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©TIE
2004-2008
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In the western reaches of Istanbul's
Golden
Horn is a district famous in
Muslim and Ottoman history,
where Ottoman princes would be girt
with the Sword of Osman, signifying
their ascension as monarch of
the Ottoman
Empire, the Ottoman equivalent
to ascending the throne.
The mosque of Eyüp is a place
of pilgrimage for Muslims, but also for anyone wanting
to enjoy a fine view of the
city and the Golden Horn from a spot made famous
by French naval-officer-and-novelist
Pierre Loti.
Here's the story: Ayoub Ansari, standard-bearer
of the Prophet Muhammed, is said to
have fallen in battle during the attack
on the walls of Constantinople by
Arab armies in the 700s. He was buried
on the shores of the Golden
Horn.
In 1453, during Sultan Mehmet II's
siege of Constantinople,
the grave of the standard-bearer was
said to have been miraculously
rediscovered,
a miracle which inspired the sultan's
Ottoman troops to endure the siege
and proceed to victory over the Byzantines.
Hence the grave of Ayoub (Eyüp in
Turkish) is a sacred site in both religion
and Turkish political history, as Eyüp
was not only a friend of the Prophet
but the key to the greatest Ottoman victory.
Mehmet the Conqueror built
a mosque at the site
of Eyüp's grave five years after the
Conquest, and it became by tradition
the place where an Ottoman prince would
be girt
with the Sword of Osman, signifying
his ascension as monarch of
the
Ottoman
Empire.
Because of its sacred and historical
importance, many imperial princes and
other Ottoman grandees desired to be
buried in Eyüp.
Soon just about anyone with the money
for a gravesite wanted to be buried
here, so the Eyüp cemetery extends
uphill from the Eyüp Camii (mosque)
and tomb almost all the way to the
Pierre Loti Cafe at the top.
If you have lots of time in Istanbul,
it's fun to visit the mosque and tomb,
sense the history, walk or ride the
cable car uphill to the Pierre
Loti Cafe to sip a drink while enjoying
the panoramic view.
By the way, the great city walls you
see extend from Ayvansaray, just east
of Eyüp, up and over the hills for
6.5 km (4 miles) to the Fortress
of the Seven Towers (Yedikule) and
the Sea
of Marmara.
City
Buses 399 B, C and D,
hourly Golden
Horn ferries, and taxis take you from Galata
Bridge to Eyüp,
where there are lots of snack stands
and some good restaurants.
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Above, Eyüp
Mosque complex.
Below, the path from
the Pierre Loti Cafe.
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