Sait Halim Pasha Yalı and Aşiyan: Bosphorus Mansions to See from the Water
Two Bosphorus houses are best discovered together. The Sait Halim Pasha yalı, in Yeniköy, is a large waterfront mansion of wood and stone built in 1880 by the architect Petraki Adamandidis; it is named after the grand vizier Sait Halim Pasha and is also known as "Arslanlı Yalı" (the yalı with the lions) because of the lion statues on its quay. Aşiyan, in Bebek, is the wooden house that the poet Tevfik Fikret designed himself and lived in from 1906 to 1915; it is now a free museum. The first is for looking at from the water, the second is for visiting: allow an hour for Aşiyan and a cruise or a walk for the yalı.
Highlights
The facade on the Bosphorus
The Yeniköy yalı lines up its shuttered windows and white balustrades just above the water. Badly damaged by a fire in 1955, it was restored until 2002 and now serves as an event venue: you admire it from a boat or from the shore.
The interior staircase
When the yalı hosts an event, you may glimpse a staircase with inlaid steps and gilded railings, with a decor that blends French and Egyptian influences. The interior is not open for free visits.
The lions on the quay
They gave the yalı its nickname "Arslanlı Yalı" and can be spotted from the ferry or from the coast road. For other mansions along the shore, see the villages of the European shore of the Bosphorus.
The Aşiyan house
The poet Tevfik Fikret (1867-1915) designed this three-storey wooden house himself and gave it its Persian name, "aşiyan" (the nest). The museum, opened in 1945, reopened after restoration in December 2012: you can see his study, his bedroom and period objects. His tomb has been moved to the garden, with its view of the Bosphorus.
Practical info
Tips
- The Sait Halim Pasha yalı is a private property used for weddings and events: it has no public opening hours, so do not count on getting in without an event booking. The Aşiyan museum is free. Both places combine well with the Rumeli Hisarı fortress, the village of Bebek and Arnavutköy. To see the yalı from its best angle, take a Bosphorus cruise and stay on the European side; other mansions are described in the guide to Istanbul's Ottoman palaces. Bring comfortable shoes for the steep climb to Aşiyan.
How to get there
Sait Halim Pasha Yalı: Yeniköy, Sarıyer, on the European shore of the Bosphorus along the coast road; the easiest way is to see it from a Bosphorus boat, or to reach Yeniköy by bus or taxi from Beşiktaş. Aşiyan museum: Aşiyan Yokuşu, in Bebek (Beşiktaş), a walk uphill from the waterfront of Bebek; check the latest bus or metro line before you go.
Opening hours
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