BEYOGLU, ISTANBUL

  THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN

Beyoglu is a brief and magical ferry ride across the Golden Horn from the old city’s Eminonu docks to Karakoy.

The waterfront area follows the Golden Horn to its mouth off the Bosphorus.

Dozens of street vendors set up, serving tea, coffee, snacks…or playing solo or in a band – to earn the tips of locals and visitors.

BEYOGLU, ISTANBUL

  THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN

Karakoy is a former docklands area that was far off the tourist path and somewhat sketchy.

Now it is lined with pricey hipster joints open late each night.

There are lots of nargile joints in this part of Beyoglu.

The food can range from modern gourmet burgers to old time Turkish street food such as kumpir.

BEYOGLU, ISTANBUL

  THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN

A durum is a Turkish wrap that is usually filled with typical doner kebab ingredients.

This place, open since 1969, specializes in chicken, lamb and adana.

The wrap is made from lavash or yufka flatbreads.

Durum is a common street food in Turkey, especially beloved late at night.

BEYOGLU, ISTANBUL

  THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN

While more than a few churches have been converted into mosques in Islamic Turkey, cathedrals, synagogues and churches – orthodox and modern, do remain.

BEYOGLU, ISTANBUL

  THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN

In 19th-century,  a traditional tram trundled along the Grande Rue de Pera connecting Taksim Square Glatasaray and Tunel Square.  

The tram was taken out of service in 1961, replaced by buses.

After Pera became Istiklal Caddesi, a pedestrian zone, the Nostalgic Tram was restored and revived in 1990.

BEYOGLU, ISTANBUL

  THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN

The Kılıç Ali Pasha Complex is located in the Tophane neighborhood in Beyoglu.

It consists of a mosque, medrese, hamam, turbe and fountain.

BEYOGLU, ISTANBUL

  THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN

The Kılıç Ali Pasha Complex is a mosque complex designed and built between 1580 and 1587.

It was designed by Mimar Sinan, who at the time was in his 90s.

BEYOGLU, ISTANBUL

  THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN

Travel to any town in Turkey and you are sure to find a tea garden.

In the larger cities and touristic regions, tea houses welcome the young and old, as well as many foreigners.

Tea gardens gained popularity in the 1950s, especially in Istanbul, and were the place where families went for their social outings.

This garden in Beyoglu overlooks the Bosphorus.

BEYOGLU, ISTANBUL

  THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN

Beyoglu includes a mix of stylish bohemian districts such as Çukurcuma and Cihangir, Galata and Karaköy. 

BEYOGLU, ISTANBUL

  THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN

Beyoglu comes alive in warmer weather with countless outdoor cafes.

The cuisine, culture, vibe and atmosphere rivals the best of Paris or New York.

And the fare costs but a third or half of what it would in those pricy cites.

BEYOGLU, ISTANBUL

  THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN

The backstreets of Beyoglu lend themselves to murals and other artsy activity.

Alleys often have bohemian coffee shops, clubs and little hole in the wall eating/drinking establishments.

Lower rents off the beaten path support all kinds of creative shops.

BEYOGLU, ISTANBUL

  THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN

Dondurma typically includes cream, whipped cream, sugar and salep (ground up tuber of orchid) and mastic (plant resin).

Two qualities distinguish Turkish ice cream: hard texture and resistance to melting, brought on by thickening agents that make it chewy.

Dondurma is commonly sold from street vendor carts and store fronts.

The mixture is churned regularly with long-handled paddles to keep it workable.

Vendors often tease the customer by serving the ice cream cone on a stick, and then taking away the dondurma with the stick by rotating it around, before finally giving it to the customer.

BEYOGLU, ISTANBUL

 THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN

Opened in 1876, Çiçek Pasajı is a covered arcade with rows of historic cafes, winehouses and restaurants.

Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, many impoverished noble Russian women, including a Baroness, sold flowers in the arcade, giving the arcade it’s modern Turkish name of Çiçek Pasajı (Flower Passage).

After the restoration of the building in 1988, it was reopened as a galleria of pubs and restaurants.

BEYOGLU, ISTANBUL

 THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN

The main thoroughfare is Istiklal Caddesi running into the neighborhood from Taksim Square to Tunel.

It is a pedestrian-only mile of shops, cafés, patisseries, restaurants, pubs and clubs.

It also features bookshops, theatres, cinemas and art galleries.

Some of İstiklâl Avenue has a 19th-century metropolitan character.

It is lined with Art Nouveau and Neoclassical buildings.

BEYOGLU, ISTANBUL

 THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN

In 1348 the Genoese built Galata Tower, one of the most prominent landmarks of Istanbul.

Pera (Galata) remained under Genoese control until May 29, 1453, when it was conquered by the Ottomans, along with the rest of the city, in the Siege of Constantinople.

BEYOGLU, ISTANBUL

 THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN

Beyoğlu is the most active art, entertainment and nightlife center of Istanbul

ARA GÜLER

THE EYE OF ISTANBUL

As a photographer, I don't know when I first discovered the black and white images of Turkish photographer Ara Guler.

His mastery of light haunted me, in a good way, from the first time I looked at his images of Old Istanbul, often in the old Armenian neighborhoods now long lost to development.

My first time in Istanbul, I sought out galleries with his images and came how with a few modern books of his work.

On my very recent trip, I bought so much of his work that I knew it wouldn't fit in the suitcase.

So I went to a shipping agent and spent about 300 Turkish Lira to ship his stuff home.

After that, I vowed to put the buying on hold for my last few days in the city.

Then I went to explore a hotel's wheelchair access, near Taksim Square.

As headed toward Taksim Gezi Park, beyond the square, I noticed a carnival of sorts set up.

As is common for Ramazan in Turkey, most public squares set up large areas for dinners, shows and activities for the sundown breaking of the long day's fast.

A paved area next to Gezi had a carnival of crafts, food and antiques set up.

Try as I might, I was drawn to a row of book sellers.

One had tons of photography books.

Were I a wealthy man, I would have bought out the whole tent and sent it home in trunks.

As I am not, I looked for a special Guler book.

One of trams caught my attention.

It was especially poignant, as the nostalgic tram that goes from Taksim to Tunel along Istiklal Caddesi had been ripped out and taken away since my last visit.

Orhan Pamuk often writes of the Tramway through old Pera.

I settled on the book, haggled...paid way less than the opening price but probably more than I should have.

Worse yet, it is a hard back. Meaning my book bag, already stuffed with a sweater and thousands of dollars worth of high end Nikon lenses, would feel like an army back pack.

But hours later, near sundown, my purchase would pay off.

Istanbul Trams, trough Ara Güler's Eyes, is the translated title of the book of photography

link to great documentary about Guler

THE LIGHT OF ISTANBUL (OVER GALATA)

Picture post car view of the Bosphorus.

The tower in the background is the Galata Tower.

The neighborhoods in the foreground include Karikoy and Tunel.

The entire peninsula between the Golden Horn and Bosphorus is known as Beyoğlu.

It is on the European side of what was Constantinople.

The area, more modern than the Old Town, is often mentioned by author Orhan Pamuk, who would take the nostalgic tram from Taksim square through Beyoğlu along İstiklâl Caddesi.