/ Istanbul / Places to Visit / Eyüp Mosque Complex
This is the main attraction around this part of the city.
This is the main attraction around this part of the city. The holiest Islamic shrine in the city, the complex includes, right next to the mosque, the tomb of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (Eyüp Ensari Türbesi), the standard bearer of Prophet Mohammad, died and buried here during the first Muslim siege of Constantinople (674-678 AD). It was him the neighbourhood was named after. Muslims flock-in so huge numbers that sometimes you have to queue for a few minutes before entering the tomb-here also to see a rather uninteresting plaque made of plastic, which is purported to be Mohammad's footprint. The interior of the tomb, covered with fine tiles/faience, is nonetheless well worth a look, however. It is also interesting to see the devout Muslims leaving the place by walking backwards through its exit hallway, as not to turn their backs to al-Ansari's catafalque, though obviously no one expects everyone to quit the place in the same manner.
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Eyüp
Originally a factory producing fezzes (fes), Ottoman red hats made of felt, adopted in Ottoman Empire in early 1800s as a part of westernizing efforts in lieu of much more traditional turbans
This is a typical industry museum which showcases evolution of machines
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A Bulgarian Orthodox church better known as Demir Kilise, i
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One of those typical huge aquariums where you walk through transparent tunnels underwater
The old city walls, which were built during the reign of Byzantine emperor Theodosius II (r
A dancing hall of the mystical Mevlevi order, shut down in 1925 along with all other 'reactionary' movements in Turkey