Ephemera
Old views of Moda
Moda is a quarter in Kadıköy, Istanbul, Turkey. It is located on a peninsula between the center of Kadıköy and the Kurbağalıdere creek on the Anatolian part of Istanbul. The place became an outstanding residential area only after the 1870s, when wealthy non-Muslims settled down there by building their own mansions. Many prominent Levantine families settled here, from the British Whittall, La Fontaine, Charnaud, Dowson; the French Tubini, Lorando, Gravier, Glavany, Mathieu; the Germanic Wohl, Landgrebe, Fürstenberger; Italian Frederici, Antiba and others. Almost all of these former properties were pulled down during the second half of the 20th century. This gallery shows how the place looked like a century ago in its full glory.
Looking across the bay of Moda towards the ferry pier around 1900.
Close up of the shore and buildings on the opposite shore of the bay.
Looking back at the peninsula from the bay of Kadikoy.
Looking from the end of pier to the shore where the ground where Moda yatch club hasn’t been founded yet (established 1909) but the initials of KRC are visible on a wooden building donating the Kadikoy Rowing Club that was also founded by the local Levantines.
The far boundary of Moda with Kurbagli dere with its former wooden bridge.
One of the so far unidentified former sea-side mansions in Moda.
In this image from the 1900s, the Catholic Armenian Mekhitarist School is visible in the upper right. Established in 1842, it was the only school in Kadıköy that trained Catholic Armenian priests. The massive, three-story building—featuring a central courtyard—burned down and was eventually demolished. The clergyman Mekhitar (Pierre Manuk) (1676–1749) was born in Sivas, and the members of the religious order he founded came to be known as Mekhitarists. The Mekhitarist school, which trained Catholic Armenian priests, operated for later years in the former Baltacı Hotel—a building previously vacated by Saint Joseph.
Sailing boat races in Moda bay 1930s. Below a rowing race from a similar period.
What appear to be swimming races in Moda bay, 1950s.
Close up of the former Moda yacht club building that, official history records, became Moda Deniz Kulübü in 1935, viewed in the 1970s. In reality the Moda yacht club would have transferred ownership at least a year later as when King Edward VIII (on the left) visited Moda in September 1936 he was greeted by the British officials of that institution as seen by the photo below.
Looking at the other side of Moda pier in 1966 towards Koço Taverna with its open-air summer garden in the back, the boathouse beneath it, and the first of the apartment buildings rising up one by one behind.
Moda Lozan beach as seen in 1966.
