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Ortakoy

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Hajo
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4 out of 5
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Editor Pick

Ortakoy

  • March 26, 2007
  • Rated 4 of 5 by mightywease from Carshalton, United Kingdom
Ortakoy

Nestled under the shadow of the Bosphorus Bridge is Ortakoy an attractive neighbourhood of narrow cobbled streets lined with cafes and shops which, across the busy road, heads upwards to a more residential area of apartments and houses. Here we spent a pleasant hour or so strolling around losing ourselves among the houses and glimpsing views across to the Bosphorus Bridge all under the watchful eye of the many neighbourhood cats.

The main square of Ortakoy, Iskele Meydani, is on the waterfront and, like the warren of streets leading to it, contains a number of cafes and restaurants, quiet on the rather damp October morning when we visited but, I imagine, bustling in the evening or on a warm summer day.

At the side of the square and jutting into the water is the Mecidiye Mosque built in 1854 for Sultan Abdul Mecit. The architect was Nikogos Balyan who with his father designed the Dolmabache Palace. Unfortunately, the mosque was not open so we couldn’t view inside but its square doom-topped shape and two slender minarets are extremely attractive. It is also interesting to counterpoint this with the modern architecture of the Bosphorous – or Ataturk - Bridge, completed on 29th October 1973 the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Turkish Republic. The two do seem to complement each other, the profile of the suspension tower of the bridge echoing the minarets of the Mosque, another example of the Istanbul’s melding of ancient and modern.

From journal Istanbul - Minarets and Magic

Ortakoy - Eternal Sunday Bliss

  • March 27, 2005
  • Rated 5 of 5 by angelvox from Istanbul, Turkey
Ortakoy - Eternal Sunday Bliss

Walking in the streets of Ortakoy on a Sunday morning is inspiring. Ortakoy is a little village on the shore of the Bosphorus and houses one Jewish church and one beautiful mosque. This little village is populated with all sorts of merchants who try to sell you silver jewellery or simply a cup of tea. Sitting on the seaside, sipping your tea and enjoying a nice Turkish breakfast, is something that will appeal to all audiences.

There's always something to please everyone in Ortakoy, and you will surely appreciate its architectural beauty. You may also go for lunch and taste one of their famous kumpirs, which are potatoes filled with different salads and sauces--one big meal all in one. If you don't feel like a kumpir, you could also try a gozleme, which is a variant of the national durum. When you stroll the streets in this little village, you may also encounter our famous fortune-tellers. Fancy a rabbit telling you your future? Then be sure to head for Ortakoy when visiting Istanbul.

From journal Istanbul, Where Europe and Asia embrace

Editor Pick

Ortakoy

  • December 6, 2001
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Hajo from Witten, Germany

Underneath the first Bosphorus bridge, north of Besiktas District, lies Ortakoy, which locals call "The Village". Ortakoy is comprised of small streets with several nice antique shops, but its centrepiece is the square right by the Bosphorus.

This square always reminds me of what the main square at Montmartre in Paris must have been like before it was overcrowded by tourists: painters who capture the scene on canvas, young street performers, and children playing between the trees. The square is surrounded on one side by the Bosphorus and a mosque built close to the water, and old houses and fish restaurants on the other.

The posh and expensive downtown gourmet temples aside, the small restaurants in Ortakoy are among the best places for fish in all of Istanbul.

From journal Insider Guide to Istanbul's hotspots

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