When traveling to Istanbul on your own, everyone will certainly create their own route and list of must-see attractions. In this matter, an important role is played by one’s own worldview, advice from friends and relatives, information on the Internet and, of course, the location of the stars on the day the master plan is drawn up. However, I will be sincerely surprised if, when visiting Istanbul, you do not visit the most popular cafe Pier Lotti (Pierre Lotti). After all, if we take it on a global scale, then it is the brightest and most authentic personification of Istanbul, here you have the Golden Horn and boats and mosques and even chic coffee. Cafe Pierre Lotti in Istanbul - overlooking the city.
Coffee house "Pierre Loti" is one of the most famous cafes. The mini cafe is located in the Eyüp district (which gives you a great opportunity to also get to know one of the most important Muslim mosques) and is nestled on a terrace right on top of the hill near the Golden Horn.
How to get to Cafe Pierre Lotti from Sultanahmet
We were going to the Pierre Lotti cafe from Sultanahmet and I will tell you how to carry out this manipulation while being in that area. First of all, you need to get to Eminonu Square. There you can either take a boat (which we never found) or walk (it will take an hour and a half to two hours). Either on (which is not very cheap), or walk 100 meters behind the pier, see the bus station, take bus number 99A and go through 6 stops. Pay attention!!! There is no stop like Pierre Loti or Eyup.
You need to either rely on the help of the driver (local citizens, if they happen to be on the same bus with you) or look around vigilantly. There will be signs on the right about 300 meters from the desired stop >> Pierre Loti – Eyup. Unfortunately, I don’t remember exactly what the stop is called, but something like Zalesne.
Having arrived, you need to walk 300 meters to the right and you will come straight to the mosque - it is open and free to visit even for non-Muslims.
Directly behind the mosque there is a path to the funicular, which in Turkish is called Telefinner. A token for travel in closed cabins of the cable car, the length of which is only 400 meters, and the route lies clearly above the cemetery. You need to buy it separately - metro and tram tokens are not suitable, and as of September 2012 it costs 3 lira one way.
Cafe Pierre Lotti in Istanbul - lift
Take a look at the themed book-shaped benches that are nestled right at the entrance to the ski lift building. You will rise strictly above a huge Muslim cemetery, which stretches along the slope of the mountain.
In my opinion, the best way to go up is by cable car. But walking back will take no more than 20 minutes. Almost all the tables are always occupied, but they clear quickly. Sometimes there is a queue of people on the terrace who want to take the front seats and enjoy the panorama of the Golden Horn. People come here to admire the view and drink delicious coffee, but not to eat.
I liked the cafe - tasty, fast, spectacular and quite cozy, despite the round dances of people and the entrance yard of tourists!
In Istanbul, you can visit another place that is within walking distance - the historical Pierre Loti coffee shop and observation deck, which offers views of the Golden Horn Bay and the surrounding area. You can also see a huge old Muslim cemetery.
Coffee house Pierre Loti on the map of Istanbul
The Pierre Loti coffee shop is located on a high hill almost at the very end of the Golden Horn Bay in Eyup.
Designations of the Pierre Loti coffee shop on the map of Istanbul:
1. Eyup Pier
2. Lower cable car station (teleferik)
3. Upper cable car station, observation deck, historical coffee house Pierre Loti
4. Muslim cemetery and a pedestrian road through it to Eyup.
How to get to the Pierre Loti coffee shop
The most pleasant way to get to the historical coffee house Pierre Loti is to take a boat that goes along the Golden Horn Bay. This can be done from the berths, Fener and other berths located on the Golden Horn line (). You need to get off at the Eyup pier.
Next you need to cross the highway and walk a few minutes forward to the lower station of the teleferik (cable car). Teleferik is paid for as the main transport of Istanbul - 4 liras per token and. Get up. All. You're at the place.
Masochists can climb on foot along the footpath that runs through the Muslim cemetery.
You can also get to the historical coffee shop Pierre Loti from the same Eminonu, but by bus. You can get from Eminonu to the Pierre Loti teleferik station by buses 399C, 36CE, etc., which go to the TELEFERİK PİERRELOTİ stop. Then climb up as described above.
You can also get to the Pierre Loti coffee shop by metrobus No. 38, getting off at the Ayvansaray stop. Then about 10 minutes walk to the lower teleferika station.
Sights, history, photo of Pierre Loti coffee shop
Coffee houses were a constant attribute of Turkish cities. They were often located in beautiful places. The Pierre Loti coffee shop, located on the top of the hill, is no exception.
There has been a coffee shop here for a very long time. But it gained fame in the 19th century thanks to the lieutenant of the French fleet, as well as the writer, author of the novel “Asiada” - Pierre Loti. He really enjoyed spending time here.
The cable car takes you to an open observation deck with views of the Golden Horn Bay and the surrounding area.
The Pierre Loti coffee shop itself is located nearby.
Remember that Pierre Loti is first and foremost a coffee shop, and you won’t be able to have a full meal there. The menu includes coffee, tea, juice, other soft drinks, ice cream (prices as of January 2015)
There are also restaurants on the hill where you can eat something more substantial. But they usually work during the season.
There are also souvenir shops with everything you can get.
You can go down again by cable car. Or you can walk through the old Muslim cemetery. You will appreciate its size even before climbing to Pierre Loti. The entire mountain is strewn with gravestones. It is even difficult to imagine how people find the graves of their deceased loved ones.
But the descent itself is not difficult. It's impossible to get lost. There is a good road through the cemetery. As a result, you will exit near the Eyup Mosque.
Updated 04/03/2019
I invite you to a short walk, during which we will visit the Sultan Eyüp Mosque, the cable car in Istanbul and the Pierre Loti cafe (Istanbul). First, we will sail along the Golden Horn Bay, visit the mosque in which the ashes of the squire of the Prophet Muhammad rest, ride the funicular and, finally, admire the gorgeous views of the city while sitting in a cafe at the very top of the hill. This walk, if you decide to do it yourself during your trip to Istanbul, will take three to four hours.
To the Eyüp Mosque on Vapur
On today's journey we are interested in the Eyüp region. There are several ways to get to it from the center of Istanbul (Sultanhamet district). Perhaps the most romantic and interesting way is a boat trip on a Vapur. This is the name given to small boats in Istanbul, which move according to a schedule from one pier to another within the city and its immediate surroundings. Essentially maritime public transport.
From the center to the Vapur stop we go either by tram - Eminönü stop, or we walk. Our landmark is the Galata Bridge, but there is no need to climb it. On the contrary, we pass it using an underground passage and go out to the embankment, but to the left of the bridge. Your path will be lie past the bus station, from where, by the way, buses go to Eyup (this is the second way to get to the Eyup Sultan Mosque, the cable car and the Pierre Loti cafe) and the car park. Another couple of minutes walk and you are at the desired pier, its name is Eminönü Haliç İskelesi.
We pay for the fare (either with a token or) and go inside.
The ship sails about once an hour. A little patience and you are on board, sailing in zigzags (from one bank to the other) along the Golden Horn. We need here:
The trip will take about 25-30 minutes. At this time, you can take photos, admire the views, chat, and drink tea.
Above is the Vapur schedule departing from the Eyüp district (it may have changed), so please check that it is up to date.
Sultan Eyüp Mosque
Once you get off the boat, you will immediately understand where you need to go. If problems arise, look at the signs. You need the one that says Eyüp Sultan and Pierreloti.
Past souvenir shops and shops selling various foodstuffs, your path lies to the Sultan Eyup Mosque, which is one of the most sacred for any Muslim. After the mosques in Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem, naturally.
In addition, this is the first mosque that was built by the Ottoman Turks after the conquest of Constantinople. Eyup Ansari, the standard bearer of the Prophet Muhammad, who fell during the siege of Constantinople (but not in the 15th century, but in the 7th) is buried here. Moreover, according to legend, the mosque of Sultan Eyüp was erected on the very spot where he died. And here the remains of not only the standard-bearer Muhammad himself are kept, but also the personal belongings of the Prophet.
Previously, it was impossible for non-Muslims to get to this shrine, but now they can watch it. But we were unlucky: at the time of our visit, the tomb (turbe) where Muhammad’s squire was buried was under reconstruction. Now it is probably open and you can look into the holy of holies of the Sultan Eyüp Mosque.
Despite this, many Muslims praying and tourists crowd around the walls of the tomb. We were not able to visit the mosque itself because prayer had begun.
To be honest, among dozens of Muslims engaged in the practice of religion, I did not feel very comfortable. I wanted to get out of here as quickly as possible. Before leaving the Sultan Eyüp Mosque, I will pay attention to the huge and mighty plane tree that grows in the middle of the courtyard. It is fenced with a lattice and, apparently, is no less a landmark than Eyup's tomb and mosque.
Coming out of the mosque on the other side, you will find yourself among... graves. Here begins a huge Muslim cemetery, which stretches from the foot of the hill to its top.
It was an honor for any Muslim to be buried here, so there are too many graves to count. The ubiquitous Istanbul cats often bask on the stone slabs and parapets, and two of them even got into a little fight in front of me.
Cable car in Istanbul
The stone-lined paths of the cemetery will lead you to the cable car in Istanbul, or teleferik as the Turks call it.
There is a charge for travel. As in the case of vapor, you will need to pay either with a token or with a transport card (I already provided a link to a detailed article about it above). Cable car operating hours in Istanbul: from 08:00 to 22:00.
In Nizhny Novgorod there is a similar cable car (connecting the two banks of the Volga), a very convenient thing. Have you ever ridden on this type of transport? No, the cable car in Istanbul will help you with this. :)
For those who like hiking, I can recommend climbing the hill with the help of two people. True, you will have to walk past the same cemetery (I wrote that it is huge). Immediately after leaving the funicular you will be taken to the observation deck. There are hundreds of graves and headstones right under your feet, but you need to look straight and up. The views are breathtaking.
Istanbul coffee "Pierre Loti"
Going up one level, you will find yourself at the Pierre Loti cafe (Istanbul). The establishment is named after the French writer and sailor Julien Viau, who lived at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. He took the pseudonym Pierre Loti when he wrote his first novel, Asiad, which tells the love story of a French military officer and a Turkish woman. Allegedly, he wrote his literary work, which glorified the Frenchman, here.
Keep in mind that the Pierre Loti cafe (Istanbul) only serves tea, coffee, some desserts and maybe some ice cream. That is, you won’t be able to eat here. We drank two cups of Turkish tea (they are too small) and ate a simit (bagel) that was sold nearby. And, of course, we took a lot of photographs.
By the way, I already used the photo above. It is called . Now you know where they were made and how to get there.
We went down again by cable car. There is a public transport stop nearby. Our path lay in... stop! More on that next time, because that’s a completely different story. In the meantime, you can read about other attractions of Istanbul. For example, about or.
Excursions in Istanbul
All these sights of Istanbul: the Sultan Eyup Mosque, the cable car, and the Pierre Loti cafe, are much more interesting to visit accompanied by a guide who will tell you a lot of things that you will not find on the Internet. Search for an Istanbul excursion to suit your tastes using the widget below. Surely you will find something suitable to your liking.
Still have questions? Ask them in the comments, I try to answer quickly.
Always yours, Daniil Privonov.
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Paris is worth a mass, and Istanbul is worth Paris. This does not lead to the conclusion that Istanbul is also worth a mass. From this it follows that Istanbul is a very pleasant city and friendly to tourists. A city in which you forget about time, because here there is something to see, and there is something to buy, and there is something to eat. A city where the breathtaking views of green hills and expanses of water will take your breath away. No, in fact, Istanbul is worth Paris!One of the most interesting places in Istanbul is the Golden Horn Bay. Boats run along it, there is even a flight schedule. But this schedule is quite arbitrary, like many schedules in Istanbul. You can wait in anguish for the boat and not get it. Therefore, it makes sense to walk along the shore along this long bay, where shipyards have been located since Byzantine times. For this reason, not a single ship was simply allowed into the Golden Horn. The entrance here from the Bosphorus was blocked with a chain.
Walking along the southern shore of the bay, you can see a lot of interesting things. You can marvel at the fortress walls of old Constantinople. And, passing by them without haste, you see that it was, in fact, not one fortress wall, but three, following one after another. Truly, taking such a fortress was oh so difficult!
On the southern shore of the bay, just outside the walls of the old city, there was an area now called Fener in Turkish. Orthodox Greeks live here in large numbers. They call their region Phanar, and themselves Phanariots. In Greek, “phanar” - it’s not difficult to guess - is “lantern”. Here, once upon a time, there was indeed a lantern attached to a column, which acted as a beacon.
Phanar, as already mentioned, is a Greek island in Turkish Istanbul. Almost all the Greeks of the city live here. Therefore, to this day the residence of the Patriarch of Constantinople and the Cathedral of St. George are located here. True, finding it is not easy. You won’t see any crosses, you won’t hear the ringing of bells.
But the Bulgarian Church of St. Stephen is located on the shore of the bay, you can’t miss it. This church is interesting not only because it is one of the few Christian churches in Istanbul. Its main difference is that it is made entirely of cast iron. The church itself has existed since 1849, but after a fire in 1898, a cast-iron building was built on the same site. The iconostasis of the Bulgarian church and its bells were made by Russian craftsmen.
If you continue along the southern shore of the bay, on the opposite shore you can see a submarine, ships, planes and helicopters. This is not a military base, but the Rahmi M. Koç Industrial Museum, one of the most interesting museums in Istanbul, which also deserves a separate visit. This museum is interesting for both adults and children.
Rahmi Koç was a famous multimillionaire, philanthropist and collector. The museum is located on the territory of the old shipyard in the lengerhane building (the foundry yard where anchors were cast). The anchor foundry worked here since the 17th century, but at the end of the 20th century, in 1994, the foundry building was carefully restored and the exhibits collected were placed here Rahmi Kochem. By the way, there were enough exhibits for two museums. The second museum was opened in Ankara. All exhibits are divided into several sections: transport, communications, engineering, scientific instruments, models and toys. You can look at all this luxury for a long time, and most likely, this is entertainment for men.
It’s certainly worth visiting this museum, but it’s good that it’s located on the other side of a fairly wide bay. Because of this, there is almost automatically a desire to do it separately and on another day. Today it is better to complete the hike along the bay. The destination of the walk is already close.
Indeed, the bay ends very close, in the Eyup district of Istanbul, which Turks speak about with respect, and even with a breath in their voices. Where does this respect come from? Let's explain.
It must be said that although Istanbul was the center of a great empire for several centuries, in the eyes of Muslims this did not bring it any closer to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Even the most magnificent mosques in the city could not compete with those consecrated by the name of the Prophet.
All the holiness of Islam is concentrated in only two Arabian cities. For centuries this problem greatly distressed all the rulers of the great cities of the East. The cunning Haj-Amin al Husseini, who considered himself the Islamic master of Jerusalem, went to great lengths so that they could prove that the Jerusalem mosque is the very famous outlying mosque (“Al-Aqsa”), where the prophet visited one night. And the scientists justified the trust, they proved it. It is because of this evidence that Jerusalem is now considered an important city for Muslims, although it is never explicitly mentioned anywhere in the Koran.
At the same time, Istanbul lost the title of the third shrine of the Islamic world, which it successfully held on the grounds that here, in the Eyup region, is the grave of Muhammad’s companion, Abu Ayyub al-Ansari. According to legend, he, already a venerable old man, took part in the first Muslim campaign against Constantinople (674-678), was a standard bearer during the siege of the city, received a wound from which he died, and was buried here on the shore of the Golden Horn Bay.
More than 800 years later, in 1453, the Ottomans captured Constantinople. The grave of Abu Ayyub was miraculously found, and in its place in 1458 the Sultan Eyup Mosque was erected, the first mosque built by the Turks in Istanbul. A person who saw the Prophet, and in whose house the Prophet lived for a long time, is, of course, a holy person and revered by Muslims. Therefore, the Turks were quite rightfully proud of the mosque. The ancestral sword of the Ottomans was kept here, with which each new sultan had to girdle upon accession to the throne. In this sense, if we say that Istanbul is worth Paris, then Eyup is worth Reims.
In general, if you know about this history, then an approximately two-hour walk along the southern shore of the Golden Horn Bay will be completely justified.
However, Eyup has another attraction for European tourists. It's called the Pierre Loti cafe. This cafe is located on the top of a hill overlooking the bay. You can get there by visiting the Sultan Eyup Mosque on the way through the local cemetery. This road is wide enough, the presence of graves does not add fear, and the signs “Pierre Loti” will definitely not let you get lost.
The cafe is clean and nice. They serve Turkish black coffee and Turkish tea. Knowledgeable people choose tea. It's delicious in Istanbul. Either local water plays a role, or something else, but Istanbul tea cannot be compared with anything. Here the Turks beat even foggy and prim London without much effort.
The view from the hill of the bay nestled at your feet and of Istanbul creeping over the hills is beautiful and, among other things, makes you ask yourself: “Who is this Pierre Loti?” And why, in Istanbul, far from glorious Paris, was this charming cafe named after him?
Pierre Loti- this is, in fact, a literary pseudonym Louis Viaud (Louis Marie-Julien Viaud; 1850 -1923). He was born into a Protestant family in Rochefort, and at the age of 17 he entered the naval school in Brest. The cadets were immediately accustomed to the sea. Louis Viau spent the first year on board a training sailing ship, and the second year on a training ship, with which he sailed to Algeria and South America.
Louis Viau found his literary pseudonym in Tahiti. He visited these magical islands with his ship in 1872. He lived in Tahiti for two months and, according to him, became almost an aborigine. We can imagine what he saw there, remembering the rich and vibrant paintings of Paul Gauguin. However, a few years later, in 1880, the sailor published an idyllic novel about life in Polynesia called Rarau. The re-edition of this novel was called “The Marriage of Loti.” The Frenchman, the hero of the novel, received the nickname "Loti" from the native name of a beautiful red flower. As a matter of fact, the flower was called “roti”, but, apparently, the Tahitians were not given the letter “r”. In 1883, this plot became the basis for the libretto of the rather famous opera Lakme. At that time it was a success, which can now only be compared with the film adaptation of a novel in the form of a series.
Romantic adventures in the southern seas gave way to equally romantic adventures in the Middle East. In 1877, the ship on which Louis Viau served ended up in Istanbul. Here the young lieutenant had an affair with a young green-eyed Circassian woman, Khadija, from the harem of a Turkish dignitary. And in 1879, based on this oriental adventure, the novel “Asiada” was written. The book ends sadly, both lovers die. The novel was joyfully received by the French public, and its author became famous. By the way, the novel “Asiada” can be found translated into Russian and enjoy a full range of oriental adventures and romantic descriptions of Istanbul, in particular the Eyup district, where the main action takes place.
Some critics, however, believed that instead of a green-eyed Circassian woman, Louis Viau's partner was a young Turk from Eyup. There has already been an example of this kind of artistic metamorphosis. Marcel Proust gracefully described his young lovers as young girls with whom the hero of the work had the opportunity to experience high passion. Oh, these French are such entertainers!
Following the Asian Games, a large number of all kinds of colonial novels were published under the pseudonym Pierre Loti. Fortunately, the colonial policy of France at that time provided a huge number of subjects in different parts of the world: in Senegal, and in Indochina, and in Japan. While naval officer Louis Viau sailed the seas and oceans, writer Pierre Loti became a celebrity. In 1891 he was elected one of the academicians in the category of literature. Pierre Loti responded to this by saying that he was good at writing, but he had never learned to read properly. Almost in accordance with the old Soviet joke that the Chukchi is not a reader, the Chukchi is a writer.
Pierre Loti visited Istanbul several more times, each time becoming more and more staunch a Turkophile. Among other things, he was received at the highest level, including the Sultan's palace. In 1913, already a recognized writer, he wrote the book “Agonizing Turkey,” in which he condemned European policies towards this wonderful country.
In 1920, Pierre Loti supported the war in Anatolia led by Atatürk, seeking independence and freedom for Turkey. For this he was awarded the title of honorary citizen of Istanbul. Not only a coffee shop in Eyup is named after Pierre Loti, where, as already mentioned, you should visit, but also an avenue in the central part of the city, Divanyulu, and a quite decent four-star hotel, not far from which there is another one, “Asiade”, named after the young Turkish mistress of a French naval lieutenant.
The French valued the literary talents of Pierre Loti on a par with the literary talents of Anatole France. The names of these writers were given to two parallel streets in the Champs de Mars area, not far from the Eiffel Tower. So there are prophets in their own country.
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