Soğuk Çeşme Sokak

Soğuk Çeşme Sokak runs as a narrow, cobblestone passage wedged between the high walls of Topkapi Palace and the Hagia Sophia. The street takes its name from a cold fountain, or soğuk çeşme, built here during the Ottoman era. A century ago, the colorful wooden houses lining the lane fell into severe disrepair, nearly vanishing from the city map. Celik Gulersoy led a massive restoration project in the nineteen eighties, saving the homes and turning them into a quiet hotel.