Pierre Loti Hill

  Pierre Loti is the pseudonym for the French Naval Officer and author, Julien Viaud (his most famous work was "Aziyade", supposedly written about an Ottoman woman he loved). During the course of his career Loti (Viaud) visited Istanbul frequently and became an avid supporter of the Ottoman's war for Independence. To thank Loti (whose name actually came from an exotic plant that grows in exotic places), Sultan Mehmet Resat received him in an official ceremony and the Turkish Parliment sent him an official thank-you letter. The hill overlooking the Eyop Mosque and the Golden Horn was named after Loti, also in thanks to his support. Approximately five miles north of the Spice Bizarre, the Loti hill offers an exquisite view of parts of Istanbul and the Golden Horn.

The cable cars that take folks to the top of the Loti hill.

Along the south slope of the hill is an historic cemetery in which many sultans, pashas, and authors are buried alongside everyday folks.

From the overlook area, one gets an exquisite view of the Golden Horn.

You an also get a glimpse of the immensity of the city of Istanbul.

Hidden away from the tourist part of the Pierre Loti hill is a whole community.

There are quite a few shops and stores along this side of the hill.

It is a bit crowded here and some of the buildings are not in pristine condition.

The Eyop Mosque as seen from the top of the hill.

We decided to walk down the hill through the cemetery rather than take the cable car back down.

One of the unique features of the cemetery were these public water fountains with an attached cup.

Along the walls of the paths through the cemetery were a number of quotes from a world renowned Turkish university professor and philosopher.