Get to know your host Busenur SEMİN. I am a university student studying at the Faculty of Political Science. I live in Istanbul since I was born. Because I know Istanbul well and I like to share my history with other country citizens. My interests include informing people, doing extreme sports and exploring new places and cultures. I am a fun and the guest loving person.
As you know, the Turks are hospitable. So instead of calling me pause, I want you to call me Tinkerbell and that is a special password between us. If you are ready, let’s start with what we will see on the magical Heybeliada tour. What are the important architectural works in Heybeliada? The first place we will see on the Heybeliada tour is Heybeliada Naval High School. This high school was built in 1773 by the captain Cezayirli Hasan Pasha. Historical high school is one of the beauties worth seeing.
The next work we will see on the Heybeliada tour is the Hagios Georgios Tou Kremnou Monastery. To Kremnou means “place on the cliff” because this monastery is on the edge of the cliff. This monastery, estimated to have been built towards the end of the 16th century, became a refuge for Greeks after the plague epidemic in Istanbul in the 18th century. Since the beauties of this island are not over, I explain the next place we will see: Bet Yaakov Synagogue. In the early 1900s, when the number of families staying on this island, where Jewish families came on holiday in the summer, increased, it was deemed appropriate to hold a house of worship and it was an indication of a tolerant environment in this island.
Our next unique architecture is the Greek Orthodox Theological School. In the 9th century, the emperor was established by order of the 1st basil. It is the second school established after the University of Athens to provide religious education. The school is currently not providing education. The institution founded by the great leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk: Heybeliada Sanatorium. Opened in 1924 by order of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the sanatorium was actively used until 2005. This sanatorium has been used for the treatment of long-term illnesses such as tuberculosis. In addition to all these, the house of the famous Turkish writer Hüseyin Rahmi Gürpınar, Değirmenburnu, which is a picnic area, and Süslü Mezar, which is a representation of great love, are among the island beauties to be seen.
I seem to realize that you are hungry after traveling all these places. Maybe you can say to me “What are the famous dishes of Heybeliada?” As Tinkerbell, let me list the most famous dishes of this island. Primarily because it is an island cuisine, it is used in many seafood dishes. It is possible to find traces of both Turkish and Greek cuisine in the food culture of Heybeliada. You should definitely try “shrimp pie” and “scorpion salad”, which are the most famous dishes of Heybeliada. Do not complete your island tour without trying Heybeliada’s cute “gummy ice cream”. As you can see, every corner of Istanbul is a land of fairy tales! Maybe that’s why I became “Tinkerbell”. Who knows?..
Heybeliada Naval High School
Heybeliada Sanatorium
Değirmenburnu
Hüseyin Rahmi Gürpınar’s House
Heybeliada Pier
Shrimp Pie
Scorpion Salad
Gummy Ice Cream
