Sometimes in life we come across places that seem to be taken out of a colouring book. One of such places is Balat.

This neighbourhood of Istanbul is located on the European side of the city, on the western bank of the Golden Horn. Being the traditional Jewish quartier of the Fatih district, Balat is home to numerous synagogues and temples and has a vibrant history dating back to the Byzantine period that I'll be sharing with you today.

Balat was once the center of the social and cultural life of the Greek, Armenian and Jewish population of Istanbul. By merely walking these streets, you do imagine how interesting the cohabitation of the different religions and ethnic groups must have been!

Balat's streets were once the meeting point for navigators and street vendors, but after the 1894 earthquake and many fires that affected the city, the wealthiest inhabitants moved to Galata, which is nowadays the current location of the major synagogues of Istanbul. Emigration followed after the establishment of Israel and one fourth of Balat's jews left.

Balat is so colourful and diverse!

Balat Sokaklari (Streets of Balat).

New immigrants arrived after the majority of the Jews left. But this time they came from the Black Sea region of Turkey,  especially from Kastamonu. After the '60s, the economic situation of the remaining Jews improved and they moved to Şişli, close to Beşiktaş.

 A new wave of working class people were attracted because of job prospects and low rent and that is how Balat transformed into a neighbourhood for the lower classes, with dilapidated areas and buildings that face the danger of total ruin. Many of the residents have little to no access to proper urban services, health infrastructure is lacking and the level of education is really low. During the winter, living conditions in this part of town are even worse due to floodings, caused by the poor drainage system, according to what I read on the Internet.

Daily scenes from Balat

Buildings in Balat.

So, you might ask yourself why did I want to see Balat on the first place?

First and foremost, when I saw pictures of Balat I thought that it would really be interesting to take a closer look at the structures of this part of town. Then, by going to Balat I wanted to confirm what I already suspected: if you want to see another side of Istanbul, not just having the impression of the imperial mosques and the important landmarks within Sultanahmet, you have to take a look at this.

The lifestyle of Balat presents itself as much more simple, yet more colourful and in a way authentic. When you walk away of the historic peninsula, every step you take seems to reveal a much more about the relationship of Istanbul's inhabitants with the place they call home, not just the touristy areas where you can buy all the souvenirs.

I also wanted to take a look at the Chora church, which is said to have the most beautiful examples of Byzantine mosaics in Istanbul. I really had no idea how to get there, so once we started strolling through Balat's intriguing streets without even seeing signs that warned about the church, we realised we were pretty lost.

Balat street vendors.

The colours of Balat.

What's this thing with me and my love for getting lost?
Well, it allows me to enjoy exploring even more and to have a much more personal impression of the places I visit. It also gives me a reason to ask my whereabouts to locals, which in turn show me the lively and ever-evolving face of that specific corner of the world.

On that morning in Balat, I remember having asked at many shops where was the Chora Kilisesi and saw nothing but puzzled faces. The what? A group of men even discussed about it for a while in front of me and ended up pointing me the way in different directions. It was already clear to me that I wouldn't find the church. What we did find was a synagogue, but the scorching May sun had us seeking for refuge.

Cute café on the banks of the Golden Horn.

Golden Horn views.

So we walked towards the Golden Horn and I sat under the shadow of a tree. From that privileged spot, my gaze relaxed with the view of the water and the spring landscape of Istanbul. Sitting there, I understood that the church was merely an excuse I made up, because what I really wanted to see was already immortalised in my memories.

My favorite image of that day.