Hazzopulo Passage: Ottoman Arcade and Historic Café Hub

Hazzopulo Passage is a 19th-century arcade hidden just off İstiklal Avenue in Beyoğlu, named after Greek merchant or banker from the Ottoman era. Built and opened in 1871, the passage connects the crowded street to a peaceful central courtyard where the pace of life slows to the sound of tea glasses clinking and neighbors chatting over traditional Turkish tea.

The arcade was once Istanbul’s first shopping and fashion center, housing prominent tailors, hatmakers, embroiderers and designers. Today, it retains that character while serving locals and visitors seeking refuge from the bustle of the avenue—a place where old trades survive in small, family-run shops and the neoclassical façade still echoes Ottoman-era commerce.

Quick Facts

Built / opened	1871
Address	İstiklal Caddesi No. 116, Beyoğlu, Istanbul, Turkey Google MapsApple MapsYandex Maps
District	Beyoğlu
Metro	Şişhane (M2, İstiklal Avenue entrance)
Admission	Free; arcade is public passage
Best time to visit	Weekday mornings (9:00–11:00) are quietest, offering the best atmosphere and clearest light for photographs. Late afternoons on weekdays (16:00–18:00) also work well. Weekends and evenings (after 19:00) draw larger crowds of locals and tourists, creating a livelier but more crowded experience.Year-round visiting is feasible. Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) offer comfortable outdoor café seating without extreme heat or cold. Summer afternoons can be very hot; the passage's shaded courtyard offers refuge. Winter is cool but dry in Istanbul; the café experience is less appealing for outdoor seating, though the atmosphere remains atmospheric.

What Is (and Isn't) Part of a Visit to Hazzopulo Passage?

Part	Status	Notes
Hazzopulo Passage arcade and courtyard	Included in the standard ticket	The public passage connecting İstiklal Avenue to Meşrutiyet Street and the central courtyard with shops and cafés are open to visitors at all times.
Individual shops and cafés within the passage	Included in the standard ticket	Entry to shops and cafés is free; purchases and refreshments are optional. Operating hours vary by vendor.
Church of Panagia Isodion	Separate ticket or institution	The church is a separate religious site accessible from the passage but requires arrangement or may be closed; it is not included in general passage visits.
Residential apartments and upper floors	Not open to visitors	Upper residential floors of the historic buildings are private and not open to the public.
Avrupa (European) Passage	Outside / not part of it	A separate historic arcade nearby on Meşrutiyet Street; not part of Hazzopulo Passage but often confused with it.
Flower Passage (Çiçek Pasajı)	Outside / not part of it	Another historic passage in the neighborhood, east of Hazzopulo; distinct venue with restaurants and bars.

Why Visit Hazzopulo Passage?

The passage is a vivid snapshot of 19th-century Istanbul commercial life. The journey from the narrow, shop-lined entrance to the open courtyard marked by a change in light and sound is a small but powerful transition. You will see the original neoclassical stonework, handmade goods, and locals enjoying tea in the shade—a reminder that not all of Istanbul moves at the pace of Istiklal Avenue.

How Hazzopulo Passage Is Laid Out

The passage is entered through a narrow, vaulted corridor from İstiklal Avenue, with small shops and jewelry vendors lining both sides. This corridor opens abruptly into a wide central courtyard surrounded by three main buildings of neoclassical and neo-Renaissance style, four stories tall.

The courtyard is the heart of the space: tree-shaded, lined with café seating and small merchant stalls, and surrounded by shop entrances at ground level. A side gate leads to the adjacent Church of Panagia Isodion. Three main exits serve the complex: one back to İstiklal Avenue, one to Meşrutiyet Street, and one to the church.

Highlights of Hazzopulo Passage

The Neoclassical Façade on İstiklal Avenue

The arcade's entrance displays neoclassical architectural features characteristic of late 19th-century Ottoman commercial design. Look for the narrow vaulted corridor with its arched ceiling and stone walls, which frames the contrast between the exterior noise and the calm interior. The façade is modest but precise, typical of the period.

Tip: Stop a moment at the entrance before entering to look up at the arch and notice the proportions—this style was deliberately designed to create a dramatic threshold between street and courtyard.

The Central Courtyard

The main courtyard, surrounded by the three historic buildings, is the passage's focal point. Cafés and tea gardens occupy much of the space, their small tables and chairs filling the stone-floored area. Trees provide shade, and the ground is paved with podima stone—a distinctive stone quarried from a village near Istanbul and used for garden paths across the city until the 1950s.

Tip: Arrive on a weekday morning for the quietest experience and clearest light for photographs. Weekends and evenings draw locals and tourists seeking a break from Istiklal.

Remnants of the Tailoring and Hatmaking Trades

Although the passage has changed with time, some shops still sell traditional items—fabrics, accessories, hats, leather goods and handmade jewelry—echoing the space's role as Istanbul's first fashion center. Old hatmakers and tailors occasionally still operate here, preserving a livelihood that has occupied the passage since the 1850s.

Tip: Ask shopkeepers about their family history in the passage; several operate shops that have been in the same family for generations and have stories worth hearing.

The Adam Music Store Site

One of the arcade's most remarkable histories is musical. The Adam Music Store opened here toward the end of 1869, before the passage even officially opened. Its upper floor became a concert space and, in 1874, was converted into an art school by composer Dikran Çuhacıyan to train performers for Turkish opera. Istanbul's first chamber orchestra performed here. The space is no longer identifiable as such, but it marks a location central to Turkey's early modern music history.

Tip: The passage's role in Turkish music and theater is largely unmarketed; this is insider knowledge that deepens an ordinary visit into cultural understanding.

The Connection to the Young Turks

Church of Panagia Isodion

A stone archway on the east side of the courtyard leads to the secluded Church of Panagia Isodion, a Greek Orthodox chapel built in 1804. The church is small and not on the main tourist trail; it stands as a physical reminder of Beyoğlu's diverse religious heritage and the Greek community that built and inhabited the passage. Entry to the church requires separate arrangement but is possible.

Tip: The gate to the church is often closed, so ask shopkeepers or café staff if it is open or how to visit. The church's position, hidden from the street, represents the protection many minority religious sites sought in Ottoman Istanbul.

Atmosphere

The passage has a hushed, unhurried quality in contrast to the volume and pace of İstiklal Avenue just outside. The ambient sound is soft—tea glasses, casual conversation in Turkish, the hiss of a kettle. Midday light filters through the trees in the courtyard, casting dappled shadows. The air often carries the scent of tea and occasionally tobacco smoke from a nargile pipe.

The space attracts a mix: locals conducting everyday business, elderly men playing backgammon or cards over tea, tourists seeking respite, and occasional visitors exploring with a guidebook or phone. The architecture—worn stone, open corridors, peeling paint on some storefronts—conveys age and continuity rather than decay.

Early morning and weekday afternoons are quietest. Evenings can feel more animated, with the courtyards becoming social spaces. Weekends and late afternoons bring crowds from Istiklal seeking refuge, though even crowded, the passage retains a sense of intimacy that the avenue lacks.

History of Hazzopulo Passage

Hazzopulo Passage was built between 1850 and 1871, opening ceremonially on April 15, 1871. Attribution for its construction is disputed: sources variously name it after wealthy Greek merchant M. Hacopulo, Greek banker Kiriakos Ioannis Hatzopoulos (a former mayor of the Princes’ Islands), or Galata banker Yorgo Zarifi Hacopulo. The name Hazzopulo (or Hacopulo, the spelling varies) comes from the surname of its builder or namesake, reflecting the significant role Greek merchants and bankers played in Ottoman commerce during this period.

From its opening, the passage served as Istanbul’s first dedicated shopping and fashion center. By the late 19th century, it housed prominent men’s and women’s tailors, hatmakers, button sellers, embroiderers, pure silk petticoat sellers, and renowned designers. This commercial focus gave the arcade a particular character: it was not a general bazaar but a specialized center for fashion and fine goods, drawing customers from across the city.

The Adam Music Store, which opened here before the passage’s official inauguration, became culturally significant. By the 1870s, its upper floor had evolved into a concert venue. In 1874, composer Dikran Çuhacıyan converted it into an art school to train performers for Turkish opera—a pioneering venture in introducing operatic art to Istanbul. Later, in 1890, artist Zoli transformed the space into a theater. Istanbul’s first chamber orchestra performed in this very room, making the passage an unexpected center of Ottoman musical modernization.

The passage’s architectural style reflects its era: the narrow İstiklal façade displays neoclassical features, while the inner courtyard buildings are more neo-Renaissance in character. The floor stones are podima stone, quarried from Yalıköy (formerly Podima), a village south of Istanbul populated by Ottoman Greeks. These distinctive stones were widely used in Istanbul gardens until the 1950s, making the passage’s flooring a material trace of the city’s lost landscape.

From the 2000s onward, the passage’s function shifted. Tailors and hatmakers gradually departed; cafés and tea gardens came to dominate the courtyard. By the early 2020s, the lower floors remained active with shops and food vendors, but upper floors had fallen vacant. The passage remains under what Turkish sources call “trustee administration,” a legal status reflecting unresolved property issues tied to Ottoman-era minority ownership—a physical embodiment of the city’s complex relationship with its Greek and other minority heritage.

Legends and Myths about Hazzopulo Passage

Hidden Escape Routes

Tickets and Booking for Hazzopulo Passage

Hazzopulo Passage is a public arcade and costs nothing to enter. The passage is open continuously as a pedestrian pathway. Individual cafés, shops and vendors set their own opening hours, typically 10:00 or 11:00 to 19:00 or 20:00; some operate longer in evenings and weekends. Refreshments and purchases within the passage are optional and are priced by individual vendors. No reservation or advance booking is needed to visit the passage itself.

Suggested itineraries Hazzopulo Passage

20–30 minutes

Walk through the narrow entrance corridor from İstiklal Avenue, observing the vaulted ceiling and stone walls. Emerge into the central courtyard and walk its perimeter, noting the architecture and vendor stalls. Exit via Meşrutiyet Street. This gives a quick sense of the layout and atmosphere without lingering.

45 minutes to 1 hour

Enter from İstiklal, walk the corridor slowly, spend 15–20 minutes in the courtyard seated at a café enjoying Turkish tea. Browse one or two small shops selling handmade jewelry, leather goods or local crafts. Exit via either street or, if open, explore the Church of Panagia Isodion briefly.

2 hours or more

Spend 30 minutes exploring the passage thoroughly, photographing details. Sit for tea and a light snack (menemen, börek, pastry) at a courtyard café (30–45 minutes). Browse multiple shops, asking shopkeepers about their family history and the passage's past (30 minutes). If arranged, visit the church (15 minutes). Exit and continue exploring nearby Cihangir neighborhood.

How to Get to Hazzopulo Passage

By Metro: The nearest metro station is Şişhane on the M2 line. From the station’s İstiklal Avenue entrance, walk uphill (east) along İstiklal for about 2–3 minutes. The passage entrance is marked by a narrow vaulted corridor on the left (north) side of the avenue, at number 116. Look for small shop signs on either side of the entrance.

By Tram: The T2 heritage tram (Nostalgia Tram) runs along İstiklal. Alight at any stop along İstiklal and walk to the passage. The tram is slower but atmospheric.

By Foot: Hazzopulo Passage is roughly 200 m west of Galatasaray School and 400 m east of Taksim Square. If arriving from Taksim, walk downhill along İstiklal for 5–7 minutes. Signage is minimal; looking for the narrow archway entrance at No. 116 is easier than asking.

Parking: Street parking near İstiklal is limited and often not available during the day. Parking garages exist nearby (e.g., near Galatasaray School). Most visitors arrive by metro, tram or on foot*.

Accessibility

The passage entrance from İstiklal Avenue involves steps or a sloping vaulted corridor with uneven flooring, which may pose difficulty for wheelchair users. The courtyard itself is flat and accessible once inside. Individual shops have variable accessibility; most have at-grade or single-step entry. Cafés typically have standard café tables without dedicated accessible seating, though the space is open and tables can be moved. Accessible toilet facilities are not marked or confirmed. The narrow width of the initial corridor is a constraint for wheelchair or mobility device navigation. Visitors with mobility concerns should assess feasibility based on their specific needs.

Food Nearby

Within the passage itself, several simple cafés serve Turkish tea, coffee, soft drinks, and light snacks such as menemen (scrambled eggs with vegetables), börek (fried pastry), and pastries. Quality and price are moderate. These venues are casual, not full-service restaurants.Outside the passage, Istiklal Avenue has dense food and café options within 1–2 minutes' walk—everything from street food (simit, corn, mussels) to small restaurants, döner shops, and international chains. The Flower Passage (Çiçek Pasajı), a few minutes' walk east, hosts multiple meyhane (traditional tavern-restaurants) popular for evening meals.

What to Bring

Comfortable walking shoes with grip are useful for the uneven stone flooring, particularly in the entrance corridor. Light layers are advisable year-round, as the vaulted entrance corridor is cool even on warm days. A small camera or phone is useful for photography; the passage rewards visual attention. Bring cash; some small vendors may not accept cards. In summer, sun protection and water are practical, though the courtyard offers ample shade.

Best Views and Photo Spots of Hazzopulo Passage

The Vaulted Entrance Corridor

Standing just inside the entrance from İstiklal Avenue looking back toward the street, the arched stone ceiling creates a dramatic frame around the street light and activity beyond. The narrowness amplifies the sense of threshold and transition. Light from above illuminates the stone walls, creating warm tones and strong shadows.

Best time: Late morning (10:00–11:00) when sunlight is directional but not harsh. Overcast days also work, providing diffuse light that reveals texture without harsh shadows.

The Central Courtyard, Looking Up

Stand in the center of the courtyard and photograph upward toward the surrounding buildings and sky. The neoclassical and neo-Renaissance façades frame the view, with tree branches and leaf canopy creating a natural border. The composition reveals the passage's enclosure and architectural layering.

Best time: Midday (11:00–14:00) when sky is brightest and tree foliage is well-lit. Summer provides fuller leaf coverage; autumn offers color variation.

Café Seating Under Trees

A perspective showing people seated at outdoor café tables in dappled shade, with the arched entrances and storefronts in the background. Captures the passage's social atmosphere and lived-in character without intrusion. The scene is authentic to the passage's contemporary purpose.

Best time: Late afternoon (15:00–17:00) when cafés are moderately busy and shadows from trees create complex pattern and depth. Weekday afternoons avoid very large crowds.

The Church Archway (east side of courtyard)

The stone archway opening toward the Church of Panagia Isodion creates a layered view: closer stonework and doorways in the foreground, with the archway framing a quieter, more enclosed passage beyond. This shot conveys the passage's hidden interconnections and spiritual depth.

Best time: Mid-morning when light rakes across the archway stonework, revealing texture and weathering. The passage beyond is partly shadowed, creating visual drama.

Meşrutiyet Street Exit Looking Back into the Passage

Standing on Meşrutiyet Street and photographing back through the passage entrance, showing the entry from the street-side perspective and the interior courtyard light beyond. Captures the passage's role as a threshold and its relationship to the surrounding urban fabric.

Best time: Late afternoon when interior light contrasts with street-level lighting, making the passage entrance appear as an inviting portal of calm.

Photography Rules

Photography is freely permitted throughout the passage. The vaulted entrance corridor offers interesting architectural shots with strong shadow and light contrast. The central courtyard provides dappled light through trees, ideal for environmental portraits and architectural detail. Flash is not needed indoors due to natural light through the open courtyard. Drone photography is not permitted in the passage or on surrounding streets due to urban density and privacy. Tripods may obstruct foot traffic; hand-held shooting is recommended.

Family Suitability

The passage is suitable for families with children of all ages. The courtyard is flat, safe and traffic-free, allowing children to walk and explore freely. Cafés accommodate families, and the atmosphere is calm and appropriate for young children. The narrow entrance corridor is passable with standard strollers, though the uneven flooring requires care. Older children may enjoy exploring small shops, playing backgammon or watching craftspeople. The passage's quiet offers a contrast to the chaos of Istiklal Avenue, making it a good place for children to experience a different pace of the city. Toilet facilities within the passage are not marked; the nearest public facilities are on nearby Istiklal Avenue or in shopping centers. Supervision of young children is recommended due to the open courtyard and multiple exits.

Istanbul Vibes Tips

• Arrive on a weekday morning before 11:00 to experience the passage at its most authentic. You will see locals conducting everyday business, artisans at work, and hear the natural soundscape without the afternoon crowd of tourists.
• Ask café staff or shopkeepers about the history you cannot see marked anywhere: the printing press, the music school, the Young Turks gatherings. These stories transform a pleasant courtyard into a place of consequence.
• Sit for at least one glass of Turkish tea in the courtyard. The experience of pausing, the social rhythm around you, and the taste anchor the passage in daily life rather than tourism.
• The passage offers the only sheltered shopping experience directly from Istiklal Avenue. Use it as a circuit: enter from Istiklal, browse the courtyard, exit onto Meşrutiyet Street and explore the steep residential streets and smaller passages that descend toward Galata from here.
• The floors are original 19th-century podima stone and can be slippery when wet or worn smooth. Footwear with grip is practical, especially in the vaulted entrance corridor where shadows obscure uneven spots.
• Do not confuse Hazzopulo Passage with Avrupa (European) Passage or Flower Passage (Çiçek Pasajı), which are nearby but distinct venues with different character. Hazzopulo is quieter, more local and less touristy than the other two.

Explore Nearby Hazzopulo Passage

Sights near Hazzopulo Passage

• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Istiklal Avenue – about 250 m away (~4 min walk) · typical visit: 2-3 hours12 min on foot from Tünel metro, Open 24 hours
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Taksim Square · typical visit: 30 minutes to 1 hour, or longer with İstiklal Avenue
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Flower Passage – about 200 m away (~3 min walk) · typical visit: 1–2 hours11 min on foot from Tünel metro, Open 24 hours
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Aznavur Passage – about 100 m away (~1 min walk) · typical visit: 30–45 minutes10 min on foot from Tünel metro, Open daily 07:00–01:00
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Avrupa Passage – about 150 m away (~3 min walk) · typical visit: 15–20 minutes11 min on foot from Tünel metro
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Pera Museum – about 150 m away (~3 min walk) · typical visit: 2–3 hours6 min on foot from Tünel metro

Metro stations near Hazzopulo Passage

• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Tünelabout 500 m away (~8 min walk)
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Şişhane – about 650 m away (~10 min walk)Open daily 06:09–00:09
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Tophaneabout 750 m away (~12 min walk)

Restaurants and cafes near Hazzopulo Passage

• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  360 Istanbul – about 50 m away (~1 min walk)8 min on foot from Tünel metro
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Hodan – about 250 m away (~4 min walk)9 min on foot from Tünel metro
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Nicole – about 250 m away (~4 min walk)6 min on foot from Tünel metro, Open 18:30–23:30, closed Mon
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Aret'in Yeri – about 300 m away (~5 min walk)13 min on foot from Tünel metro, Open daily 15:00–01:00

Nightlife near Hazzopulo Passage

• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Flekk – about 150 m away (~2 min walk)9 min on foot from Tünel metro, Open daily 17:00–02:00
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Corner Irish Pub – about 150 m away (~2 min walk)10 min on foot from Tünel metro, Open daily 12:00–04:00

Train stations and river piers near Hazzopulo Passage

• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Karaköy Ferry Terminalabout 1.2 km away (~20 min walk)
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Kabataş Ferry Terminalabout 1.4 km away (~23 min walk)

Events and traditions near Hazzopulo Passage

• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Istanbul Music Festivalabout 650 m away (~10 min walk)
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Istanbul Film Festivalabout 1.7 km away (~28 min walk)

Related guides

• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Cihangir: Istanbul’s Bohemian Neighborhood Beyond the Tourist Trail
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Istanbul Cruise Port Guide: Galataport to the Old City in One Day
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Galataport: Istanbul’s Waterfront Promenade in Karaköy
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Grand Hotel de Londres: A Faded Pera Landmark from 1892
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Soho House Istanbul: A Palazzo Club and Hotel

Browse more: More in Beyoğlu · All Markets & Shopping · All Sightseeing

?

FAQ: Hazzopulo Passage

How much does it cost to visit Hazzopulo Passage?

Entry is free. The passage is a public walkway open continuously. Any costs come only from optional purchases—tea, coffee, food or goods from shops and cafés within it.

When is the passage open?

The passage itself is open continuously, day and night, as a public pedestrian path. Individual shops and cafés inside have their own hours, typically 10:00–11:00 to 19:00–20:00, with longer hours on weekends. Operating hours vary by vendor.

Is the passage accessible by wheelchair?

The entrance from Istiklal Avenue involves steps or an uneven sloped corridor, which is challenging for wheelchair users. The courtyard interior is flat and accessible once you are inside. Accessibility depends on your specific mobility needs; assess the entrance corridor first.

How long does a visit take?

A quick walk-through takes 20–30 minutes. Enjoying tea and browsing shops takes 45 minutes to 1 hour. A leisurely exploration with café time can extend to 2 hours or more, especially if you visit the nearby Church of Panagia Isodion.

Is the Church of Panagia Isodion inside the passage?

The church is adjacent to the passage, accessible through an archway on the east side of the courtyard. It is a separate, distinct religious site and may be closed. Visit does not require a passage ticket but may need arrangement; ask café staff.

What is the nearest metro station?

Şişhane station on the M2 line is the nearest. From its İstiklal Avenue exit, walk uphill (east) along İstiklal for 2–3 minutes. The passage entrance is on the left at number 116, marked by a narrow vaulted archway.

Should I bring cash or will cards work?

Bring cash. Larger cafés may accept cards, but many small vendors, especially shops, accept cash only. An ATM is available on nearby Istiklal Avenue.

Is this a safe place to visit alone?

Yes. The passage is busy during the day with locals and visitors. It is well-populated, calm and safe for solo travelers at any time. The atmosphere is unhurried and welcoming.

Hotels near Hazzopulo Passage

• MAGNOVA STUDİOS (50 m) Check prices* (affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
• Next house hotel (50 m) Check prices* (affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
• Taksim square hostel (100 m) Check prices* (affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
• De pera (100 m) Check prices* (affiliate link, opens in a new tab)

* Affiliate link (opens the booking site): we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

All hotels in Istanbul – Beyoğlu

Restaurants near Hazzopulo Passage

• The House Cafe İstiklal (50 m) Google Maps
• Piknik kofte (50 m) Google Maps
• Litera Terrace (100 m) Google Maps
• Fıccın (100 m) Google Maps

All restaurants in Istanbul – Beyoğlu

Distances are straight-line, from OpenStreetMap data.

Take this guide with you

Get a free PDF of this guide to print or read offline: key facts, tips and a map link on a few clean pages.

Get the free PDF I want to receive the newsletter by email and agree that my email address is stored for this purpose. I can unsubscribe at any time.