Büyük Valide Han

Tourist attraction · Taya Hatun

Büyük Valide Han

Tourist attraction · Taya Hatun

1

Büyük Valide Han, Mercan, Çakmakçılar Ykş. no: 33, 34116 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye

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Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null
Büyük Valide Han by null

Highlights

Istanbul’s Büyük Valide Han is a 17th-century Ottoman inn turned charming art hub with crafts, cozy cafes, and stunning Bosporus views.  

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Büyük Valide Han, Mercan, Çakmakçılar Ykş. no: 33, 34116 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye Get directions

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Büyük Valide Han, Mercan, Çakmakçılar Ykş. no: 33, 34116 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye Get directions

+90 532 158 06 65
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Last updated

Jul 31, 2025

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@afar

"A Secret Ottoman Han Hiding a Magnificent View Visiting the 17th-century Büyük Valide Han in Eminönü is my all-time favorite experience in Istanbul . It's an Ottoman inn that accommodated traveling merchants over 350 years ago and also stored the Oriental and European wares from the wooden ships moored in the Golden Horn. The han is hidden away in the backstreets of the Spice Bazaar, though got some big-time exposure when featured in a montage in the 007 movie Skyfall. Artisans still make and repair some of Turkey’s well-known handicrafts in the timeworn workshops upstairs, but my favorite feature is the view from the roof. To experience this you need to locate the building off Çakmakçılar Yokuşu. Then go up the steep stairs and say, "Merhaba" (hello) to the craftspeople. If you’re lucky, the caretaker will agree to unlock a door that hides a secret staircase to the roof. Do give him a tip for his kindness and time because the view of the Bosporus, dividing Europe and Asia, is spectacular. A little word of warning: The roof is flat (with some domes), and there are no safety rails—so watch your step. Please respect the history of the building too and collect only memories and leave only your fondness for Istanbul to waft away in the Bosporus breeze."

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Hoang Nguyen Xuan

Google
You can go up the second floor where all the buildings around connect and you can walk around, there’s a hidden cafe as well.

Alex

Google
The doors leading to the roof are closed. There's a man offering the key to the roof for €20 or 500 Turkish lira. However, you can walk around the building for free

Hash K

Google
Had a great chat with the proprietor and designer Ardin (hope I spelled that right), who sells jewelery and other cool collectibles here at this location. The cafe portion is closed at the moment but it's worth a visit for the view alone, and the collection is nice as well. Please leave a tip for your visit as he is a small business owner, incredibly hospitable, and the view really is spectacular. As others mentioned it's pretty easy to find, just follow Google maps and use my pictures of the surroundings and the staircase as guidance.

sladzanica b

Google
we were there a week ago, it's not hard to find by google maps, and when we were there, some man showed us the way to cafe. its nice, drinking coffee served with taste and with a view from a little terrace. i was hoping we could go to the roof top but it is forbidden, they say it's not safe. pity. i found out about roofs watching the movie "96 hours" and i really wanted to have that experience, walking at the rooftops, although i think that the scenes of roofs in that movie are from the roofs of kapali çarsi, but they are also devastated and dangerous and forbidden. Anyway, hope to come again for a coffee here and to have more time to explore this location inside, cause i red that there is some work and art shops, i haven't seen them. and near is Büyük Yeni Han, also historical building, worth to visit. they are all in bad condition, its a shame

Anna Roslavtceva

Google
It is worth visiting! Everyone is saying that it’s hard to find but actually there is a short way of locating the cafe. You need to enter the arch with the title Buyuk Valide Han above, come through the arch (don’t use the stairs from the arch), right after the arch turn to the right and go until the end. There you will find the stairs to the second floor, come up and in a min you will see the door to the cafe

Kamilia Sener

Google
January 2023: Rooftop not available anymore for pics, you will find a guy there and he is saying he can’t help you (old guy) please don’t give him so much importance he speaks like he owns the NASA.. Anyway don’t waste you time you can not go on the top but still there is cool coffee inside the Han with amazing view.

Victoria Hong

Google
Amazing Istanbul view from here! If You are trying to get there by walking through the old building, you are probably on the wrong way, because this way is closed now. The right way to search “Buyuk Valide Han” or “Kubbe Istanbul” in Google Maps and you will get this place easily. I attached some pictures, if you will see the same view, probably you are on the right way :) By the way, Kubbe Istanbul located on this roof. This is co-working, art-center, photo-studio, library-all in one. Don’t forget to get inside also)good staff in there who will exactly offer help to you, a lot of lovely kittens😻and of course, view)

Pavel Staněk

Google
There was a guy with google translator (he didnt speak english) asking us to pay 500 lira for entrance for each person.😵‍💫 Better skip this place.
google avatar

Simone G.

Yelp
This is becoming one of my favorite places in Istanbul (I come here twice a year). Walk around the first floor of the building and you will find a mix of old workshops where goods for the bazaars are produced and newer shops like that of a silversmith who makes very original, modern jewelry or a subsidiary of BLOK art space. There's also a cute tea room in one of the corners, complete with balcony and fireplace. This is not a glitzy bazaar but a historical place with a rough but charming atmosphere. However it's not possible to climb up the roof anymore as the people in the han got fed up with too many misbehaving visitors. If you still want to have an exceptional view, follow the signs for KUBBE Istanbul through some corridors. They will lead you to a newly restored cultural centre.