Fındıklı: A University Neighbourhood

Findikli Park

Findikli is a coastal neighbourhood at Beyoglu. It is between Kabatas and Tophane.

This neighbourhood has a famous park. There was once small tea houses where you could sip Turkish black tea with the view of Bosphorus. The municipality demolish tea houses around Istanbul for legal purposes and Findikli had its share.

Sights

Findikli Park: This is one of the refreshing parks in Istanbul. It is near the sea and has many trees in it. You can see people having a picnic at good weathers. There are a couple of modern statues made by the students of Mimar Sinan University.

Molla Celebi Mosque: Here is another work of Mimar Sinan. He built it in 1589 in the name of Molla Çelebi, the kadi (Muslim judge) of the time.


Mimar Sinan University: The main campus of Mimar Sinan University is also here. The campus stretches out to Kabatas. The neighbourhood is fairly safe due to the university. The university is famous for its conservatory and fine arts. It was basically founded in 1882 by Osman Hamdi Bey, who is a painter and also the founder of Istanbul Archaeology museum and modern Turkish museology in general. It took its recent name in 1982.

The building behind is a part of Mimar Sinan University.

Zevki Kadin Sibyan Mektebi (Ottoman elementary school): This old building is in the yard of Mimar Sinan University. Zevki Kadin was the wife of Osman III. The building was founded in 1755. It is a plain barque building. It is still used as an education building.


Zevki Kadin Fountain: This fountain is also baroque. Its surroundings are totally covered with marble and its arch is engraved.


Süheyl Bey Camii: Not all stories end well in Istanbul. Once upon a time, it was a work of Mimar Sinan. He had built it in 1591, in the name of Ottoman admiral Suheyl Bey. Even Evliya Celebi mentions the beauty of this building in his travel book. However, it was so called renovated recently. After renovation, what came out was a glass covered plaza. They have scoffingly left the minaret!



As far as I remember, the first Kahve Dunyasi was opened here. The one I am talking about is still there.

T1 Kabatas-Bagcilar tram has a Findikli stop. You can also walk down the Istiklal Street for a couple of minutes and reach there.