Aziz Mahmud Hudayi Tomb
Summers in Istanbul are hot and humid so when I have to be out and about I always try to combine errands with a bit of exploring. I was a winter baby so heat and I don’t get on. This year summer started early so when I headed to Üsküdar in the last week of June, to meet up with someone who wanted to buy my books direct from me, it was already blisteringly hot and shower power sweaty. After an iced coffee in a café housed in a converted hamam, I headed back inland and trudged up a steep hill. Anyone who knows the area will be aware of just how hilly Üsküdar is, but luckily for me although the street was steep, the Aziz Mahmud Hadayi tomb wasn’t too high up. I made it without melting.
I was headed for the Aziz Mahmud Hudayi tomb, the second most visited religious site in Istanbul after Eyup Sultan Mosque on the Golden Horn. Aziz Mahmut Hudayi lived from 1541 to 1628 and was one of the most important sufi (Muslim saint) of the Ottoman Empire. Along with Yahya Efendi, Telli Baba and Hazreti Yuşa (the prophet Joshua), he’s considered one of the four patron saints of the Bosphorus.
Aziz Mahmüd Hüdayi was an inspired poet, composer, Islamic scholar and writer, among other things. During his illustrious career he was in charge of the Küçuk Aya Sofya Mosque and preached in Fatih Mosque too. Born in Sereflikoçhisar, he died in Üsküdar and was laid to rest next to his mosque. Hüdayi’s wooden tomb is located under a central dome held in place by four marble columns. Gilded ironwork surrounds it and hand drawn decorations cover the facades of the room. In death as in life Hüdayi is surrounded by his children and grandchildren, lying together in peace in tombs covered in green cloth, the colour of Islam.
Today the small mosque and tomb are run by the Aziz Mahmüd Hüdayi Foundation. They hold culture symposiums, run Koran courses, organise outings and entertainment for adults and children, as well as provide financial and other assistance through fundraising fairs and food donations.
Want to visit the Aziz Mahmud Hudayi tomb yourself?
Find out more about the Aziz Mahmud Hudayi tomb and complex on page 78 of my alternative travel guide Istanbul 50 Unsung Places, as well as another 49 inspiring sights! It’s based on using public transport as much as possible so you won’t be adding too much to your carbon footprint.
Here are some other helpful tips for planning your trip to Istanbul and Turkey.
For FLIGHTS I like to use Kiwi.com.
Don’t pay extra for an E-VISA. Here’s my post on everything to know before you take off.
However E-SIM are the way to go to stay connected with a local phone number and mobile data on the go. Airalo is easy to use and affordable.
Even if I never claim on it, I always take out TRAVEL INSURANCE. I recommend Visitors Coverage.
I’m a big advocate of public transport, but know it’s not suitable for everyone all the time. When I need to be picked up from or get to Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gokcen Airport, I use one of these GetYourGuide website AIRPORT TRANSFERS.
ACCOMMODATION: When I want to find a place to stay I use Booking.com.
CITY TOURS & DAY TRIPS: Let me guide you around Kadikoy with my audio walking tour Stepping back through Chalcedon or read about what you’ve seen and experienced in my three essay collections and memoir about moving to Istanbul permanently.
Browse the GetYourGuide website or Viator to find even more ways to experience Istanbul and Turkey with food tours, visits to the old city, evening Bosphorus cruises and more!
However you travel, stay safe and have fun! Iyi yolculuklar.
