From Sadabad to Seyrantepe: The Kağıthane Valley Through 300 Years

1. 01
   History

   Find the Last Surviving Structure of the Palace

   Start at Çağlayan (Sadabad / Aziziye) Mosque, the only surviving structure from Sadabad. Abdülaziz had it built in 1862–63 on the site of an older mosque from the era of Ahmed III; its architect was Sarkis Balyan. Look for the square stone body, lead-covered dome, the two-story imperial pavilion at the entrance, and the single minaret with a Gothic-style balcony.

   Çağlayan (Sadabad / Aziziye) Camii, Istanbul, Turkey
2. 02
   History

   Read the Three Layers on the Same Plot

   Stand on Hasbahçe Caddesi in front of the municipal service building and trace the site’s three historical layers. The final Sadabad Palace commissioned by Abdülaziz in the 1860s was demolished in 1943 by order of General Fahrettin Altay. A military school was built here in 1953, and that building now serves as the municipal service building: palace, school, municipality, all on one plot.

   Hasbahçe Caddesi belediye hizmet binası önü, Istanbul, Turkey
3. 03
   Nature

   Go Down to the Stream of the Silver Canal

   Head to the Kağıthane Creek waterfront and imagine the lost Cedvel-i Sîm, the 'Silver Canal.' In 1722, Ahmed III and Damat Ibrahim Pasha had a palace, marble canals, and nearly 170 pavilions built along both banks of this stream. On 25 September 1730, during the Patrona Halil rebellion, most of the pavilions were looted and burned; one record says 120 were destroyed.

   Kağıthane Belediyesi Hasbahçe Mesire Alanı, Hasbahçe Cd., Kağıthane, İstanbul
4. 04
   Local

   Stand Before the Stadium That Moved from Mecidiyeköy

   Continue to the open area outside RAMS Park. Galatasaray left its old stadium in Mecidiyeköy and moved here in 2011; the venue first opened as Türk Telekom Arena and now carries the name RAMS Park. A decade later, the children’s hospital from Şişli also moved into this area, marking the valley’s northern end as part of the city’s newer northward-shifting center.

   RAMS Park, Istanbul, Turkey
5. 05
   Exploration

   Ride the Only Above-Ground Funicular in Turkey

   Finish at the entrance to F3 Seyrantepe Station and ride the Seyrantepe–Vadistanbul funicular. It is often mistaken for a monorail because it runs over a concrete viaduct, but it is a standard rail funicular. Opened in 2017, it links Seyrantepe to the newer shopping and living center of Vadistanbul over 750 meters, and it is the only above-ground funicular among Turkey’s four funicular lines.

   F3 Seyrantepe Station entrance, Istanbul, Turkey

Check opening hours before you go. Hours, access conditions and weather can change.