Şişli
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Şişli () is one of the 39 districts of
Istanbul Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...
,
Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
. Located on the
Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
an side of the city, it is bordered by Beşiktaş to the east,
Sarıyer Sarıyer () is the northernmost district of Istanbul, Turkey, on the European side of the city. It consists of the neighbourhoods of Rumelifeneri, Tarabya, Yeniköy, İstinye, Emirgan and Rumelihisarı. Sarıyer also administers the Black Sea co ...
to the north, Eyüp and Kağıthane to the west, and Beyoğlu to the south. In 2009, Şişli had a population of 316,058.


History

Until the 1800s, Şişli was open countryside, used for hunting, agriculture and leisure. It was developed as a middle class residential district during the last years of the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
and the early years of the
Turkish Republic Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
(the late 19th-early 20th centuries).
French culture The culture of France has been shaped by geography, by historical events, and by foreign and internal forces and groups. France, and in particular Paris, has played an important role as a center of high culture since the 17th century and from t ...
was an important influence in this period and the wide avenues of Şişli were lined with large stone buildings with high ceilings and art nouveau wrought-iron balconies, and which often had little elevators on wires in the middle of the stairways. This trading middle-class was composed of
Jews Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
,
Greeks The Greeks or Hellenes (; el, Έλληνες, ''Éllines'' ) are an ethnic group and nation indigenous to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions, namely Greece, Cyprus, Albania, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, and, to a lesser extent, oth ...
and
Armenians Armenians ( hy, հայեր, ''hayer'' ) are an ethnic group native to the Armenian highlands of Western Asia. Armenians constitute the main population of Armenia and the ''de facto'' independent Artsakh. There is a wide-ranging diaspora ...
, as well as some Turks, many of whom built homes in Şişli after a large fire devastated the neighbouring district of Pera (now Beyoğlu) in 1870. To this day, several families from
Istanbul Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...
's local Armenian community live in the
Kurtuluş Kurtuluş is a neighbourhood of the Şişli district of Istanbul that was originally called ''Tatavla,'' meaning 'stables' in Greek ( el, Ταταύλα). The modern Turkish name means "liberation", "salvation", "independence" or "deliverance". On ...
neighbourhood of Şişli. The area was also popular with the
Levantine Levantine may refer to: * Anything pertaining to the Levant, the region centered around modern Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, and Jordan, including any person from the Levant ** Syria (region), corresponding to the modern countries of the Lev ...
trading families of this period who settled in Istanbul for trade or were contracted by the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
. Şişli attracted migrants from former possessions in Greece and the Balkans. In the late 19th century, Şişli was one of the first areas supplied with tramlines, electricity and natural gas. The Darülaceze orphanage and the large
Şişli Etfal Hospital Şişli () is one of the 39 districts of Istanbul, Turkey. Located on the European side of the city, it is bordered by Beşiktaş to the east, Sarıyer to the north, Eyüp and Kağıthane to the west, and Beyoğlu to the south. In 2009, Şi ...
were built here in this period, as well as the French schools of St. Michel and
Notre Dame de Sion The Congregation of Our Lady of Sion (french: Congrégation de Notre-Dame de Sion, abbreviated by its members as N.D.S.) is composed of two Roman Catholic religious congregations founded in Paris, France. One is composed of priesthood (Catholic Chur ...
. Following the founding of the Turkish Republic in the 1920s, larger and larger buildings were built along wide avenues such as Halaskargazi Caddesi, the main road that runs through the middle of Şişli, with its little arcades of shops below tall buildings of apartments and offices. In the republican era, the area was still the residence of the middle-class, as well as traders there were now writers and poets and Şişli acquired theatres, cafes and other cultural amenities. The
Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus The Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus ( tr, Hilton İstanbul Bosphorus) is a five star hotel in Istanbul, Turkey. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, it opened in 1955 as the Istanbul Hilton and is the longest operating Hilton Hotel outside the Unit ...
was built here in the 1950s and many others followed. From the 1950s onwards people from Anatolia began to migrate to Istanbul in search of work. In most cases they illegally built themselves squats on unclaimed or government-owned land (see
gecekondu Gecekondu (Turkish for ''put up overnight'', plural gecekondular) is a Turkish word meaning a house put up quickly without proper permissions, a squatter's house, and by extension, a shanty or shack. Gecekondu bölgesi is a neighborhood made o ...
). Some of these people settled in parts of Şişli in the 1950s and 1960s, especially in the northern sections of the district, around
Mecidiyeköy Mecidiyeköy is a heavily built-up residential and business neighbourhood in the Şişli district of Istanbul, Turkey squeezed in between the Fulya, Kuştepe, Gültepe, Esentepe, and Gülbahar neighbourhoods. In 2021 its estimated population was ...
.


The centre of Şişli today

Now that the wealthy elite of central Şişli has moved further out of the city, the large buildings on the grand avenues are occupied by offices, banks, and big shops. Since the 1970s most older buildings have been pulled down and replaced with newer, and perhaps less remarkable, multistory structures. The back streets are still residential, and many working-class families and students have settled here. As in most parts of Istanbul, the number of people living and working in these blocks challenges the existing infrastructure; for example, competition for parking spaces is intense, and traffic during peak hours can come to a standstill. But for the residents of Şişli, there are plenty of shops, cafés, pubs, and other amenities. Additionally, Şişli's central location to other important areas of Istanbul adds to its desirability.


Climate

Şişli's climate is a relatively cool
Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...
(''Csa/Cs'') according to both the
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
and the
Trewartha climate classification The Trewartha climate classification (TCC) or the Köppen–Trewartha climate classification (KTC) is a climate classification system first published by American geographer Glenn Thomas Trewartha in 1966. It is a modified version of the Köppen ...
. It is in plant hardiness zone 9a, and AHS heat zone 3.


Business and shopping

Being a central area well-served with public-transport and other infrastructure, Şişli is a center of trade and shopping. The main road through Şişli up to the skyscrapers of Mecidiyeköy, Gayrettepe,
Levent Levent is a neighbourhood and one of the main business districts of Istanbul, Turkey, located on the European side of the city. It is a part of the municipality of Beşiktaş and is situated to the north of the Golden Horn, at the western s ...
and beyond is now lined with office blocks. Europe's largest and the world's second largest (urban-area) shopping mall, Cevahir İstanbul, is situated here. Due to Şişli's middle-class past and the enduring quality of some neighbourhoods the area is home to many upmarket shops mainly in the stylish and charming Nişantaşı area. Parking is an enduring problem, especially in the narrow side-streets. People also come to Şişli for schooling; this city-centre area has some well-known high schools and a great number of ''dersane'' (preparatory courses for the annual university entrance exams), evening and weekend schools where people come to cram for university or high school entrance examinations, or to learn English. There are many well-established cafes and restaurants, including fast-food for the students and shoppers.


Neighbourhoods

*Esentepe - home to the Municipality of Şişli and
Zincirlikuyu Cemetery __NOTOC__ The Zincirlikuyu Cemetery ( tr, Zincirlikuyu Mezarlığı) is a modern burial ground residing on the European part of Istanbul, Turkey. It is administered by the Metropolitan Municipality. Many prominent figures from the world of polit ...
. Neighboring Gayrettepe and
Levent Levent is a neighbourhood and one of the main business districts of Istanbul, Turkey, located on the European side of the city. It is a part of the municipality of Beşiktaş and is situated to the north of the Golden Horn, at the western s ...
neighborhoods of Beşiktaş district and
Mecidiyeköy Mecidiyeköy is a heavily built-up residential and business neighbourhood in the Şişli district of Istanbul, Turkey squeezed in between the Fulya, Kuştepe, Gültepe, Esentepe, and Gülbahar neighbourhoods. In 2021 its estimated population was ...
neighborhood, Esentepe also covers the west side of Büyükdere Street at
Levent Levent is a neighbourhood and one of the main business districts of Istanbul, Turkey, located on the European side of the city. It is a part of the municipality of Beşiktaş and is situated to the north of the Golden Horn, at the western s ...
, where most of the plazas are located. *
Kurtuluş Kurtuluş is a neighbourhood of the Şişli district of Istanbul that was originally called ''Tatavla,'' meaning 'stables' in Greek ( el, Ταταύλα). The modern Turkish name means "liberation", "salvation", "independence" or "deliverance". On ...
– formerly ''Tatavla'' ( el, Ταταύλα, "horse stable") in the Ottoman period, was home to a
Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
and later
Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
community. The district had mostly wooden houses until the fire on April 13, 1929. Afterwards, it was rebuilt in narrow stone streets and, over time, concrete buildings, lined with cafés, patisseries, and shops. This cosmopolitan district has a long history, and has been home to many singers, artists, and actors. There are a small number of old apartment buildings. It was also known mainly for its traditional carnival, which was organized every year before Lent. The peak of the carnival, on the last day of Lent, took place in Kurtuluş and was known as
Baklahorani Baklahorani (alternatively, Bakla Horani; el, Μπακλαχοράνι) or Tatavla carnival ( el, Αποκριές στα Ταταύλα) was a carnival traditionally celebrated annually in Istanbul, Turkey, by members of the local Greek Orthod ...
. After the riots of 1955, the Greek community left the area; however, their churches are open on religious holidays. *
Teşvikiye Teşvikiye is one of the four neighbourhoods (together with Maçka, Osmanbey and Pangaltı) within the Nişantaşı quarter of the Şişli district in Istanbul, Turkey. According to the 2000 census, the population of the neighbourhood was 11,59 ...
– uphill from Beşiktaş, an area with many classic European-style buildings as well as a busy high-class shopping district. Since the 19th century, Teşvikiye has been home to many writers (including journalist
Abdi Ipekçi Abdi is a male name. It is a given name used in several countries with different origins. The Oromo version of the name, used within Ethiopia, translates to ‘Hope’. Among others, one version has Arabic has meaning which is loosely translated a ...
, who was assassinated here in 1979), politicians and a great number of prominent business families and still holds a well-established middle-class, including some descendants of
Levantine Levantine may refer to: * Anything pertaining to the Levant, the region centered around modern Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, and Jordan, including any person from the Levant ** Syria (region), corresponding to the modern countries of the Lev ...
and
Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
families that built many of the stone apartment buildings of Teşvikiye in the
Ottoman period The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
. Prominent buildings include the ''Milli Reasürans'' building, and the neo-Baroque
Teşvikiye Mosque The Teşvikiye Mosque is a neo-baroque structure located in the Teşvikiye neighbourhood of Şişli district in Istanbul, Turkey. History The mosque was originally commissioned in 1794 by Sultan Selim III, but most of the current mosque that s ...
, who established the neighbourhood by building the mosque and the nearby historic Teşvikiye Police Station, encouraging citizens of Istanbul to settle in this new district (hence the name ''Teşvikiye'', from ''teşvik'', encouragement in Turkish.)
Abdi İpekçi Avenue Abdi is a male name. It is a given name used in several countries with different origins. The Oromo version of the name, used within Ethiopia, translates to ‘Hope’. Among others, one version has Arabic has meaning which is loosely translated a ...
, Turkey's most expensive street in terms of lease prices, is located here. There are a number of well-known schools, including some buildings of
Marmara University Marmara University ( Turkish: ''Marmara Üniversitesi'') is a public university in Istanbul, Turkey. The university is named after the Sea of Marmara and was founded as a university in 1982. However, it was created in 1883 under the name of ''H ...
and ''Işık Lisesi''. * Nişantaşı – neighbourhood encompassing Teşvikiye, famous for its many Art Nouveau apartment buildings. The American Hospital, one of the city's best hospitals, is also located here. *
Mecidiyeköy Mecidiyeköy is a heavily built-up residential and business neighbourhood in the Şişli district of Istanbul, Turkey squeezed in between the Fulya, Kuştepe, Gültepe, Esentepe, and Gülbahar neighbourhoods. In 2021 its estimated population was ...
– Business and shopping district north of Şişli; Istanbul's main market for computer equipment. Narrow streets of tall office buildings. Home of
Galatasaray Galatasaray Spor Kulübü (, ''Galatasaray Sports Club'') is a Turkish sports club based on the European side of the city of Istanbul in Turkey. Most notable for its association football department, the club also consists of various other de ...
football club's
Ali Sami Yen Stadium Ali Sami Yen Stadium ( tr, Ali Sami Yen Stadyumu) was the home of the football club Galatasaray S.K. in Istanbul, Turkey, from 1964 to 2010. It is named after the founder of the club, Ali Sami Yen. The stadium had a capacity of 23,477 (all-seater) ...
. The
Profilo Shopping Center Profilo Shopping Center ( tr, Profilo Alışveriş Merkezi), opened in 1997, is a shopping mall located in the business quarter of Mecidiyeköy, Istanbul, Turkey. See also * List of shopping malls in Istanbul This is a list of notable historic ...
, cinema and bowling alley is here, its food court a popular eatery in the area. ''Mecidiyeköy Antikacılar Çarşısı'' (Mecidiyeköy Antiques Bazaar), a large multi-storey building with dozens of antiques shops (the largest of its kind in Istanbul) is located between Mecidiyeköy and Kuştepe. *
Okmeydanı Okmeydanı ( tr, Okmeydanı, literally "arrow field") is a neighbourhood connected to Kağıthane and Şişli boroughs of Istanbul, Turkey. It was named after the archery area and archery lodge built by Sultan Mehmed II of the Ottoman Empire. Str ...
– north of Şişli, home to some large hospitals. This was the archery practice ground of the Ottoman armies (hence the name, lit. ''the'' ''square of arrows''), an Ottoman mosque was built here. Later the land was planted with fruit trees, and in the 1960s turned over to developers for building as the city expanded. Darülaceze, the Ottoman-period orphanage, is here, built in 1896. *Kuştepe – a
gecekondu Gecekondu (Turkish for ''put up overnight'', plural gecekondular) is a Turkish word meaning a house put up quickly without proper permissions, a squatter's house, and by extension, a shanty or shack. Gecekondu bölgesi is a neighborhood made o ...
(illegally built) district of poor housing traditionally occupied by the
Romani people in Turkey The Romani people in Turkey ( tr, Türkiye'deki Romanlar) or Turks of Romani Background ( tr, Roman kökenli Türk) are Turkish citizen and the biggest subgroup of the Turkish Roma, they are Sunni muslims, mostly of Sufism branch,https://acikb ...
community and recent migrants from the countryside. *
Pangaltı Pangaltı (spelled Pangaaltı or Pancaldi in some older sources) is one of the four neighborhoods (together with Teşvikiye, Maçka and Osmanbey) within the Nişantaşı quarter of the Şişli district in Istanbul, Turkey. It is home to the C ...
- home to Saint James Armenian Hospital and
Cathedral of the Holy Spirit The Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, alternatively known as the ''St. Esprit Cathedral'' ( Turkish: ''Saint Esprit Kilisesi''), located on Cumhuriyet Avenue, 127/A, in the quarter of Pangaltı in Şişli district, the former Harbiye, between Taksi ...
.


Politics

The mayor of Şişli is Muammer Keskin from the Republican People's Party (CHP).


Places of interest

;Museums and historical places: *
Istanbul Military Museum Istanbul Military Museum ( tr, Askerî Müze) is dedicated to one thousand years of Turkish military history. It is one of the leading museums of its kind in the world. The museum is open to the public everyday except Mondays and Tuesdays. T ...
* Atatürk Museum *
Ihlamur Palace Ihlamur Palace ( tr, Ihlamur Kasrı), is a former imperial Ottoman summer pavilion located in Istanbul, Turkey. It was constructed during the reign of Sultan Abdülmecid I (1839-1860). It is under the administration of the Turkish Directorate of ...
* Monument of Liberty ;Sport venues: *
Türk Telekom Stadium Nef Stadium (officially known as the Ali Sami Yen Spor Kompleksi – Nef Stadyumu) is a football stadium serving as the home ground of the Süper Lig club Galatasaray It is located in the Seyrantepe quarter of the Sarıyer district, on the Europ ...
;Entertainment venues: * Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall *
Cemil Topuzlu Open-Air Theatre The Cemil Topuzlu Open-Air Theatre (, also called simply ''Açıkhava Tiyatrosu'') is a contemporary amphitheatre located at Harbiye neighborhood of Şişli district in Istanbul, Turkey. It is situated across from the Istanbul Lütfi Kırdar Co ...
;Religious buildings: *Şişli Mosque *
Teşvikiye Mosque The Teşvikiye Mosque is a neo-baroque structure located in the Teşvikiye neighbourhood of Şişli district in Istanbul, Turkey. History The mosque was originally commissioned in 1794 by Sultan Selim III, but most of the current mosque that s ...
*Cathedral of the Holy Spirit ;Shopping malls: *
Cevahir Mall The Istanbul Cevahir Shopping and Entertainment Centre ( tr, İstanbul Cevahir Alışveriş Merkezi), also known as the Şişli Culture and Trade Centre (), is a modern shopping mall located on the Büyükdere Avenue in the Şişli district of Is ...
* Kanyon Shopping Mall *
MetroCity AVM MetroCity AVM, opened on April 30, 2003, is a modern shopping mall on the Büyükdere Avenue in the finance and business quarter of 1. Levent in Istanbul, Turkey, with a direct connection to the Levent subway station. The complex comprises ...
*
Profilo Shopping Center Profilo Shopping Center ( tr, Profilo Alışveriş Merkezi), opened in 1997, is a shopping mall located in the business quarter of Mecidiyeköy, Istanbul, Turkey. See also * List of shopping malls in Istanbul This is a list of notable historic ...
;Tall buildings: * Diamond of Istanbul *
Istanbul Sapphire Istanbul Sapphire, or Sapphire, is a skyscraper located in the central business district of Levent in Istanbul, Turkey. It was Istanbul's and Turkey's tallest skyscraper between 2010 and 2016, and the 4th tallest building in Europe when its co ...
* Sabancı Center *
Şişli Plaza Şişli Plaza is a tower in Istanbul, Turkey and has 40 residential floors, but rises above a 4-floor retail facility and has a 2-floor radio station on top; making an overall total of 46 floors above ground. - The floor-to-floor heights of the ...


References


External links


Şişli Municipality

Official website of Mustafa Sarıgül, mayor of Şişli

Atatürk Museum
on Istanbul portal {{DEFAULTSORT:Sisli Populated places in Istanbul Province Districts of Istanbul Province