Strolling through Rasimpasa Kadikoy
Despite the heat of summer I decided to prowl the less popular backstreets of Rasimpasa Kadikoy. This neighbourhood sits between the popular and well known centre of Kadikoy, and the rapidly developing hipster Yeldegirmeni neighbourhood.
These are just a few of the hidden gems I found.
I want to know how the artist got up there! This lovely piece of street art was painted during one of the former Mural Istanbul festivals, when international street artists came to the city to paint the town red, and green, and blue … you get the picture.
Foundation stones like the above are living proof of one of the many minority groups that lived in Rasimpasa Kadikoy in the past. Even after Yeldegirmeni was discovered by young Turkish artists and creatives, the majority of the residents in Rasimpasa were a mix of Rum, Greeks born in Turkey, Armenians. A lot of the street level shops were small printeries, housed computer repairers, awning makers and sundry tradesmen. Since COVID, rising rents elsewhere have seen change set in, with small artisanal bakers and and cafes opening up.
This poster translates as “Solidarity Market, 5 August, 5.30pm, Everything free!” During the Gezi Park protests meetings were held opposite a local school in Rasimpasa Kadikoy. Education comes in many forms.
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If you’ve enjoyed looking at a tiny corner of Istanbul with me, then I know you’ll want to discover more with Istanbul 50 Unsung Places, my alternative guide to the city. I’ve visited every site in Istanbul 50 Unsung Places, many more than once, walked up the hills, caught the buses, ferries, trams and trains myself, and carefully noted all the details to ensure you can get back to where you started from. It’s available direct from me in Istanbul, at Minoa, Mephisto and Homer bookshops, also in Istanbul, as well as K’ai & Vrosi in Suadiye on the Asian side of town. Naturally it’s available online here.
