Institut français Türkiye has launched a mobile application to pay tribute to the legendary author and allow visitors to trace his footsteps through the city of Istanbul as 2023 marks the 100th anniversary of the passing of French writer Pierre Loti (Julien Viaud).
Pierre Loti was a great admirer of Istanbul. Between 1870 and 1913, the writer visited the Ottoman Empire eight times, and he immortalized the city in his two novels, "Aziyade," also known as Constantinople, and "Les Desenchantees" as well as his emotionally charged story "Ghost of the East."
In 1921, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, recognized Loti as a devoted advocate of his homeland throughout his life, referring to him as "The Great and Noble Friend of the Turks," expressing gratitude and appreciation.
"Istanbul is the only city in the world where I became part of the people's lives, a vibrant, colorful, and fascinating city, yet struggling with poverty and various small trades of its Eastern population," wrote Loti in "Ghost of the East."
Using the application, people who read Pierre Loti's works can now explore three different routes from the Galata Bridge. The first route, "Bosporus and Beyoğlu," the second route, "Old Istanbul," and the final route, "Golden Horn," offer an opportunity to discover the writer's impressions, experiences, and works related to Istanbul. The notable landmarks along the routes include Pierre Loti's house in Çemberlitaş and Pierre Loti Cafe in Eyüp.
The three intersecting routes in Galata comprise locations that Loti visited, loved and described in his writings. The application is available for users in French and Turkish languages. The texts describing the routes were written by historian Alain Quella-Villeger, a specialist in Pierre Loti, while the visuals used in the application were sourced from public and private collections.
The inauguration of the application took place on Saturday at the current location of the French hospital where Loti stayed many times during his visits to Istanbul, which currently functions as the Institut français. The ceremony was conducted by Herve Blanche, the Mayor of Rochefort, and Olivier Gauvin, the Consul General of France, in Istanbul.
