Free and wild Balat
Balat hasn’t let me off easy. It presented me with both a cultural and personal mirror that I initially tried to avoid facing. But fortunately, in the end, my courage prevailed.
My homeland’s culture is now becoming international, young, and clinically rule-bound Finland, where you’ll always find an “expert” blinded by rules ready to tell you how you should live, feel, and think. Even art and creativity are imprisoned in institutions maintained with tax money, where a monthly salaried “expert” eagerly tells you the rules on how you should experience art.
Balat is precisely the opposite of all this!
Balat is free, a community powered by its old history, international, embracing various life philosophies, where art and creativity overflow for all senses to experience – wildly without borders or rules. So, welcome to taste the colors of life!
Yes, Balat may confuse you and even throw you a challenge, but I recommend embracing it. Then you might find your deep inner freedom, which will exhilarate your inspiration towards life’s wonderful wonders and joys.
Where? And how do you get there?
Balat is located in the Fatih district on the European side of Istanbul, on the western shore of the Golden Horn (Haliç), between Fener and Ayvansaray. Transportation is good by buses or, for example, from Eminönü by tram T5.
During our last visit, one of us arrived by motorcycle, but since at least this granny isn’t particularly attracted to motorcycles combined with Istanbul’s chaotic traffic, the rest of us arrived by water. So, from the direction of Beyoğlu, from Kasımpaşa across the Golden Horn by ferry, which was a nice option. It was interesting to experience Istanbul from the Golden Horn’s direction for a change, although the ferry ride was too short, lasting only a few minutes.
This is Balat:
Two nice cafés
Balat is, in addition to everything else, an oasis of both beautiful and quirky cafes, not to mention vintage. Below, I’ll tell you with photos and little videos about two delightful cafes that I highly recommend.
1. Cafe Naftalin K. – vintage café
2. İlters Coffee – terrace café
Historical and multicultural Balat
In 1985, Balat was listed in UNESCO’s World Heritage List as one of Istanbul’s historical areas.
Both Istanbul as a whole and also Balat are literally bursting with world history. For example, the ruins of the sea walls from the time of Constantinople separate Balat from the Golden Horn. On the bay side wall, there is a plaque marking the spot where Sultan Mehmet II’s troops climbed over the walls on April 23, 1453, during the battle culminating in the conquest of Constantinople (i.e., the Ottoman Empire conquered the then capital of the Byzantine Empire, Constantinople).
Initially, Balat became a large residential area for Jews and Muslims in the late 1400s. Throughout history, many ethnic groups, cultures, and religions have lived and thrived in Balat; in addition to Jews and Muslims, there have been Armenians and Greek Orthodox, among others. Therefore, the area is home to sacred buildings of many different religions, such as synagogues, churches, and mosques. In my opinion, this now affects Balat’s energy and atmosphere in an uplifting way, although the past has not been entirely free from problems.
On the shore of the Golden Horn rises the famous and particularly beautiful Bulgarian Orthodox Church, completed in 1898, Bulgarian St. Stephen Church, also known as the Bulgarian Iron Church (Sveti Stefan Kilisesi). It truly is, as its name suggests, largely built from prefabricated cast iron elements. Architecturally, the church combines neo-Gothic and neo-Baroque influences.
With the uplifting tones of this beautiful church, I warmly welcome you to experience the unique Balat.