7 places to visit in the Üsküdar district of Istanbul: Çamlıca Hill, Maiden's Tower (Kız Kulesi) and Çamlıca Hill and Çamlıca Mosque. Plan your trip to Üsküdar with local food, practical tips and transport information.
Üsküdar is bordered by Beykoz to the north, Ümraniye to the northeast, Ataşehir to the east, Kadıköy to the south, and the Bosphorus to the west.
Etymology
The earliest name of the settlement in antiquity was Khrysopolis, meaning “Golden City” in Greek. It is widely believed that the name Üsküdar comes from the Scutarii, armoured cavalry units of the Roman army, and from the Skutarion Barracks located there.
History
From the 5th century BC, during the Athenian period, when the coastal settlement was enclosed by walls, the area was an important transport and accommodation centre. Üsküdar was taken by the Turks in 1352, long before the conquest of Constantinople. Under Ottoman control since the time of Orhan Gazi, Üsküdar was widely settled by Turks during the reign of Mehmed II (the Conqueror). Üsküdar had provincial status until 1926, when a legal reform that year made it a district and attached it to Istanbul.
History and Culture
The name Atik Valide was given after Gülnûş Valide Sultan commissioned a new complex in the 18th century. Atik Valide Mosque was built in three stages.
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