Istiklal Street in Istanbul is undoubtedly one of the most important streets in Turkey and one of the popular tourist attractions of this city. Almost everything a tourist is looking for can be found on this street. All kinds of cafes and restaurants, local and colorful markets, street performances, etc., which entertain travelers until late at night.
In this article from Manolya Tour Tourism Magazine, we are talking about Istanbul’s Istiklal Street, the beating heart and soul of this city. To learn more about this street, stay with us.
Istiklal Street in Istanbul
Istanbul is the largest and most populated city in Turkey, this old capital of Turkey contains almost most of the history of Turkey and is the destination of many tourists who choose Turkey for recreation.
There are various attractions for tourists in almost every area of this Asian-European city. By going to Beyoglu area and entering the European part of Istanbul, and after passing the northeastern part of Taksim Square, you will enter Istanbul’s Istiklal Street, one of the most important streets of this city.
Istiklal Street extends from Taksim Square to Galata Tower and its length is about 1.5 km. The charm of this street in Istanbul is so great that it can be said; Istanbul is not Istanbul without Istiklal Street.
As we mentioned above, Istiklal Street in Istanbul is one of the busiest streets in this city and millions of people pass through it every day. In this 1.4 km street, there are colorful shops and exciting food stores, and there are also many historical attractions. The buildings on this street date back to the Ottoman period.
At that time, elders, intellectuals and rich people often lived in this street. If we want to imagine the real feeling for you, when you walk down this street, you should imagine that the space is filled with the smell of corn and grilled corn and street musicians are playing music in the corners, the nostalgia is there. The famous red tram passes by you and the feeling of postcard photos becomes reality for you.
A brief history of Istiklal Street in Istanbul
Istanbul’s Istiklal Street, one of the most spectacular places in this city, hosts many tourists from all over the world every day. The history of Istanbul’s istiklal Street goes back to the distant past and has been the focus of rich people and famous businessmen of Turkey and other countries since ancient times.
By passing through this street, you can get to know the history, traditions, beliefs and culture of Turkey. Part of the architecture of this street is related to the Ottoman period and the architectural beauty of that period can be seen in it.
In addition to traditional architecture, modern architectures from the 19th and 20th centuries can also be seen in this street. This street has been through many ups and downs over the years and has been rebuilt many times.
Almost the effects of all periods and developments can be seen in this street, one of which is the influence of the 19th century intellectual wave on the architecture of a part of this street and the creation of French Street.
The reason for naming this street as İstiklal Street
Istanbul’s Independence Street was known as Kebir Street or Great Street during the period of the Ottoman Empire. For about 100 years, this street was known by the same name and was the focus of the rich, western intellectuals and the wealthy.
With the modernization of the European part of Istanbul, this area was also affected and Kebir Street was renamed to Bozor Pera Street, which was a French name. In 1923, on the 29th of October, at the same time as the monarchy was transformed into a republic and after the Turkish war, which made it an independent country, Bozor Pera Street was renamed to Istanbul’s istiklal Street.
Sights of istiklal Street in Istanbul
As we said, in this busy street you can see different types of sights and tourist attractions. What is more attractive to you in traveling? Local foods of that city and country, scenic markets and handicrafts, buying souvenirs from famous brands, visiting historical places or exploring the streets and being with people with different cultures and many other entertainments can be found on istiklal Street in Istanbul. do.
Visit churches, mosques and places of worship
There are few churches in this place but the biggest and best one is the church of St. Anthony of Padua. The neo-gothic architecture inside this church is very attractive and catchy. This church is a place of worship for Christians who live in the Muslim country of Turkey.
If you are interested in religious buildings, you may also like the spiritual tour on Sundays. In this tour, you will visit the most important churches, mosques and places of worship on Istiklal Street and its surrounding neighborhoods.
Other historical places to visit on Istiklal Street in Istanbul include Gregory’s Armenian Church, Roman Catholic Church, Greek Orthodox Church, Mevlevi Galata House, Crimean Memorial Church, Jewish Synagogue, one of the oldest mosques in Istanbul, an underground mosque and an actual church.
On the roof are Russian Orthodox. If you get our Private Istanbul Tour Guide, our local tour get can take you istiklal street and explain you places.
Shop on istiklal Street
Traveling without shopping, especially buying souvenirs, has no meaning, and istiklal Street in Istanbul is one of the best centers to buy all kinds of products. Even if you don’t need to shop, browsing the shops on this street, especially the local markets, will change your mood.
Some of the shops on this street sell local products, such as rural women’s products, etc., and some of them belong to luxury shops and famous brands, among which the following can be mentioned:
- Zara
- H&M
- Cotton
- Adidas
Istanbul Tram
One of the symbols of istiklal Street is the red tram located on this street, which has been located there since 1990 and takes passengers from Taksim Square to Sishane Metro Station.
Visit the art galleries on this street!
In the back alleys of istiklal Street, there are galleries such as the Pera Museum, which houses one of the most expensive paintings in Turkey. There are small exhibitions in the Galata area that showcase the works of Turkish and international artists.
If you like art but don’t want to go to galleries, try street painting. In some areas of Istanbul, the works of the most famous artists of Istanbul are displayed in the form of street paintings.
Go to the Flower Passage
If you go to Istanbul and you intend to see istiklal Street and its sights, make sure to dedicate a part of your visit to see the flower passage on this street. This passage has an interesting story.
Flower Passage or Cicekci Passage, which was originally a theater, was destroyed during a fire accident, then with the Russian Revolution and the migration of Russians to the surrounding countries, Russian women were forced to sell flowers in the remaining parts of the theater building to make a living.
This made this place known as Passage Flower. Of course, a large part of the unique architecture of this passage with its dome arch has remained and it has become a spectacular place with the renovations.
Muslim Dervish Museum
Iranian poet is one of the most influential people in Turkish culture and literature. The respect for him was so great that many old Turks used the lifestyle of this poet and dervish as their model. A museum called the Dervish Museum on İstiklal Street has been left from these people.
In this museum, which was originally Mevlevihane, you can see the clothes, turban and things left by Rumi. Also, in a part of this museum called Semahane, the famous Sema dance and Sufi ceremonies are held, which is an interesting and spiritual experience to watch.
The nights of istiklal Street in Istanbul
You will never find the Beyoglu area quiet and peaceful, the Beyoglu area where istiklal Street is located has very exciting nightlife and along the street there are street parties, cafes with exciting drinks and restaurants offering traditional food.
Turki provides memorable nights especially for travelers. There is also an old building from the 19th century that gives you a 360-degree view of Istanbul’s skyline.
Delicious food on istiklal street
There are many options for having fun on istiklal Street in Istanbul, one of which is cheap street food that you can find in its shops, among them are stuffed oysters, buns, which are on this street.
They are constantly being cooked and sold. A restaurant called Yeni Lokanta is one of the best on istiklal Street in Istanbul, where you can try its delicious dishes.
French Street
The sights of Istanbul’s istiklal Street are not limited to its buildings, and every alley and street leading to it is a tourist attraction on its own, one of which is French Street. This street is one of the small streets leading to istiklal Street, near Yeni Carsi Street, and is one of the most spectacular parts of istiklal Street.
On French Street, you can visit all kinds of colorful stores and shops with French architecture and take souvenir photos in front of the red, pink, purple walls and special decorations of those shops.
In order to access the French Street in Istanbul, you can go to Galatasaray Tram Station and then enter Yeni Carsi Street and walk for 300 meters to see the colors of this charming street.
Saint Antoine Church
At No. 171, istiklal Street, there is the famous Saint Antoine Church, which is one of the most beautiful buildings of the 20th century. The first thing that catches the eye in this church is its attractive white and red exterior.
This church was built in 1725 by Italian immigrants living in Istanbul, however, in 1906 to 1912, the main building of this church was destroyed and replaced with a new building.
Galatasaray Museum
All people who are interested in the history of sports, especially football, should also visit the Galatasaray Museum when visiting istiklal Street. This museum is the most famous sports museum in Turkey and is the first museum in this field. The Galatasaray Museum was established in the 19th century and is the best place to see the team’s history.
Vedat Nadim Tour Museum
There are various museums on istiklal Street, each of which contains a part of Turkish culture. One of these museums where you can see all kinds of calligraphy works, old coins, silverware, cloth and handicrafts of Turkey is Vedat Nadim Tour Museum. This museum, which is free to visit, is located at No. 285 istiklal Street.
Madame Tussauds Istanbul
Madame Tussauds Museum is one of the sights of Istanbul’s istiklal Street. In this museum, you can meet and take pictures with most of the famous figures, although their statues are so realistic that it is hard to tell if they are artificial. In the Madame Tussauds museum, there are statues and wax figures of various famous people such as Einstein, Steve Jobs, Atatürk, Rafael Nadal, Da Vinci, etc.
Independence statue, the symbol of Istanbul’s independence
As you know, after Istanbul was able to gain its independence in 1923, the name of Independence was placed on it; Therefore, in order to show the world a reflection of the bravery of the Turkish people, a statue with the title of Independence was erected in Istanbul’s Taksim Square in 1928. According to estimates, nearly 3 million people visit the statue of istiklal on the weekends of the lean season in Istanbul.
Conclusion
Traveling in general is attractive, but if you are familiar with the attractions and sights of the place you are traveling to, this experience will be not only attractive but also enjoyable.
Istanbul’s istiklal Street is one of these attractive and spectacular places that you must go there if you travel to Istanbul, and it is better that you are familiar with its most important entertainments and attractions before going there.
In this article from Manolya Tour website, we introduced Istanbul’s istiklal Street, if you plan to travel to other cities of this country and other countries, our other articles will be useful for you.
We have Private İstanbul Tour Guide for you to show you İstiklal Street and many other beautiful sites of Istanbul city. Please contact us for our Istanbul Tours, Turkey Tour, Istanbul Old City Tour, Turkish Night Show Cruise, Private Yacht Tour in İstanbul, Sunset Cruise İstanbul, Dolmabahce Palace Tour, Green Bursa Tour and many others.
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