The name,
Cihangir, comes from Suleiman the Magnificent’s son, Cihangir, who favoured the
area when it was still a forested hunting ground.
After Cihangir’s death,
Suleiman commissioned Mimar Sinan to build a wooden mosque that commemorates
his son.
Rebuilt since, Cihangir Mosque has one of the best views of the
Bosphorus.
As the influx of Europeans into Istanbul in the late 19th century
drove up real estate prices in Pera where the Europeans originally settled, the
new arrivals made their base in surrounding areas such as Cihangir.
The
tradition continues in this residential neighbourhood, and there are just as
many expats as artists in newly-renovated apartment blocks with pink, yellow
and pale green façades.
Apart from galleries, there are also many restaurants,
bars and cafés serving great coffee, international cuisines and of course,
cocktails.
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