Eyüpsultan

Sister cities

• Prijepolje
• Gostivar Municipality

History

Modern Eyüp was the site of a settlement already in the Byzantine period, best known as Kosmidion (). Its name derives from the local monastery of the Anargyroi (Saints Cosmas and Damian), which was established in the fifth century. According to a later legend, it was founded by the magister Paulinus, who was executed by Theodosius II (r. 408–450) when the latter suspected him—erroneously—of having an affair with empress Aelia Eudocia. In reality, however, the monastery was probably founded ca. 480 by Paulina, the mother of the general and failed usurper Leontius. From her, the quarter was initially known as ta Paoulines (τα Παυλίνης, "Paulina's [quarter]"). The monastery was of some importance in the sixth century: its abbots participated in synods of 518 and 536, a collection of miracles associated with its patron saints appeared, and the monastery received a major renovation as part of the building programme of Justinian I (r. 527–565). In the meantime, industry, the growing population, and the continuing flow of pilgrims encouraged the growth of the shopping district around and behind the mosque. The streets behind had fish and dairy markets, shops, cafes and bars for residents of the area, while the courtyard of the mosque itself had people selling scriptures and prayer beads to visitors. From the mid-20th century onward, the area took on a more "working class" feel as wealthier residents of Istanbul preferred to buy housing on the Asian side of the city or along the Bosphorus, since the Golden Horn was becoming increasingly polluted and unpleasant due to industrial development. The industrial zone expanded as major roads were built through the Eyüp area. The market gardens and flower fields of Alibeyköy disappeared. In recent years many of the factories have…

Most-observed species

• Hooded Crow

  Corvus cornix Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  11,015
• Yellow-legged Gull

  Larus michahellis J.F.Naumann, 1840 · Aves
  10,428
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  7,286
• Great Tit

  Parus major Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  6,853
• Rock Pigeon

  Columba livia J.F.Gmelin, 1789 · Aves
  6,374
• Western Jackdaw

  Coloeus monedula (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  5,885
• Eurasian Magpie

  Pica pica (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  5,830
• Common Chaffinch

  Fringilla coelebs Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  5,274

Most recent

• M 5 — 2025-10-02
  22 km S of Marmara Ereğlisi, Turkey
• M 3.8 — 2025-07-05
  30 km SSW of Kumburgaz, Turkey
• M 4.2 — 2025-07-02
  4 km NE of Gemlik, Turkey
• M 4 — 2025-07-01
  3 km S of Umurbey, Turkey
• M 3.7 — 2025-05-03
  27 km SE of Marmara Ereğlisi, Turkey
• M 4.3 — 2025-04-25
  19 km SSW of Kumburgaz, Turkey