Person in the Tomb
Gözcü Baba is an Ahi dervish who was tasked with watching over Byzantium before the siege of Istanbul on behalf of the Ottomans.
While he was on duty at the Ahi lodge in Merdivenköy, he kept watch on the high hill in Göztepe in order to monitor enemy movements that might come from Üsküdar and Çamlıca.
After his martyrdom, he was first buried in Selvili Cemetery in Çemenzar, and in time, his name gave its name to the "Göztepe" district, along with the hill where he served. He could not witness the conquest of Istanbul, as he died just before it was conquered. He is considered a saint among the people.
About the Mausoleum
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The tomb is located at the highest point of Göztepe, among the greenery on Hızır Reis Street.
It is a small tomb with a simple structure, a single coffin and a surrounding area.
The spot where the tomb is located was once called “Gözcü (Watchman) Hill”.
Gözcü Baba’s name gave rise to the name of both the neighborhood and the hill.
