When you say Bebek to a local, the image that will come to mind is a forest and bayside dotted with chic apartments, top-of-the-line yachts and speed boats, swanky shops and restaurants, as well as amazing mansions. Yes, Bebek is perhaps one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in Istanbul. It is affectionately called the “Pearl of the Bosphorus”, a much deserved name. Starting from the last part of the Ottoman rule, this area has steadily gained the reputation of being the playground of the rich and famous in Turkey.
There is also a collection of Ottoman structures here that are worth looking at. A good example would be the Valide Pasha Mansion. It harks back to 1902 and was commissioned by an Ottoman minister. Raimondo D’Aronco, the famed Italian architect, was in charge of the design. Today, it is the home of the Egyptian Consulate.
Bebek is named after a quarter commander who successfully defended this area from invaders. Evliya “Bebek” Celebi, on orders of Mehmet II (The Conqueror) so liked the area that he then built his home (a mansion!) there, along with a park.
You can spend a leisurely afternoon, eating by the bay after you have explored the neighborhood and looked at the nice houses and oohed and aahed to your heart’s content. The district is such a great place for a walk; after all, you are afforded with excellent views of the Bosphorus Strait, especially as you make your way to the top.
As you stroll along Bebek, be sure to drop by the following sights:
Bosphorus University (Boagazici University) This ranks high in the list of the top universities in Turkey. It is also the country’s oldest university, with more than 550 years of history to its name. The Sultan Mehmet (The Conqueror) established the Bosphorus University in 1453, but it is said to even trace its roots to the eight madrasas the sultan founded upon his conquest of the city.
Bebek Mosque Sitting right at the banks of the gorgeous Bosphorus is a replacement to the older mosque built in 1725 by Nevsehirli Pasa. It is “newer” (relatively speaking), built only in 1913. Reminiscent of Bursa’s early Ottoman designs, the Bebek Mosque is an example of the Neo-Classical style. It is made out of stone and features a portico and a prayer hall capped with a dome. Upon entering the mosque, you will be greeted by an inscription made of gold.
Rumeli Hisari This fortress was established with the intent of strengthening Sultan Mehmet II’s position in his bid to conquer Constantinople. He wanted to prevent any reinforcements arriving from the Black Sea as he laid out a fierce siege of the city. He needed it so much, that with his constant supervision, the fortress took only a little more than 4 months to finish. Today, what you will find is an open-air theater and a museum. You can catch a concert here, if you come at the right time.
Asiyan Museum (Asiyan Yokusu) Dedicated to Turkey’s renowned poet, Tevfik Fikret, it was actually his home. You can see glimpses of his life as you pore over his belongings. This is open from Tuesdays to Saturdays.
Yilanli (The Snake Mansion) Drop by and see the beauty that so attracted Sultan Mahmud II to this mansion, as he was passing by aboard his royal boat. He wanted to buy it but upon hearing this, one of his companions convinced him not to, saying that the grounds are infested by snakes, thus, the name.
Other buildings and sights you can look at are the Bebek Hotel (circa 1965), Kayalar Mescid (a mosque), Ayios Haralambos Greek Orthodox church and Asiyan Park.