Beyoğlu is one of the liveliest and most vibrant districts of Istanbul. With its historic buildings, narrow streets, and endless energy, it is a place that is always alive. Here, the past and present intertwine. As you wander among the old stones, you can almost hear the voices of the writers and poets who once walked these streets. The melancholy of Orhan Pamuk lingers in these streets, where mornings have one atmosphere, and evenings have another. At dawn, the scent of coffee fills the air, simit vendors set up their stalls, and as shopkeepers open their shutters, the streets awaken. The crowd never fades throughout the day—some rush to work, some sit in cafés reading books, while others enjoy getting lost in the backstreets. Walking from Tünel to Galata, you can still see traces of old Istanbul. Perhaps you are following the footsteps of a Servet-i Fünun poet who once sat here writing poetry. The laughter echoing in Çiçek Pasajı recalls the joy left behind by the writers who once gathered there for conversations. In one corner, Yahya Kemal’s elegant words, spoken over a glass of rakı, still seem to resonate, while in another, young people discuss the verses they have scribbled in their notebooks.
As you walk in the shadow of Galata Tower, you pass through the streets where Orhan Veli once listened to Istanbul. In the eyes of a young woman sitting in a café, you might glimpse the spirit of Tomris Uyar—because Beyoğlu is a place for those who love to lose themselves to find themselves. Every corner of Beyoğlu hides a story. The traces of the past linger in the stones of old buildings, in a rusty door knocker, in the glow of a street lamp. Beyoğlu is a timeless tale that carries the marks of history yet is always rediscovered—and the most beautiful stories come from those who lose themselves in its streets.
Resources:
(Ayşegül Parlayan Özalp, 2014)
(Nazlı Bülay Doğan, 2023)