Fatih and Zeyrek in Istanbul: imperial mosques and old quarters

Understanding Fatih and Zeyrek

Administratively, the borough of Fatih covers the whole historic peninsula, from Hagia Sophia to the land walls. But to Istanbulites, "Fatih" first of all means the district surrounding the Conqueror's mosque on the fourth hill, between the Aqueduct of Valens to the south-east and the Çarşamba quarter to the north-west. Zeyrek is the neighbouring hill, which drops steeply towards the Golden Horn and the Atatürk Bridge.

The area was already central in Byzantine times: the Church of the Holy Apostles, burial place of the emperors, stood on the site of today's Fatih Mosque, and the Pantocrator Monastery crowned Zeyrek. After 1453, the sultans built their great religious complexes here. Today it is a very conservative residential and shopping district, rarely visited by tourists, where the monuments are woven into everyday life.

The great mosques of Fatih

Fatih Mosque and the tomb of Mehmed II

Fatih Mosque was built between 1463 and 1470 by the architect Atik Sinan, on the site of the Church of the Holy Apostles. Wrecked by the earthquake of 1766, it was rebuilt to a different plan and completed in 1771, under Mustafa III. Around its vast courtyard stood a complex (külliye) of madrasas, a hospice, a soup kitchen and a hospital, some of whose buildings survive. Behind the mosque, the cemetery holds the tomb (türbe) of Mehmed II, also rebuilt after the earthquake in Baroque style, and that of his wife Gülbahar Hatun. Entry is free; the mosque is closed to visitors during prayers.

Şehzade Mosque

To the east, on the third hill, the Şehzade Mosque is Mimar Sinan's first great imperial mosque. Suleiman the Magnificent commissioned it in memory of his son Mehmed, who died in 1543 aged 22; it was completed in 1548. Its plan, a central dome buttressed by four semi-domes, foreshadows the architect's later masterpieces, including the nearby Süleymaniye Mosque. The complex garden gathers the tombs of the prince and of several dignitaries, among them the grand viziers Rüstem Pasha and İbrahim Pasha.

The Aqueduct of Valens and Saraçhane

The Aqueduct of Valens, called Bozdoğan Kemeri in Turkish, was completed under the emperor Valens and inaugurated in 373 (some sources give 368). Originally 971 m long, about 921 m of it survives, rising to almost 29 m; the Ottomans, notably Suleiman the Magnificent and Mustafa II, restored it and used it to bring water to the city. Atatürk Boulevard runs beneath its arches, and the park alongside it gives the best view.

South of the aqueduct, Saraçhane Archaeological Park preserves the foundations of the Church of St Polyeuctus, built between 524 and 527 by the aristocrat Anicia Juliana. Before Hagia Sophia was built, it was the largest church in the city. Rediscovered in 1960 during construction work, the remains can be seen freely from the park; the finest sculptures are in the Archaeological Museum. To place these ruins in the city's history, our guide to Byzantine Istanbul offers a complete route.

Zeyrek: the Pantocrator, wooden houses and the hammam

Zeyrek Mosque

At the top of the hill, Zeyrek Mosque combines two former churches and a chapel of the Monastery of Christ Pantocrator. The first church was founded around 1118-1124 by Empress Irene; her husband John II Komnenos added a second church, linked to the first by a funerary chapel where members of the Komnenos and Palaiologos dynasties were buried. After a long restoration, the building reopened in 2019; it is a working mosque, free to visit outside prayer times.

The Ottoman wooden houses

The lanes around the mosque keep some of the overhanging wooden houses that shaped Istanbul's look before the 20th century. Some are restored, others dilapidated, and all are lived in: be discreet with your camera. Zeyrek's historic quarter is part of the "Historic Areas of Istanbul" UNESCO World Heritage Site. Below the mosque, terraces give views over the Golden Horn and Beyoğlu.

Zeyrek Çinili Hamam

At 44 İtfaiye Street, the Zeyrek Çinili Hamam was built by Mimar Sinan for the admiral Barbarossa (Barbaros Hayreddin Pasha). It is named after the İznik tiles that once covered its walls, dispersed in the 19th century. After thirteen years of restoration, it reopened in September 2023, both as a working hammam and as a museum. The museum, open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm, displays tile fragments and objects found during the excavations; admission is charged, except on Thursdays, when it is free. The Byzantine cistern beneath the building can be visited free of charge. The hammam operates Tuesday to Sunday from 8am to 10pm, by reservation; the whole site is closed on Mondays. To compare with other baths, see our selection of the best hammams in Istanbul.

Markets and shopping streets

The Wednesday market (Çarşamba Pazarı)

Every Wednesday, the Wednesday market takes over the streets around Fatih Mosque, from morning until evening. It is one of the biggest street markets in Istanbul: fruit and vegetables, cheeses, olives, fabrics, clothes, kitchenware. Come in the morning to avoid the afternoon crowds, and keep your bag closed in front of you. The city's other markets are covered in our guide to Istanbul's markets.

Kadınlar Pazarı, the "women's market"

At the foot of the aqueduct, İtfaiye Street is home to Kadınlar Pazarı, a short pedestrian street of butchers, grocers and restaurants run by families from Siirt, in south-eastern Türkiye. You will find honey, cheeses, dried fruit, spices and, above all, büryan: lamb slow-cooked in a pit oven dug into the ground, served on thin bread.

Where to eat

• Siirt Şeref Büryan, İtfaiye Caddesi No:4: a long-established address in Kadınlar Pazarı, specialising in büryan and perde pilavı (chicken rice baked in a pastry crust).
• Siirt Fatih Büryan Salonu, İtfaiye Caddesi No:20: another büryan restaurant on the same street.
• The neighbourhood lokantas: around Fatih Mosque, these canteens serve stews displayed behind glass, which you choose by pointing.

Büryan comes out of the oven in late morning: arrive before noon to eat it hot. For what to order, see our guide what to eat in Istanbul.

Sights at a glance

Prices and hours checked in October 2026; mosques close to visitors during the five daily prayers.

Heading north-west: Çarşamba, Fethiye and the Golden Horn

North-west of Fatih Mosque, the Çarşamba quarter, and in particular the İsmailağa area, is home to a very conservative religious community, where visitors are rare. Wear very covering clothes, avoid photographing residents and pass through without lingering near places of worship.

Further on, Fethiye Mosque is the former Byzantine church of the Pammakaristos. Its funerary chapel with mosaics, run as a museum, has been closed for restoration since 2020 and no reopening date had been announced as of October 2026; our page on the Pammakaristos (Fethiye) Mosque has the latest. Yavuz Selim Mosque, on the fifth hill, restored and reopened for worship in 2010, offers a sweeping view over the Golden Horn. From there, simply walk down to Balat and Fener, with their colourful houses and the Orthodox Patriarchate.

Getting there and around

The M2 metro serves the area with two stations: Vezneciler, south of the Şehzade Mosque, and Haliç, on the metro bridge over the Golden Horn, at the foot of Zeyrek. The T1 tram stops at Laleli-Üniversite and Aksaray, about ten minutes' walk from the aqueduct. Many buses use Atatürk Boulevard and pass under the aqueduct. The rest is done on foot, but Zeyrek's streets are steep and cobbled. How the Istanbulkart and the lines work is explained in our guide to getting around Istanbul.

Safety and respect

Fatih is a safe district, but a very devout one. In mosques, women cover their hair, everyone covers shoulders and knees and takes off their shoes. On Fridays, the main midday prayer fills the mosques and courtyards: schedule your visits for the morning instead. During Ramadan, avoid eating or drinking conspicuously in the street. At the Wednesday market and on crowded buses, watch your bag and phone; more general traps are covered in our guide to scams and safety in Istanbul. For visiting etiquette, see also our guide to visiting a mosque in Istanbul.

A half-day walking route

1. Start at Vezneciler station and head to the Şehzade Mosque and its tombs.
2. Cross Saraçhane Park to see the remains of St Polyeuctus.
3. Follow the Aqueduct of Valens west to Fatih Mosque and the tomb of Mehmed II (on Wednesdays, the market surrounds the mosque).
4. Head back towards the aqueduct and have büryan for lunch at Kadınlar Pazarı before noon.
5. Follow İtfaiye Street to the Çinili Hamam, then climb to Zeyrek Mosque and its wooden lanes.
6. Finish with the view over the Golden Horn and walk down to Haliç station, or carry on to Balat and Fener.

Allow about four hours, including visits, not counting the detour to Fethiye and Yavuz Selim.

Further reading

Fatih and Zeyrek pair well with Sinan's great monuments: our guide to Sinan's works in Istanbul offers a complete tour. To carry on along the water, our Golden Horn guide links Zeyrek to Balat, Fener and Eyüp, and our selection of the most beautiful mosques in Istanbul helps you choose the stops for your stay.