All in one place, in 200 meters diameter.

Most of the people even locals from Istanbul knows Tophane with the waterpipe cafes.  Actually the tobacco for waterpipes is coming from Arabic countries and the waterpi,pe itself is nothingto do with neither Turkish nor Ottoman culture that much.
 I would like to write on the real Tophane.  Top means cannon and Tophane is Cannon Factory.

In Ottoman Empire the cannons were molded in large, with dome, lots of chimney and lots of water storage capacity buildings called Tophane.  After the invasion of Istanbul by Fatih Sultan Mehmet he orderer the construction of a Tophane in Istanbul.  Is is called Tophane-i Amire somewat central gun factory.  That is where the name of the town came from.

The area is full of history and unique pieces of history.  Tophane-i Amire watches beautiful Tophane Fountain that was ordered by Mahmut 1st in 1732.  The fountain is enjoying the shade of famous Kilic Ali Pasha Mosque and Kilic Ali Pasha Hamam of Mimar Sinan.

If you keep Topjane-i Amire on your left and walk around 150 meters you reach Nusretiye Mosque.  Ordered by Selim 2nd and rebuild by Mahmud 2nd after tyhe fire.  The architect was an Armenian Krikor Balyan master and the height of the dome is 33 meters while the diameter is 7.5 meters.

I am attaching some photos of these monumental historical pieces.  If you pass by Tophane visit these places and enjoy your tea with a waterpipe if you like.  It is such a place fro locals that we can understand the difference between looking and seeing.

With loves from Tophane