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Area: 5.712 km²
Population: 10.469.163 (2004)
"There, God and human, nature and art
come together"
Lamartine’s famous line of poetry reveals his love for
Istanbul, describing the city's embracing of two continents, with one arm
reaching out to Asia and the other to Europe.
Istanbul, once known as the capital of capital cities, has ma ny
unique features. It is the only city in the world to
bridge two
continents, and the only one to have been a capital during two
consecutive empires, one Christian and
the other Islamic. Once capital of the
Ottoman Empire, Istanbul still remains the commercial, historical
and cultural pulse of Turkey, and its beauty lies in its ability to
embrace its contradictions. Ancient and modern, religious and
secular, Asia and Europe, mystical and earthly all co-exist here.
Its variety is one of Istanbul’s greatest attractions: The ancient
mosques, palaces, museums and bazaars reflect its diverse history.
The thriving shopping area of Taksim buzzes with life and
entertainment and the serene beauty of the Bosphorus, Princes
Islands and parks bring a touch of peace to the otherwise chaotic
metropolis.
 Districts
Adalar, Avcılar, Bağcılar, Bahçelievler, Bakırköy, Beşiktaş,
Bayrampaşa, Beykoz, Beyoğlu, Eminönü, Eyüb, Fatih, Gaziosmanpaşa,
Kadıköy, Kâğıthane, Kartal, Küçükçekmece, Pendik, Sarıyer, Şişli,
Ümraniye, Üsküdar, Zeytinburnu, Büyükçekmece, Çatalca, Silivri,
Şile, Esenler, Güngören, Maltepe, Sultanbeyli, Tuzla
The Bosphorus
Golden Horn: This horn-shaped estuary bisects
European Istanbul. One of the best natural harbours in the world,
it was once the centre for Byzantine and Ottoman navies and commercial shipping
interests. Today, attractive parks and promenades line the shores
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a picturesque scene, especially as the sun goes down over the water.
At Fener and Balat, neighbourhoods midway u p the Golden Horn, there
are entire streets filled with old wooden houses, churches, and
synagogues dating from Byzantine and Ottoman times. The Orthodox
Patriarchy resides at Fener and a little further up the Golden Horn
at Eyup, are some wonderful examples of Ottoman architecture.
Muslim pilgrims from all over the world visit Eyup Camii and
the Tomb
of Eyup, the Prophet Mohammed’s standard bearer, and it is one of
the holiest places in Islam. The area is a still a popular burial
place, and the hills above the mosque are dotted with modern
gravestones interspersed with ornate Ottoman stones. The Pierre
Loti Cafe, atop the hill overlooking the shrine and the Golden
Horn, is a wonderful place to enjoy the tranquillity of the view.
Beyoğlu and Taksim: Beyoglu is an interesting di strict
with European-influenced architecture from a century
ago. Europe’s second oldest
underground railway, Tunel was built by the French in
1875 and must also be
one of the shortest – offering a one-stop ride
to the start of Taksim. Near
the Tunel is the Galata district, whose
Galata Tower has become a famous symbol of Istanbul, and the top of
which offers a tremendous 180 degree view of the city.
Running from the Tunel area to Taksim
square is one of the city’s main streets for shopping, entertainment and urban promenading: Istiklal
Caddesi. This is a fine example of the
contrasts of which
Istanbul is composed: fashion shops, bookshops, cinemas, markets, restaurants
and even hand-carts selling trinkets and simit (sesame bread snack)
ensure that the street is packed throughout the day until late into
the night. The old tramcars, now back in
service, shuttle up and down this fascinating street,
which is otherwise entirel y pedestrianised. There are old embassy buildings,
the Galatasaray High School, the colourful ambience of Balik Pazari
(Fish Bazaar) and restaurants in Cicek Pasaji (Flower Passage).
Also on this street are the oldest church in the area, St Mary’s Draperis dating back to 1789, and the Franciscan Church of St
Antoine, demolished and then rebuilt in 1913.
Istiklal Caddesi ends at
the busy open plaza
of Taksim Square, the hub of modern Istanbul,
with its imposing
monument celebrating Ataturk and the War of Independence. The main
terminal of the new subway is under the square, adjacent is a noisy
bus terminal, and at the north end is the Ataturk Cultural Centre,
one of the venues of the Istanbul Theatre Festival. Several
five-star hotels are dotted around this area,
including the Hyatt,
Intercontinental and Hilton (the oldest of its kind in the city).
North of the square is the Istanbul Military Museum.
Taksim and Beyoglu have for centuries been the centre of nightlife,
and now there are many lively bars and clubs off Istiklal Caddesi,
including some of the only gay venues in the city. Beyoglu is also
the centre of the more bohemian arts scene.
 Sultanahmet:
Many places of historical interest are concentrated in Sultanahmet, heart of the Imperial Centre of the Ottoman Empire.
The most important places in this area are Topkapi Palace,
Aya Sofia, Sultan Ahmet Camii (the Blue Mosque), the Hippodrome,
Kapali Carsi (Covered Market), Yerebatan Sarnici
(underground cisterns)and the Museum of
Islamic Art.
In addition to this wonderful variety of historical and
architectural sites, Sultanahmet also has a large
number of
carpet and souvenir shops, hotels and guesthouses, cafes, bars and
restaurants, and travel agents.
Ortaköy: Ortakoy was a resort for the Ottoman
sultans because of its
attractive location on the Bosphorus, and is still a popular spot
for residents and visitors. The village is found
within a triangle
formed by a
m osque,
a church and a
synagogue. Nearby
are
the Ciragan Palace, Kabatas
High School, Feriye and the Princess Hotel.
When Ortakoy was just
a small fishing village, university students,
teachers and lecturers would gather
there to
drink tea and discuss life.
More recently the area
has become a suburb of Istanbul,
with an increasing amount of expensive restaurants, bars, shops and
a large market. The fishing, however,
lives on and the area is popular with local anglers.
There is
now a huge waterfront tea-house which is crammed at weekends and
holidays.
 Sarıyer: The first sight of Sarıyer is where the Bosphorus
connects with the Black Sea, after the bend in the river
near Tarabya.
Around this area, old summer houses, embassies and fish restaurants
line the shore, and
the narrow road which separates it from Buyukdere, continues along to the beaches of Kilyos.
Sarıyer and Rumeli Kavağı are the last
wharfs on the European side visited by Bosphorus boat trips. Both these districts,
famous for their fish restaurants, are
very crowded at weekends and holidays with Istanbul residents
escaping the city.
Further on, the Bosphorus is lined with tree-covered cliffs
and li ttle
villages. The Sadberk Hanim Museum, just before
Sariyer, is an interesting place to visit, a collection of
archaeological and ethnographic items, housed in two wooden houses.
A few kilometres away is the huge Belgrade Forest, once a hunting
ground of the Sultans, and now a popular
weekend retreat.
Üsküdar: Relatively unknown to tourists, the suburb of Üsküdar, on
the Asian side of the Bosphorus, is one of the most attractive
suburbs. Religiously conservative in its background, it has a
tranquil atmosphere and some fine examples of imperial and domestic
architecture.
The Iskele, or Mihrimah Camii is opposite the main ferry pier, on a
high platform with a huge covered porch in front, often occupied by
older local men watching life around them. Opposite this is Yeni
Valide Camii, built in 1710, and the Valide Sultan’s green tomb,
rather like a giant birdcage. The Cinili Mosque takes its name from
the beautiful tiles which decorate the interior, and was built in
1640.
 Apart from places of religious interest, Uskudar is also well known
as a shopping area, with old market streets selling traditional
local produce, and a good flea-market with second hand furniture.
There are plenty of good restaurants and cafes with great views of
the Bosphorus and the rest of the city, along the quayside. In the
direction of Haydarpasa is the lhe Karaca Ahmet Cemetery, the
largest Muslim graveyard in Istanbul. The Camlica
hills, bordering
the area, offer
wonderful panoramic views
of the islands and river.
Kadıköy: Further south along the Bosphorus towards the Sea of
Marmara, Kadıköy has developed into a lively area with up-market
shopping, eating and entertainment making it popular, especially
with wealthy locals. Once prominent in the history of Christianity,
in the 5th century important meetings
were held here, but few reminders of that age
remain. It is a fashionable area to
promenade along the waterfront in the evenings, especially around
the marinas and yacht clubs.
Bagdat Caddesi is one of the most trendy – and label-conscious –
fashion shopping streets, and for more down-to-earth goods, the Gen
Azim Gunduz Caddesi is the best place for clothes, and the
Bit Pazari
(Flea Market) on Ozelellik Sokak is good for browsing through
bric-a-brac. In the
district of Moda, is the Benadam art gallery, as well as many restaurants and cafes
providing international cuisine.
Haydarpaşa: To the north of Kadikoy is Haydarpasa,
with its Prussian-style
train station built in 1908, the
first stop on the Baghdad railway. Now it
is the main station for eastbound destinations both within Turkey and
internationally. There are tombs and monuments dedicated to the
English and French soldiers who lost their lives during the Crimean
War (1854-56), near the military hospital. The north-west wing of
the 19th Century Selimiye Barracks housed the hospital,
where Florence Nightingale cared for soldiers, and remains to honour
her memory.
Polonezköy: Polonezköy (Polish Village) was established in 1848 by Prince Czartorisky, leader of the
Polish nationals who were granted exile in the Ottoman Empire
to escape oppression in the Balkans. During his exile, he succeeded
in establishing a community of Balkans, which still survives, on
the plot of land sold to him by a local monastery.
Since the 1970s the village has become popular with local Istanbulites. All
the Poles have since left the village, and the place is inhabited
now by wealthy city people, living in the few remaining Central
European style wooden houses with pretty balconies.
Kilyos: Kilyos is the nearest beach resort to the city, 25km
away on the
Black Sea coast on the European side of the Bosphorus. Once a Greek
fishing village, it has now been developed as a holiday-home
resort, and gets very crowded in summer.
Because it is easy
to get there with plenty of public transport, it is good for
day trips and is a popular weekend
getaway with many hotels,
and a couple of campsites.
Şile: A pleasant, small holiday town, Şile lies 50km from Üsküdar
on the Black Sea coast and some people even live here and commute
into Istanbul. The white sandy beaches to the
west are easily accessible from
the main highway, as well as a series of
small beaches to the east. The town itself is perched on a cliff-top
over- looking the bay's tiny island. There is an interesting
French-built black-and-white striped lighthouse and
a 14th century Genoese castle on the
island. Apart from its popular beaches, the town is also famous for
its special cloth, Sile bezi, a white
muslin fabric a little like cheesecloth, which the local women
embroider and sell on the streets
of Sile, as well as all
over Turkey.
The town has plenty of accommodation available, hotels, guest
houses and pansiyons, although it
can get very crowded at weekends and holidays,
being very popular with people from Istanbul for a
getaway, especially in the summer. There are small restaurants and
bars in the town.
Prince’s Islands: Also known as
the Istanbul Islands, there are eight
in the Marmara Sea,
within one hour from the city. Boats
depart for the
islands from Sirkeci, Kabatas and Bostanci, with more services
during the summer. These islands, on which monasteries were
established during the Byzantine period, were
a popular summer retreat for palace officials
and a place of banishment for Byzantine princes.
They still provide a popular escape from the
city, with wealthier Istanbulites owning summer houses
there.
Buyukada The largest and most popular is Buyukada (the Great
Island). Large wooden mansions still remain from the 19th century
when wealthy Greek and Armernian bankers built them as holiday
villas. The island has always been a place predominantly inhabited
by minorities, hence Islam has never had a strong presence here.
Buyukada has long had a history of people coming in exile or
retreat; its most famous guest being Leon Trotsky, who stayed for
four years while writing ‘The History of
the Russian Revolution’. The island consists of two hills, both
surmounted by monasteries, with a valley between. Motor vehicles
are banned, so transport is provided by horse and carriage, leaving from
the main square off Isa Celebi Sokak. Bicycles can also be hired.
The entire island is lively and colourful, with many restaurants,
hotels, tea houses and shops. There are huge well-kept houses, trim
gardens, and pine groves, as well as plenty of beach and picnic
areas.
Burgazada: Smaller and
with less of a tourist infrastructure is Burgazada. The famous Turkish novelist, Sait Faik Abasıyanık lived
here, and his house has been turned into a museum dedicated to his
work, and retains a remarkably tranquil atmosphere.
Heybeliada ‘Island of the Saddlebag’, because of its shape, is
loved for its natural beauty and beaches. It also has a highly
prestigious and fashionable watersports club in the northwest of
the island. One of its best-known landmarks is the Greek Orthodox
School of Theology, with an important collection of Byzantine
manuscripts. The school sits loftily on the northern hill, but
permission to enter is needed, from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate
in Fener. Walking and cycling are popular here
and there isolated beaches
as well as the public Yoruk Beach, set in a magnificent bay. There
are plenty of good local restaurants and tea houses, especially
along Ayyıldız Caddesi, and the atmosphere is one of a close
community.
Bayramoğlu - Darıca Bird Paradise and Botanic Park is 38 km. from
Istanbul. This enormous park is full of bird species and plants from various parts of the world.
I
CLIMATE Today and next 3 days in Istanbul:
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