PIERRE LOTI HILL TOURISTIC FACILITIES

he region entitled with the name of  famous French writer Pierre Loti, who lived in Istanbul for long years and  really loved Istanbul, is the best choice to watch this great view. It is said that Loti, who considered Turkey as his second motherland ,used to come to this cafe called “Rabia Kadýn Kahvesi” and write his novel “Aziyade” having the view of  Golden Horn. This zone, keeps this place which is transformed to a typical Turkish cafe, is called “Ýdris Köþkü Mesiresi” in Evliya Çelebi’s travel book “Seyahatname”. Double-epigraphed, wooden “Kaþgari Tekkesi”, dated 1813 and located on the way from the tourist facility to Eyüp Mosque, is one of these structures. Another important Persian-epigraphed building, at the right corner of the service area and located at a trivium, is “Çolak Þeyh Hasan Türbesi.” A part of this building is .çilehane (çilehane is a place in which a dervish undergoes and suffers to strength his patience.)and Çolak Hasan Dede’s grave is here too. The historical building, on the same way with “Çolak Þeyh Hasan Tekkesi”, is “Sýbyan Mektebi” or a nursery school in today’s context.(Today, that school is used as a prayer room that belongs to the service area.)The grave of a whirling  dervish called “Iskender Dede”, passed away in 1589,takes place in Pierre Loti Tourist Facility  located forefront  Sýbyan Mektebi  that was built by Ottoman history writer Ýdris-i Bitlisi. One of the two water wells in front of  Iskender Dede is the famous “Dilek Kuyusu” (a water well for wishes)There is also a drinking fountain next to the frontage of Sýbyan Mektebi.It’s been known that this drink fountain, constructed by Ýdris-i Bitlisi, had been devastated and as it was rebuilt by Rayet Keþan Kalfa (one of SultanAbdülaziz’s maids) it got that name.

Historical artifacts aren’t limited with these .There is also a cistem, made in Byzantine era and operatively used in Ottoman Period, under the field that constitutes the center of garden in tourist facility. On this hill, named as “Karyaðdý Tepesi” throughout history, the public was benefited from  great fresh water by transmitting this water, which came after snow-melting, to the taps/drink fountains. Today there is no trace about a namazgah (an open-air place allocated to pray) that was between Sýbyan Mektebi and Iskender Dede’s grave in those days.In addition, Karyaðdý Baba Dervish Convent takes place in the upper parts of facility with the form of a ruin. And in the garden of this facility there are four graves belonging to Ali Aða, atçýbaþý of his period, and his family.(atçýbaþý was the person who was in charge of all horses belonged to the palace)

Pierre Loti and historical structures around it, are publicized by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality in accordance with “approved projects of  Cultural and Natural Heritage Preservation Board” and turned into a tourist facility  with Turquhouse Boutique Hotel including seven mansion and totally 67 rooms, Tarihi Kahve, Yeþil Cafe, Nargilevi (nargileh house), A Ziyade Restaurant and open air  zones.

All these originally renovated areas in the facility are  being operated by Atalar Tourism, in the structure of Atalar Group.