Lonely Planet İstanbul Guide

MOSQUE FATIH MOSQUE (Fatih Camii, Mosque of the Conqueror; Fevzi Paşa Caddesi, Fatih; g 28 from Eminönü, 87 from Taksim) The Fatih was the first great imperial mosque built in İstanbul following the Conquest. Mehmet the Conqueror chose to locate it on the hilltop site of the ruined Church of the Apostles, burial place of Constantine and other Byzantine emperors. Mehmet decided to be buried here as well; his tomb is behind the mosque and is inevitably filled with worshippers. The original külliye (mosque complex), finished in 1470, was enormous. Set in extensive grounds, it included 15 charitable establishments such as medreses (Islamic schools of higher studies), a hospice for travellers and a caravanserai. Many of these still stand; the most interesting is the multidomed tabhane (inn for travelling dervishes) to the southeast of the mosque. Its columns are said to have been originally used in the Church of the Apostles. Unfortunately the mosque you see today is not the one Mehmet built. The original stood for nearly 300 years before toppling in an earthquake in 1766. The current baroque-style mosque was constructed between 1767 and 1771. The front courtyard of the mosque is a favourite place for locals to congregate. On Wednesday the streets behind and to the north of the mosque ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Megali School, Great School, Kırmızı Mektep; Sancaktar Caddesi, Fener; g 99, 99A, 99Y from Eminönü, 55T from Taksim) Rising Hogwarts-like from the urban jumble, this Fener landmark, known locally as kırmızı kale (the red castle) for its castellated red-brick facade, still functions as a Greek school. A small student body of some 50 pupils studies here. Built in the early 1880s, it was designed by Ottoman Greek architect Konstantinos Dimadis, who is known for his European chateaux. The institution within predates the Ottoman arrival in Constantinople, making it Turkey’s oldest educational body. For more information on the college and the area’s many intriguing piles, pick up a copy of tour guide Ahmet Faik Ozbilge’s fascinating historical tome, Nooks and Crannies of Old Istanbul: Fener, Balat, Ayvansaray.