Karacaahmet Cemetery

Karacaahmet is an extensive burial ground in the Üsküdar district on Istanbul's Asian side featuring Ottoman architecture. The site includes five sections with different burial fields, crossed by winding pathways and shaded by rows of trees.

Muslim soldiers found their final resting place here starting in 1377, even before Constantinople became Ottoman. After the city's conquest, the grounds grew steadily and served for centuries as the main cemetery for the Muslim population.

The name honors Karaca Ahmet, a 14th-century dervish warrior whose tomb marks the origin of this burial ground. Many visitors walk along the old paths between tall cypresses and read the finely carved Ottoman inscriptions on the gravestones.

The sprawling grounds can be entered through several gates from central Üsküdar, with mostly unpaved paths that can become slippery after rain. Weekdays tend to be quiet, while weekends draw more visitors.

Around two million graves lie scattered across the grounds, making it one of the world's largest resting places. At the same time, the trees and open spaces provide habitat for many bird species that can be observed while walking.