Pierre Loti Hill & Its Story
Pierre Loti Hill is a hill located in Eyüp district of Istanbul. The hill, named after the French writer Louis Marie Julien Viaud, is flooded by local and foreign tourists. The French writer, who settled in Istanbul in 1876 and wrote a novel there, later changed his name to Pierre Loti, is still remembered with this touristic hill today.
Pierre Loti Hill is an admirable place with its magical atmosphere and magnificent view. You can reach the hill from Eyüp by cable car and there are many cafes around
Who is Pierre Loti?
Pierre Loti is a French novelist. His real name is Louis Marie Julien Viaud. The name “Loti” is given by Tahitian natives on the Oceania expedition. This name comes from an exotic plant that grows in an exotic climate.
Loti, who entered the Navy at the age of 17, rose to rank in his profession. He spent a lot of time in the Middle East and Far East. It is possible to read his experiences and observations in his books.
Pierre Loti wrote the book Aziyade on today’s Pierre Loti Hill because of his love for Istanbul. Loti came to Istanbul many times and lived in Eyüp when he arrived. Aziyade’s book tells the story of a woman named Aziyade whom she met in Istanbul.
Loti always describes himself as a Turkish lover throughout his life. 1913 Can not Drive criticism of Western policy in his book Turkey. Likewise, after World War I, he accused France of being an invader.
In 1920, the writer won the title of honorary citizen of Istanbul. His name was first given to a street and then to a coffeehouse he always visited. The coffeehouse is located on Pierre Loti Hill, so the name of the hill remained Pierre Loti.
Breakfast at Pierre Loti
There are many restaurants serving as cafes in Pierre Loti. You can choose to have tea and coffee and watch the Golden Horn, or you can prefer breakfast and other meals.
Breakfast at Pierre Loti Hill varies between 20 and 40 TL per person. Prices start from 3 TL if you want tea, 8 TL if you want Turkish coffee.
Locations on Pierre Loti Hill
Aziyade Restaurant
It was named after Pierre Loti’s love Aziyade Hanım. You can also have an open buffet breakfast in the restaurant, which also offers different food alternatives.
You can find breakfast, lunch and dinner, snacks, cakes, desserts, ravioli and pancakes.
Address: Eyüp Merkez Caddesi, İdris Köşk Caddesi, Pierre Loti Hill Touristic Facilities, Eyüpsultan / İstanbul
Phone: +90 212 497 13 13
Historical Coffee
It is a place that has been the subject of Pierre Loti’s novels. It continues to serve as described in the book.
You should definitely experience the pleasure of drinking a cup of Turkish coffee in Historical Coffe, which has special menus suitable for almost everyone’s taste.
Historical Coffee is open at 08:00 in the morning and serves until 00:00 at the end of the day.
Address: Eyüp Merkez, İdris Köşkü Cd., 34050 Eyüpsultan / İstanbul
Phone: +90 212 497 13 13
How to Go?
Metrobus: If you want to go to Pierre Loti Hill by Metrobus, you have to get off at Ayvansaray station. From here you can walk in the direction of Eyüp. After Eyüp, you can use the cable car or walk uphill, but we recommend you enjoy the cable car.
Minibus: From Topkapı and Edirnekapı, you can go to Eyüp by using Gaziosmanpaşa minibuses.
Ferry: You can reach Eyüp by using the Üsküdar-Eyüp ferry services.
Cable Car
Access to Pierre Loti Hill is provided by the cable car line from Eyüp. You can reach Pierre Loti Hill from Eyüp in less than 3 minutes with the cable car lines operating 18 cabins per hour. The road for the return is downhill, so you can walk down.
With the TF2 Eyüp-Piyerloti cable car line, you can reach the hill at an altitude of 55-60 meters from the Eyüp district of Istanbul. It will be a pleasant memory for you to go to the top while enjoying the view of the Golden Horn.
There are also binoculars on Pierre Loti’s viewing terrace, which has been in service since 2005. When you go up the hill, you can take a closer look at the Golden Horn with binoculars.
It is possible to travel with the Istanbul Card on the cable car line. Ticket prices for students are as follows: 1.25 TL for students, 1.85 TL for teachers and 2.60 TL for those using standard cards.
