Karakoy, which means dark village in Turkish, occupies a corner of Istanbul’s memory of the Ottoman Empire. The banks and fish market recall commerce and merchants. Just uphill from the Tunel train entrance, Bankalar street leads you to a mix of historical and modern banks with tall facades and columns.
Salt Galata, an art space converted from a bank, is located at 11 Bankalar street. The main entrance floor has a library with mostly reference art, architecture, and history books. The free Internet, televisions and headsets to watch the art DVDs, comfortable chairs, and desks allow for a quiet place to study and work.
The Ottoman bank vaults are located in the basement. It includes glass panels with photographs and postcards of banks from the Ottoman Empire. Go deeper within the vault through the green, heavy metal doors to view the stacks of cash bills and the variety of currencies printed in French and Ottoman Turkish.
In addition to art exhibits and film screenings, Salt Galata also has a Robinson Crusoe bookstore, a restaurant, and chic marble bathrooms with metal sculptures fountains for washing hands. The tall glass wall next to the bookstore gives a great view of the rooftops of the Karakoy neighborhood before the Bosphorus. In between the library and the restaurant there is an open-air area with long tables, great for a quiet lunch or meeting.
A fish sandwich is a great way to round up a trip to Karakoy. Return to the main street and take the passage under the busy road to reach the Karakoy fish market. Find the ferry dock to Eminonu and Uskudar. Near the entrance of the fish market, you may notice the stall selling arugula, lemon, radishes, onions, and cabbage, vegetables that traditionally accompany Turkish recipes for baked and fried fish. Just past the stall selling anchovies, sardines, and salmon caught from the Black Sea, Marmara Sea, and the Bosphorus, there is a small, humble stall preparing fish sandwiches. Take a seat at one of the low tables. The cook may ask you if you would like onions or not. The next time you return to Karakoy, you may wish to purchase a kilo of fish to cook at home.
**My article was published on April 3, 2015, at http://turkishvisafees.com/karakoy-istanbul/
Salt Galata, an art space converted from a bank, is located at 11 Bankalar street. The main entrance floor has a library with mostly reference art, architecture, and history books. The free Internet, televisions and headsets to watch the art DVDs, comfortable chairs, and desks allow for a quiet place to study and work.
The Ottoman bank vaults are located in the basement. It includes glass panels with photographs and postcards of banks from the Ottoman Empire. Go deeper within the vault through the green, heavy metal doors to view the stacks of cash bills and the variety of currencies printed in French and Ottoman Turkish.
In addition to art exhibits and film screenings, Salt Galata also has a Robinson Crusoe bookstore, a restaurant, and chic marble bathrooms with metal sculptures fountains for washing hands. The tall glass wall next to the bookstore gives a great view of the rooftops of the Karakoy neighborhood before the Bosphorus. In between the library and the restaurant there is an open-air area with long tables, great for a quiet lunch or meeting.
A fish sandwich is a great way to round up a trip to Karakoy. Return to the main street and take the passage under the busy road to reach the Karakoy fish market. Find the ferry dock to Eminonu and Uskudar. Near the entrance of the fish market, you may notice the stall selling arugula, lemon, radishes, onions, and cabbage, vegetables that traditionally accompany Turkish recipes for baked and fried fish. Just past the stall selling anchovies, sardines, and salmon caught from the Black Sea, Marmara Sea, and the Bosphorus, there is a small, humble stall preparing fish sandwiches. Take a seat at one of the low tables. The cook may ask you if you would like onions or not. The next time you return to Karakoy, you may wish to purchase a kilo of fish to cook at home.
**My article was published on April 3, 2015, at http://turkishvisafees.com/karakoy-istanbul/