Valide Han is one of the oldest and largest caravanserais in Istanbul. Long ago, this large public building served as shelter and a stopover for weary travelers and was a true resting place, even a palace on the route of merchant caravans. But looking at the present-day remains of the building, it is hard to believe.
The history of this structure, lost among the alleys of the Grand Bazaar, begins in the 17th century. Now the Valide Han caravanserai is in quite a neglected condition and is an intricate maze of chaotically built shops, narrow shabby corridors, rooms, staircases with worn steps, inner courtyards, arches... Finding yourself in this half-ruined, half-abandoned place after the noisy streets of Istanbul, you do not get used to the silence right away.
Valide Han is hardly mentioned in guidebooks, and tourists rarely visit this little-known place. Nevertheless, there is one reason people still come here. Behind one of the secret doors of this structure there is a convenient observation deck. An enterprising local resident (let us whisper a secret, his name is Mehdi) lets people onto the roof for a few lira. Thanks to this man, you can find yourself on the observation deck, which offers an unexpectedly beautiful view of the surroundings: Suleymaniye, the New Mosque, Galata Tower…
