| An afternoon tour of Eyub, the 3rd most important Islamic shrine of the World, and then a walk down the La Grand Rue de Pera: 18th & 19th centuries Istanbul.
We first travel by minibus up the Golden Horn to Eyup to visit the third most important religious shrine in Islam (after Mecca and Jerusalem). The centerpiece of this huge necropolis is the tomb of Eyub Ensari, the bearer and best friend of Mohammed, who died during the Arab Siege of Mecca in the seventh century. Frequently wandering about are families shepherding their young sons dressed in the their Circumcision costumes. Eyub in the Ottoman times was important politically as the Mosque of Eyub was where a new sultan received the imperial scimitar, the Ottoman counterpart of coronation.
After this experience of the Sacred we turn to the Profane traveling by minibus across Galata Bridge to Galata from which we ascend by the 1870 funicular railway called the Tunel (The oldest subway of Europe) to the Pera district to stroll along La Grand Rue Pera, lined with ambassadorial palaces, bookshops, churches, and cafes. Historically it was the Christian European ghetto for trading families and the diplomatic cores, and renowned in the nineteenth century for its louche ways and riotous lifestyle.
Your guide ends the tour leaving you on your own at the heart of Pera, recommending one of the so many old style restaurants. |
