Galatasaray is the heart of the old city district Pera, between the old Tunel (a very short and very old subway) and Taksim square. The main street, Istiklal Caddesi (Avenue), is always busy and the side streets are very colorful, albeit not always “pretty.”
Galatasaray Has Changed
You will see the stairs of a building which used to be a very well-kept office building, now in shambles; or trash bags were thrown in a corner. Yet, the people are always spirited, often you can tell they have a certain “attitude,” not in a particularly bad way yet I can distinctly see it in the faces of many.
The two gray building facade pictures. They are the top two floors of a building owned by the famous Turkish photographer, Ara Guler. On the ground level, there is a coffee house carrying his name “Ara“. The building and the cafe are located in a narrow alley, for which the Turkish word is “ara“. You will also note that the color of the building is middle gray, Zone V, and the trim appeared to me as Zone II.
Take a look at the views from a small section of Pera near Galatasaray.
Then Walk Down to Narmanli Han
The historic Narmanli Han is an old caravansarai-style building. It served as a hotel, residence for some well-known figures, and office space. Currently, a notary public office is located inside. It has a large atrium and structures on all sides. The main residents are the many cats that made the garden and the surrounding structures home.
Here are a few of the residents in this wonderful space.