Istanbul’s Seven Hills: The Historical Heart of the City

Istanbul, like Rome and Byzantium before it, was built on seven hills, all located within the boundaries of the Historic Peninsula, also known as “Suriçi Istanbul”. These hills have been central to the city’s history, playing host to some of its most iconic structures and offering unique vistas of its sprawling landscape.

1. Sarayburnu Hill

• Key Landmarks: Topkapı Palace, Hippodrome (At Meydanı), Hagia Sophia, İbrahim Paşa Palace, and the Sultanahmet Mosque.
• Historical Significance: Home to the ‘Milyon Taşı’, considered the starting point of roads leading to the various parts of the Roman Empire.

2. Çemberlitaş Hill

• Key Landmarks: The Column of Constantine (Çemberlitaş), Çorlulu Ali Paşa Medrese, and Nur-u Osmaniye Mosque.
• Cultural Relevance: A focal point of Ottoman-era architecture and education.

3. Süleymaniye (Beyazıt) Hill

• Key Landmarks: Süleymaniye Mosque and its complex, the former Ottoman Ministry of War (now Istanbul University), and Beyazıt Mosque.
• Architectural Importance: Dominates the city’s skyline and features the masterpiece of the architect Mimar Sinan.

4. Fatih Hill

• Key Landmarks: Fatih Mosque and its complex.
• Historical Background: Constructed by Sultan Mehmed II (Fatih Sultan Mehmet) on the site of the Byzantine Church of the Holy Apostles. Rebuilt after the 1766 Istanbul earthquake and reopened in April 1771.

5. Yavuz Selim Hill

• Key Landmarks: Yavuz Sultan Selim Mosque.
• Historical Legacy: Named after the Conqueror of Egypt, Yavuz Sultan Selim, and the mosque was initiated by him but completed by his son, Suleiman the Magnificent.

6. Edirnekapı Hill

• Key Landmarks: Mihrimah Sultan Mosque, Tekfur Palace (the only surviving part of the Blachernae Palace), and Chora Church (Kariye Mosque).
• Geographical Feature: The highest point in Istanbul, offering sweeping views of the city.

7. Kocamustafapaşa Hill

• Key Landmarks: Cerrahpaşa Mosque, built by the architect Davud Ağa, a student of Mimar Sinan, for Grand Vizier Cerrah Mehmed Paşa, and the Haseki complex.
• Unique Aspect: The only one of the seven hills extending towards the Thracian side of Istanbul.

These seven hills not only define Istanbul’s topography but also encapsulate its rich history, from the Byzantine and Ottoman eras to the modern-day. Each hill, with its unique landmarks and stories, contributes to the cultural and architectural diversity that makes Istanbul a truly mesmerizing city.