Corlulu Ali Pasha Mosque

Corlulu Ali Pasha Mosque

Corlulu Ali Pasha Mosque is a historic location in the university neighborhood of Beyazit and is popular with students who still come to hang out here from the nearby universities. The 300-year-old Medrese was a religious school and dervish lodge during the Ottoman times, before becoming a bustling bazaar area in the mid-20th century. Today it is an oasis for locals and tourists alike who are seeking relaxing refuge from the hustle and bustle of the nearby Grand Bazaar area. There are wooden tables and chairs in the shaded courtyard area, Iznik-tiled table tops, mosaic lamps dangling from the ceiling and carpets hanging on the walls. It is a favorite hang-out spot for many university students, who come here to pass the time over a glass of Turkish tea or an aromatic cup of Turkish coffee whilst enjoying the fragrant smoke of a hookah (also called nargile or water pipe). Apple and mint or rose and mint are recommended tobacco flavors for the hookah and in winter the warming and comforting winter drink of sahlep is also much loved. It has also become a popular tourist location to sample this tradition of Turkey and the Middle East and is rich in atmosphere with the light haze of hookah tobacco and the musical tinkling of teaspoons in Turkish tea glasses.