08.30 You would pick up from your hotel and we start our Fener Balat tour step by step by seeing the Cibali Tobacco Factory The first modern cigarette factory of the Ottoman Empire, located on the Golden Horn , from the outside. In Cibali, which resembles a movie set, we see the Cibali Police Station (Panoramic) and the Cibali Gate, which gave its name to the district, and then we go to Ayakapı . Here we see the Ayakapı Police Station (Panoramic), Gül Mosque and Azize Theodora Churches and then we go to Fener. While walking around the narrow streets of Fener, we see the Fener Orthodox Greek Patriarchate, then visit Kantemir Palace (from outside), Bloody Mary Church, Greek Boys High School (from outside), Mesnevihane (from outside) and then we go to Balat . Here we see the Old Wooden Houses, Tahta Minare Mosque (from outside), Armenian Surp Hıreşdagabet Church, Armenian School (from outside), Ahrida Synagogue (from outside), Agora Tavern (from outside), Ferruh Kethuda Mosque.

List of the places you will visit:

Istanbul Fener Balat: Fener and Balat are two neighborhoods with neighboring stories, houses and memories on the slopes of the Golden Horn. One of them welcomed the Jewish people and the other Greek people for many years. Fener Balat, whose names are mentioned together without being separated from each other, has created a unique landform with its steep slopes and frequent stairs. When you come here, you can see colorfully painted houses, churches, patriarchates and cute cafes that are iconic symbols. As you slowly pass through the stops, you will hear stories from the past, perhaps as far back as the 16th century.

Cibali Police Station: Cibali Police Station Museum and Cebe Ali Bey Tomb were opened to visitors after 2 years of restoration work. At the entrance of the 3-storey museum building, where various documents, materials, weapons and photographs related to Turkish police history are exhibited, is the tomb of Cebe Ali Bey, one of the officers of the Fatih Sultan Mehmet period, who is known to have given his name to the neighborhood, and on the outside, there is the 'Anadol' monument used by the police force, especially in the 70s. ' brand police car is also included.

Our struggle to return the machines, items, documents and photographs used in the Cibali Tobacco and Cigarette Factory since 2005 to their place of origin was concluded in 2008, and the works were temporarily transferred to the Rezan Has Museum after being recorded in the inventory of the Museum of Islamic and Science Technologies. We are the guardians of its legacy; In order to revive the spirit of the Cibali Tobacco Factory, which has a history of more than a century, and to carry this cultural heritage to future generations, we present tobacco and cigarette machines, all kinds of documents and information that have survived from the factory to the present day; We are very happy to share with you for the first time the works that returned to their homes after a meticulous conservation/restoration and research process that started in 2009 and lasted approximately 2 years. This exhibition, which is the second leg of our long-term project about CTF's collection of approximately 2600 works, opens a small door to the collection.

Mesnevihane Mosque: Mesnevihane Mosque was built by Şeyh el-Hac Hafız Seyid Mehmed Murad Efendi, according to the record in its inscription, in 1260 H./1844. Sheikh Mehmed Murad Efendi, one of the leading mesnevi inns of his time, had this lodge and its outbuildings built for the purpose of teaching Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi's famous work called mesnevi. The complex consists of a masjid, which is also used as a teaching institution, a monotheistic school, dervish cells, a library, a fountain, a water reservoir, a fountain, a kitchen, a greeting hall and a tomb that was added later; Except for the mosque, tomb, water reservoir, fountain and fountain, everything has disappeared..

Gul Mosque or St. Theodosia Church: from the Byzantine Empire period in the Ayakapı district of Istanbul It is a religious building that was converted into a mosque after the conquest. Although there is no exact information about its old name and construction date, it is estimated that it was built in the 10th or 11th century. This church is known as the highest church built by Byzantium. It is believed that the holy relics of the woman named Theodosia, who was killed during the iconoclasm movement because she opposed the removal of the icon of Jesus on the Halki Gate, the main entrance of the Grand Palace, were placed in this church and that this church became Hagia Theodosia.

Dimitri Kantemir House Fener: Famous historian Dimitri Kantemir lived in this house. Dimitri Kantemir, the younger son of Moldavian Voivode Constantine, was born on October 26, 1673, in Iasi, the capital of Moldavia. He took lessons from the scholars of his country since his childhood. When the Ottoman Empire appointed his father to the Moldavia principality in 1684, according to the tradition at that time, his elder brother Antiyoh was sent first, and in 1687 Kantemir was sent to the Sublime Porte as a hostage, and he stayed here intermittently for 22 years. During this period, Kantemir took lessons from the greatest scholars of his time. Among these, are philosopher Manos of Argos, who is considered the pillars of Greek culture, scholar Aleksandr Mavrokordato, who studied at the University of Paduva, philosopher Antonio Spandoni and the famous Quran commentator Nefyoğlu, musician Rami Mehmed Pasha, astronomer and philosopher Esad Efendi can be counted.

Bloody Mary Church: The small church at the foot of the huge mass of Fener Greek High School, which is an integral part of the Istanbul Golden Horn view, has been the scene of interesting events throughout history. Bloody Church is the only domed church that has survived from the Byzantine period and is still preserved as a church; It is also known among the public as the church of Our Lady of the Mongols.

Ahrida Synagogue: Balat Synagogue covers the area between Ayvansaray and Fener in the Balat district, where approximately ten thousand Jews resided at the beginning of the 20th century. Jewish life continued in this region until the 1950s. The first Jews to settle in Balat were about a hundred low-income families who immigrated from Kasturiya, Macedonia. In the years following the 1492 migration, Sephardic immigrants from Spain and Portugal and those who migrated from Rhodes in 1599 also settled in this region.

Fener Orthodox Greek Patriarchate: With the adoption of Christianity in the Byzantine Empire, Constantinople, the center of the Empire, began to stand out as a religious center. The Byzantion diocese, which was initially affiliated with the Herakleia metropolitan area, was elevated to an archbishopric in this process. In 381 it was declared the highest office of the entire Eastern Church and was equalized with Rome. The Patriarchate building was previously located on the site of today's Fatih Mosque. In 1455 the institution was moved to Pammakaristos Monastery. Since this place was converted into Fethiye Mosque in 1586, the institution was moved to Eflak Konağı Church in Fener. In 1597, the location was changed once again and the Hagia Dimitri Church in Balat was moved. The Hagia Yorgi Monastery, which is the last stop of the institution and is still in use, was settled in 1602.

Agora Tavern: Historical Agora Meyhane, a tavern/restaurant with an entrance on Mürselpaşa Street. It was established in 1890 by the Greek Captain Asteri, who fulfilled the requirement (“I will marry you when you moor on the ground.”) of an Istanbulite woman whom he fell in love with. Then the tavern was run by his son Stelyo, and then by his grandson Hristo Dulidis. However, according to Nilay Vardar’s report in Bianet, Agora Meyhane was “succumbed to the flames despite the trench of the regulars” in the events of 6-7 September. Although Hristo Dulidis struggled to keep the tavern alive, he moved to Greece in 1994.

Ferruh Kethüda Mosque: was built as a small social complex in 1562 by Ferruh Ağa, who was the Kethüda (high official responsible for internal affairs, steward) of Semiz Ali Pasha, one of the grand viziers of Suleiman the Magnificent, with the design of Mimar Sinan. Complex; It consists of mosque-tevhidhane lodge sections, court building and fountain. In fact, the social complex was based on a lodge, not a mosque. Prayers were also performed by building a mihrab in the monotheistic lodge of the lodge.

17:30 End of the tour you will be dropped at your hotel.