus.
Ortakoy Square and Ortakoy Beach
Ortaköy Square is undoubtedly one of the most popular meeting points in Istanbul. Located on the coast of Ortaköy, the square is especially lively on the weekends with its many cafes, restaurants, bars and shops, especially frequented by young people for recreation and entertainment.
Among the best activities to do in Ortaköy Square are to visit the lively streets, souvenir and antique shops close to the beach, take your kumpir and sit on the benches in the square and watch the Bosphorus or sit in the restaurants and cafes on the beach and have a good time.
The main places to see in Ortaköy Square are Ortaköy Büyük Mecidiye Mosque and Esma Sultan Mansion. The fountain in the square, which dates back to the 18th century and was built by Damat İbrahim Pasha, the son-in-law and grand vizier of Sultan Ahmed III, is also worth seeing.
Ortakoy Grand Mecidiye Mosque
One of the most beautiful mosques in Istanbul, Ortaköy Büyük Mecidiye Mosque, which was built by Sultan Abdülmecit in the 19th century and gives the impression of standing on the water, is one of the most important symbols of both Ortaköy and Istanbul.
Esma Sultan Mansion
Esma Sultan Mansion, which dazzles with its splendor right next to Ortaköy Mosque, is also worth seeing. The mansion was built for Sultan Abdülaziz's daughter Esma Sultan as a wedding gift after her marriage to Circassian Mehmet Pasha.
After the death of Esma Sultan in 1848, the mansion was given to the daughters of Sultan Abdülhamit II in various periods, used as a Greek School and a warehouse between 1915-1922, changed hands frequently in the 1950s and suffered a fire in 1975.
Purchased by The Marmara Collection in the 90s, the mansion was restored and is now used as a wedding, meeting and event venue.
Historical Ortaköy Bath
The Historical Ortaköy Hamam, which was the first work built after the Turks settled in Ortaköy and was built in the 1570s by Sokullu Mehmet Pasha's butler Hüsrev Kethüda to Mimar Sinan, draws attention with its architecture. After its restoration, the bath serves as a restaurant today.
Churches and Synagogues in Ortaköy
The churches and synagogues in Ortaköy are Ayios Fokas, a Greek Orthodox Church dating back to the Byzantine period and whose current building dates back to 1856, Surp Krikor Lusavoric Armenian Catholic Church, built in 1839, located on Dereboyu Street, and Etz Ahayim (Tree of Life), a synagogue dating back to the 14th century.
Eating and Drinking in Ortaköy? Popular Places, Cafe and Restaurants...
Ortaköy has a wide variety of places to eat and drink. You can find many quality tea gardens, cafes and restaurants on Ortaköy beach, Ortaköy square and Dereboyu Street inland. The first ones that stand out among the popular eating and drinking places in Ortaköy;
- Ruby, located in a hot and sparkling location by the sea,
- Banyan Restaurant, famous for its Asian food,
- With two spacious terraces and a stylish restaurant, the House Cafe Ortaköy is the ideal place to enjoy the garden in summer and brunch on Sundays.
- Ortaköy is also famous for its seaside tea gardens, cafes and kumpiris. You can have a very pleasant time in these places during the daytime.
Ortakoy Nightlife
Ortaköy nightlife is also very colorful. There are quality and popular nightclubs on the seaside in Ortaköy and on the Kuruçeşme coast. Entertainment continues all night long in nightclubs frequented by celebrities and foreign tourists in Istanbul.
Sortie, which is located right next to the Bosphorus in Kuruçeşme and consists of 6 restaurants and 3 bars, Ruby and the House on the seaside in Ortaköy
