{"id":592,"date":"2026-08-25T22:10:07","date_gmt":"2026-08-25T19:10:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aleksblog.com\/en\/?p=592"},"modified":"2026-08-26T17:31:06","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T14:31:06","slug":"where-to-find-colorful-houses-in-istanbul","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aleksblog.com\/en\/where-to-find-colorful-houses-in-istanbul\/","title":{"rendered":"Where to Find Colorful Houses in Istanbul"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Where to Find Colorful Houses in Istanbul<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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\"Aleks<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Merhaba!<\/p>\n

If you googled “colorful houses Istanbul,” Google will first throw Fener and Balat<\/a> at you. But let’s be honest: Balat today means crowds of people and caf\u00e9 prices almost like around Sultanahmet.<\/p>\n

And I do have an alternative for you – Kuzguncuk! Already popular, but not yet at peak fame, a small district on the Asian side of Istanbul. Go check out where to walk there and take shots that aren’t overused.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Where to go<\/h2>\n

We take the ferry to the Asian side. There are two piers \u2014 \u00dcsk\u00fcdar and Kuzguncuk. I suggest going to \u00dcsk\u00fcdar. There are more ferries going there, and from the \u00dcsk\u00fcdar pier you can first take a short walk to the popular caf\u00e9-bookshop Nevmekan Sahil \u2014 it’s the one with the huge dome.<\/p>\n

I wrote about it here: Istanbul’s most atmospheric caf\u00e9-bookshops.<\/a><\/p>\n

And after fueling up on a “San Sebastian” at Nevmekan Sahil, hop on bus No. 15 (or a 30-minute walk) back the other way to this jewelry shop<\/a>. A small store with reasonable prices, they have new pieces, vintage, handmade, and factory-made items. If you need a souvenir or something for yourself as a keepsake \u2014 definitely stop by. Definitely cheaper than around Sultanahmet.<\/p>\n

Right around the corner from the shop begins the district’s main street \u2014 \u0130cadiye Caddesi. Just walk straight down it until you’ve had enough (about a kilometer). Then head back, ducking into the side streets, small souvenir shops, and local caf\u00e9s.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Kuzguncuk: a bit of history<\/h2>\n

Kuzguncuk is one of the coziest, quietest districts in Istanbul. While you’re there, you actually forget it’s part of a huge megacity. Locals call it “a village within the city.” But the most interesting part is that historically it was one of the most multicultural districts in Istanbul.<\/p>\n

One of the first communities to settle here was Jewish. Many people arrived after the expulsion of Jews from Spain, and back then, in the 15th century, the Ottoman Empire took them in.<\/p>\n

Later, in the 18th\u201319th centuries, Greeks and Armenians began settling actively in Kuzguncuk. As a result, the district became a kind of “peaceful neighbor,” a place where religion and culture didn’t divide people.<\/p>\n

Surprisingly, for a long time there was no mosque at all in the center of Kuzguncuk. That sounds strange for the Ottoman Empire, but the area was mostly inhabited by non-Muslims, so there was no need for one. Then, in 1952, a mosque was built\u2026 on the grounds of an Armenian church.<\/p>\n

No conflict, no takeover. The Muslim population in the district simply grew, a place to pray was needed, and there was no free land \u2014 so the Armenian community gave up part of its courtyard. The church wasn’t seized or converted; they simply shared the land. A rare case of genuine coexistence.<\/p>\n

I’ll tell you more \u2014 the whole thing is honestly surreal! An Armenian church, a mosque, a Greek Orthodox church, and a synagogue all sit close together. Within a 500-meter radius you’ve got a bell tower, a minaret, and a synagogue (just don’t buy the calamari rings there). I mapped them all on Google Maps<\/a> \u2014 walk this route and really feel the history.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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About the local architecture<\/h2>\n

Why the houses are made of wood<\/h3>\n

In the Ottoman Empire, wood was the main building material for residential houses \u2014 it was easier and cheaper to source, wooden houses held up better in earthquakes, and they could be rebuilt faster after fires.<\/p>\n

These traditional Ottoman mansions are called “yal\u0131.” In Kuzguncuk they’ve survived better than in many other Istanbul districts, because large-scale development left them alone for a long time. After all, it’s a different, less popular and less crowded part of the city.<\/p>\n

After the great fire of 1864, many houses were rebuilt, and that’s when elements of European styles (Empire, Neo-Baroque) came into fashion \u2014 rendered in wood.<\/p>\n

Why they’re carved<\/h3>\n

In the Ottoman Empire, carved facade decorations were about status and aesthetics. It wasn’t just decoration \u2014 it was a way to show a family’s wealth and taste. And since the carving was often handmade, every house ended up slightly unique.<\/p>\n

Why they’re colorful<\/h3>\n

Houses used to be painted in different shades for practical reasons. Historically, the wood was coated with ochre-based or other natural pigment compounds to protect it from the Bosphorus humidity.<\/p>\n

In the 2000s, houses in Kuzguncuk began to be actively restored, and the bright colors became the district’s signature feature. Thanks to that, the district became a favorite filming location for Turkish TV series.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\"Istanbul<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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No, of course you should still walk around Fener and Balat too. I didn’t write that post for nothing! And don’t forget about two spots that not even all locals know about \u2014 the sultan’s pavilion at the New Mosque and a real bank vault turned free museum<\/a>. And it’s all free.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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More about Turkey and Istanbul:<\/h3>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Istanbul: 10 Unusual Spots in the Grand Bazaar<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t
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Istanbul\u2019s Fener and Balat: Colorful Houses, Crumbling Staircases, Hidden Gems<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t
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Where to Find Colorful Houses in Istanbul<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t
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Istanbul: How to Get from the Airport<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t
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\n \n All About #Turkey <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n
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