No mosques, no sultan’s palaces, and no strolling along the Bosphorus. A pinch of contrasting hardcore and a cozy underground for discerning intellectuals.
These days it’s hard to find an interesting program about Istanbul, even on Youtube. All the presenters and bloggers show only painfully hackneyed itineraries. Of course, Istanbul is a powerful imperial city, but it is also a city of contrasts, with its secret places that reveal its true soul. Unfortunately, no one shows these contrasts.
The contrasts of Istanbul are not the colorful historical monuments or the colorful markets, but the symbiosis of searingly dissimilar worlds. And sometimes they intersect so closely that it no longer seems out of the ordinary.
For example the contrast of Istanbul is that in the same markets you can see stores with frank underwear for little girls sold by a compassionate Muslim. Or the fact that on a Sunday afternoon you can see burqa-clad women with children sitting on the lawn and transgender woman five meters away, catching clients.
And what about the underwear? It all started a long time ago. The Prophet set a precedent by marrying 8-year-old Aisha at 50, who became his widow at 18. Muhammad took poor girls, widows, and others who needed help to ensure their status and patronage. Since then it has been the custom in poor Islamic families to marry off very young girls to adult men. It is not known if such tradition exists in Turkey, but there are special clothes for minors here.
Now let’s move on to five locations in Istanbul, where the borderline of special Istanbul contrasts shines cheerfully, but in a softer way as well.
Table of Contents
Cukurcuma Street
At the very beginning of the street is a store with rare furniture, decor and unusual antiques. Connoisseurs of beautiful interiors flock here to give their houses a special charm. Nearby is Istanbul’s favorite hipster store with reclaimed furniture that has been salvaged from landfills and breathe new life into it.
Next you can dive into the art of Turkish artists. There are numerous stalls along the street where you can buy evocative paintings like The Last Supper with Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, John Lennon and other idols.
Chukurjuma is also famous for the “Innocence Museum” with its curious collections of strange things. All items belong to the fictional characters Kemal and Sibel from Arzaan Pamuk’s novel with the same name. Arzaan Pamuk is a revered writer and Nobel Prize winner.
Arsen Lupen Bar
Istiklal is raging with its endless bars, cafes and restaurants. The most touristy establishments appear on the main street, but the underground ones peek out only from the alleys.
One of these special places is Arsen Lupen Bar on Mis Sokak Street. To get inside, you have to walk through the restaurant. At the restaurant, take the elevator and go up to the fourth floor. As soon as the elevator doors open, you will find yourself in a dense space of grunge and rock ‘n’ roll, where hipsters chill unhurriedly. Here you can get to know the young people of Istanbul, who know everything about the underwater life of the city.
Pudding Shop
In the 60s the wind of spiritual quest permeated the social life of Istanbul. In the Sultanahmet neighborhood, the Pudding Shop was a stop for European seekers of truth. Before loading up their van and heading off to conquer India and Nepal, they would gorge themselves on Turkish cuisine, filling the café space with esoteric conversations.
In that special decade, the Pudding Shop was a unique place to learn about all of Turkey’s tourist destinations. The Colpan brothers, the owners of the cafe, were probably the first in the country who broadcast Western culture through themselves. Today, the esoteric flair of the Pudding Shop has dissipated, but the coziness of the cafe remains, as does the board with tourist advertisements.
Ashiyan Cemetery
Fans of the Gothic atmosphere should not miss the Ashiyan Cemetery. It’s an incredibly picturesque spot on a mountain ridge overlooking the Bosphorus and the charming ruins of the fort.
Members of the Ottoman dynasty and members of the Turkish intelligentsia, such as the poet Orhan Veli, also rest in the cemetery. On his grave the Istanbulians leave various amusing notes.
Venus Studios
Venus is a cute space surrounded by local street art. It’s a perfect place for a jam session. Outside, there’s an abundance of plants and beautiful vases. Rastamans in a consistently good mood often hang out at the entrance, with whom you can chat about high things. Inside the studio, the atmosphere is pleasant and relaxing.
