Ottoman Yalis on the Bosphorus: Historic and Architectural Gems

The shores of the Bosphorus are lined with seemingly endless beauty and heritage. Iconic palaces, mosques and fortresses roll past, backed by lush green hills. With all this history around you, the countless Ottoman mansions that also dot these shores can go under the radar. But these Ottoman riverside mansions – known as ‘yalis’ – offer stunning architectural variety. They were among my favourite sights in Istanbul.

If you’re going on a Bosphorus cruise, read my guide of the main sights to look out for here.

Why are the mansions on the Bosphorus important?

During the Ottoman Empire, many of Istanbul’s wealthiest families would build summer retreats along the Bosphorus. This means that travelling along the Bosphorus is a veritable ‘who’s-who’ of important figures from the Ottoman Empire – a sort of historic equivalent of a Hollywood celebrity house tour. 

More than this, though, the Bosphorus was also a playground for some of the best architects of the time. Many of these mansions are directly on the waterfront and known as yalis – meaning a ‘building that laps at the water’. Traditionally, these houses would be made from timber and would take into account their surroundings in their design. They’re an important part of Turkey’s architectural heritage.

In the 18th, 19th and 20th century hundreds were built along the Bosphorus, but many have fallen into disrepair or disappeared. Since the end of the Ottoman Empire, other iconic houses and buildings have been built along the Bosphorus. Here are some of my favourites.

Beautiful mansions along the Bosphorus

Count Leon Ostorog’s Yali

This huge, traditional red yali dates back to the 18th century. In the early 20th century, Count Leon Ostorog – a distinguished scholar in Islamic law who advised the Ottoman government – purchased and expanded the mansion. He and his family lived here throughout the reign of three Sultans and the fall of the Ottoman Empire. The Ostorog family kept ownership of the building up until the start of the 21st century, when it was bought and restored by businessman Rahmi Koç.

It’s one of the best preserved yalis you’ll find along the Bosphorus. I especially love the small, wooden house – in the same deep red – perched on the cliff above. The marble columns to the left of the house are part of a fountain, which is more than two hundred years old.

Kadri Pasha Yali

This is another traditional 18th century yali – although its exact history and architect is unknown. It’s a dazzling sight, a grand white mansion that is actually just one section of what was once a much larger building. It was owned by Kadri Pasha, who was the Grand Vizier to Sultan Abdul Hamid II – meaning he was the effective head of government.

Perili Köşk

One of the stand out sights along the Bosphorus is this distinctive red-brick mansion, right next to the Fatih Sultan Mehment Bridge (because it’s not directly on the waterfront, it’s not a yali). It was originally known as the Yusuf Ziya Pasha Mansion – but is more commonly known as Perili Köşk, meaning ‘Haunted Mansion’. It gained this nickname after spending decades unfinished, with two of its floors empty.

It was built by Ottoman ambassador to the United States Yusuf Ziya Pasha, completed after World War One. It’s striking for its interesting castle-like structure, cone-topped tower and beautiful redbrick. It’s now a contemporary art gallery.

Zeki Pasha Yali

Directly under the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge is this imposing stone mansion. It’s a creepy sight – an old-school haunted mansion that looks like it hasn’t been lived in for decades, directly under the modern suspension bridge.

It was built at the end of the 19th century, in the final years of the Ottoman Empire, for a field marshal. At this time, most mansions along the Bosphorus were still built from wood, so its European style and stone facade was seen as unorthodox. From this building Mehmet VI, the last of the Ottoman sultans, walked onto a British warship following the end of the Sultanate. He would never return to Turkey.

Hatice Sultan Yali

Many large yalis were built for the daughters, nieces and sisters of Sultans along the waterfront. This impressive red-topped mansion was the home of Hatice Sultan – the daughter of Sultan Mustafa III. It’s in the Ortakoy neighbourhood, where there were once six Sultan mansions. Hatice Sultan Yali is the only one left. You can’t see it too clearly in my photo because of the lighting, but the wood has a lovely green tint to it.

Huseyin Kazim Kadri Yali

This pink mansion was built in 1900. It stands out for its colour – it was the only pink yali I spotted along the Bosphorus. Hüseyin Kazım Kadri lived here, a statesman in the final years of the Ottoman Empire.

Bruno Taut House

Hidden amongst the trees, this stunning building is the only one in this blog that was built after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. But it was so beautiful, I had to include it. It was built by the famous German architect Bruno Taut in 1938, 16 years after the founding of the Republic of Turkey.

Bruno Taut had fled Germany when the Nazis gained power – initially spending time in Japan, where he fell in love with Japanese architecture. In 1936, he moved to Istanbul – his second place of exile – where he built this house. Interestingly, Bruno Taut is buried in one of Istanbul’s largest historic cemeteries, Edirnekapı Martyr’s Cemetery – the only non-Muslim to be buried there.

The roof is distinctly Japanese – a symbol of Taut’s love for Eastern architecture. But the building also reflects the style of the Turkish kiosk. High up on the cliffs, standing on stilts and nestled in the trees, it’s one of the most breathtaking pieces of architecture along the Bosphorus.

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