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The Golden Horn — Haliç in Turkish — is the 7.5-kilometre inlet that splits the European side of Istanbul into two halves, separating the old imperial centre on Sultanahmet hill from the medieval Genoese quarter at Galata. The estuary takes its name from the gold light that hits it at sunset. From a boat, the entire skyline of Old Istanbul lines up on the southern shore: Topkapı Palace, Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and the Süleymaniye Mosque above the hills. The northern shore holds the Genoese tower at Galata and the working harbours at Karaköy and Halıcıoğlu. The Golden Horn is 30 minutes by sail from the Bosphorus entrance. Season runs April through November.
In Istanbul's Fener district, the center of the religious leadership for the Greek Orthodox Christian community is located. Often confused with the Phanar Greek Orthodox College, which rises like a red fortress on the hills of Balat, the patriarchate's main church is the Church of St. George. The Ecumenical Patriarch serves as the spiritual leader for the entire Greek Orthodox community, and his office located in the patriarchate in Istanbul holds global significance.
Constructed in response to the Bulgarian demand for worship in their own language towards the end of the 18th century, this structure stands out along the Golden Horn with its white facade and golden decorations. Due to the weak ground, an iron skeleton was preferred over reinforced concrete, earning it the nickname "The Iron Church." Dominated by Gothic style, the church was prepared in Vienna in 1871, shipped in parts via the Danube River, and assembled in a small garden along the shores of the Golden Horn. In 1870, it became an independent church by decree of Sultan Abdülaziz, separating from the patriarchate.
Eyüp is one of Istanbul's most sacred spots. This location was chosen for the city's first mosque following its conquest because Akşemseddin, the mentor of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, claimed that the tomb of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, the standard-bearer of Prophet Muhammad, was located here. Consequently, the Conqueror ordered the first mosque to be built here and dedicated to Eyüp Sultan. This area, used by Byzantine emperors for coronation ceremonies, continued to serve a similar purpose during the Ottoman era; sultans would gird themselves with the sword of Osman Gazi, the empire's founder, here. If you are willing to walk up a bit of a slope through the tombs and cemeteries, you can enjoy the most nostalgic view of the Golden Horn from Pierre Loti.
