Eyüp Sultan is the most devout neighbourhood in Istanbul and one of the most important places of pilgrimage in the Islamic world outside Arabia. It holds the tomb of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, a Companion and standard-bearer of the Prophet Muhammad, who died during the first Arab siege of Constantinople in the 7th century. Over his grave, Mehmed II built the first imperial mosque of the newly conquered city.
A short cable-car ride or a 15-minute walk away, at the top of the cemetery that climbs the hillside, is the Pierre Loti café, with the most famous view of the Golden Horn. Put the two together, with the cable car in between, and you have one of my favourite afternoons for showing people an Istanbul that never makes it into the brochures.
A little history
Tradition has it that Eyüp's tomb was rediscovered during the siege of 1453 and that Mehmed II built the mosque straight after the conquest. From then on, every new sultan came here to be girded with the Sword of Osman, the Ottoman equivalent of a coronation. The present mosque dates from 1800, when it was rebuilt after an earthquake, and the tomb still has its Iznik tiles and its silver grille.
Pierre Loti, a French naval officer and novelist, was a regular in the 1870s at a café on the hill above Eyüp, looking out over the Golden Horn. His novel Aziyadé, a love story set in Ottoman Istanbul, made the spot famous, and the café has borne his name ever since.
What to see at Eyüp Sultan and Pierre Loti
The mosque and the tomb
The courtyard, with its centuries-old plane tree and its pigeons, is the heart of the neighbourhood. The tomb stands in the courtyard, facing the mosque, and there are always people praying at it. You go in barefoot and in silence, and you leave without turning your back, as the faithful do. On Fridays and during Ramadan it's packed.
Boys dressed as princes
Families bring their sons here on the day of their circumcision, dressed up in a cape and cap, carrying a sceptre, and their daughters for their own celebrations. It's one of the most touching sights in Istanbul, and families usually appreciate a word of congratulations.
The Ottoman cemetery
From the mosque, a path climbs between Ottoman gravestones carved with turbans and flowers, belonging to viziers, poets and ordinary people. You can walk up in about a quarter of an hour, or take the cable car, which leaves from the shore of the Golden Horn and takes three minutes.
The Pierre Loti café
A terrace with tables under the trees and tea served in tulip-shaped glasses. Below you lies the whole of the Golden Horn, with its bridges and the mosques of the historic peninsula in the distance. The best light is late in the afternoon.
Tips for your visit
Allow two hours. This is a place of prayer: shoulders and knees covered, women with their hair covered, and no photos of people praying or inside the tomb.
- Avoid Friday midday and late afternoons during Ramadan, unless you want to experience the atmosphere and don't mind the crowds.
- The cable car saves you the climb, but walking down through the cemetery is the lovely part.
- The stalls on the street leading up to the mosque sell prayer beads, caps and sweets; it's a good place for small gifts.
Tickets and prices
The mosque, the tomb, the cemetery and the viewpoint are all free. The cable car is paid with the Istanbulkart transport card, at the price of an ordinary metro fare. On my tours there's nothing for you to sort out: the guide takes care of the travel cards and the order of the visit.
How to get there
Eyüp lies near the upper end of the Golden Horn, beyond Balat, on the European side of the city. The Golden Horn ferry, which also calls at Balat, ends at Eyüp and is the most scenic way to arrive (check the current timetable and piers before you go); by bus or taxi from Sultanahmet it's about 25 minutes.
How we visit it on my tours
It's a natural extension of the Balat and Fener tour, and a fitting way to round off the Sacred Istanbul tour, which ends at Chora after the mosques, churches and synagogues of the historic peninsula; your guide will tell you how to carry on to Eyüp from there. In the best mosques in Istanbul I explain where it fits among the others.
If religious Istanbul is what draws you, tell me through Plan my trip and I'll prepare the day for you.