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Sarıyer () is a municipality and
district A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municip ...
of Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its area is 177 km2 and its population is 350,454 (2022). It is on the northeastern part of
Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
's European side. Sarıyer also administers the
Black Sea The Black Sea is a marginal sea, marginal Mediterranean sea (oceanography), mediterranean sea lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bound ...
coast to the west of the mouth of the
Bosphorus The Bosporus or Bosphorus Strait ( ; , colloquially ) is a natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located in Istanbul, Turkey. The Bosporus connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and forms one of the continental bo ...
, including the neighbourhood of Kilyos. It borders Eyüpsultan to the northwest,
Beşiktaş Beşiktaş () is a district and municipality of Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its area is 18 km2 and its population is 175,190 (2022). It is located on the European shore of the Bosphorus strait. It is bordered on the north by Sarıyer and ...
to the south and
Kağıthane Kağıthane (, also ''Kâğıthane''), formerly Sadâbad () and Glykà Nerà (Greek: Γλυκά Νερά, , 'sweet waters') is a municipality and district of Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its area is 15 km2, and its population is 455,943 (2022). ...
to the west. The mayor is Mustafa Oktay Aksu of the
Republican People's Party The Republican People's Party (RPP; , CHP ) is a Kemalism, Kemalist and Social democracy, social democratic political party in Turkey. It is the oldest List of political parties in Turkey, political party in Turkey, founded by Mustafa Kemal ...
(CHP).


History

It is the site of the ancient Greek city of Phinopolis (
Greek Greek may refer to: 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 of all kno ...
: Φινούπολις), which was founded on an existent Thracian settlement. Sarıyer's Bosphorus villages, backed by steep hills, were once rural fishing communities. In the 18th century, palace officials and other people close to the Ottoman sultan started building their yalıs on the coastline. Around this time, wealthy foreign traders of Pera and Galata built summer residences in the area. In the beginning of the 19th century, the embassies, located in Istanbul proper, started acquiring plots of lands to build summer residences. Despite all this development, the villages remained quiet fishing towns up until the 1950s. In the 1950s and 60s, the Sarıyer villages were considered "holiday towns" for the people living in Istanbul. However, since the construction of the coast road, these villages, and increasingly the hillsides behind them, rapidly urbanized. By the 1980s, the coastal areas were full of newly built, expensive apartments, while the hillsides being built up with illegal housing called
gecekondu , meaning 'put up overnight' (plural ), is a Turkish language, Turkish word meaning a house put up quickly illegal building, without proper permissions, a Squatting, squatter's house, and by extension, a shanty or shack. is a neighborhood made o ...
. The district Sarıyer was established in 1930 from parts of the districts of
Beyoğlu Beyoğlu (; ) is a municipality and Districts of Turkey, district of Istanbul Province, Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its area is 9 km2, and its population is 225,920 (2022). It is on the European side of Istanbul, Turkey, separated from the o ...
and
Çatalca Çatalca () is a municipality and Districts of Turkey, district of Istanbul Province, Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its area is 1142 km2, making it the largest district in Istanbul Province by area. Its population is 77,468 (2022). It is in Eas ...
. The district's boundaries shrunk after the neighbourhood of
Kemerburgaz Kemerburgaz is a village in the Eyüp district of Istanbul Province, Turkey. Toponymy Kemerburgaz is a historic settlement located southwest of Belgrad Forest between the aqueducts Kurt Kemeri ("Wolf's Aqueduct") and Uzun Kemer ("Long Aqueduct ...
was given to the Eyüp district in 1936 and when the villages of Maslak and Ayazağa were given to
Şişli Şişli () is a municipality and Districts of Turkey, district of Istanbul Province, Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its area is 10 km2, and its population is 276,528 (2022). Located on the European side of the city, it is bordered by Beşiktaş ...
district in 1954. The present boundaries of Sarıyer were created after incorporating the neighbourhoods of Maslak, Ayazağa and Huzur from the district of
Şişli Şişli () is a municipality and Districts of Turkey, district of Istanbul Province, Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its area is 10 km2, and its population is 276,528 (2022). Located on the European side of the city, it is bordered by Beşiktaş ...
in 2012.


Composition

There are 38
neighbourhoods A neighbourhood (Commonwealth English) or neighborhood (American English) is a geographically localized community within a larger town, city, suburb or rural area, sometimes consisting of a single street and the buildings lining it. Neighbourh ...
in Sarıyer District: * Ayazağa * Bahçeköy Kemer * Bahçeköy Merkez * Bahçeköy Yeni * Baltalimanı * Büyükdere * Çamlıtepe * Çayırbaşı * Cumhuriyet * Darüşşafaka * Demirciköy *
Emirgan Emirgan is a neighbourhood in the municipality and district of Sarıyer, Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its population is 8,052 (2024). It is a leafy, middle-class suburb of Istanbul, on the western shore of the Bosphorus north of the Fatih Sultan Mehm ...
* Fatih Sultan Mehmet * Ferahevler * Garipçe * Gümüşdere * Huzur *
İstinye İstinye is a neighbourhood in the municipality and district of Sarıyer, Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its population was 15,721 in 2022. It is on the European side of the city between the neighbourhoods of Emirgan and Yeniköy, on the northweste ...
* Kazım Karabekir Paşa * Kilyos (Kumköy) * Kireçburnu * Kısırkaya * Kocataş * Maden * Maslak * Pınar * Poligon * PTT Evleri * Reşitpaşa * Rumelifeneri *
Rumelihisarı Rumelihisarı (also known as Rumelian Fortress and Roumeli Hissar Fortress) or Boğazkesen Fortress (literally 'strait-cutter fortress') is a medieval Ottoman Empire, Ottoman fortress located in Istanbul, Turkey, on a series of hills on the Europ ...
*
Rumelikavağı Rumelikavağı, also known as Rumeli Kavağı, is a neighbourhood in the municipality and district of Sarıyer, Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its population is 3,657 (2022). "Rumeli" is the Turkish name for Thrace, and "Kavak" means "control post" i ...
* Sarıyer * Tarabya *
Uskumruköy Uskumruköy (literally mackerel village) is a neighbourhood in the municipality and district of Sarıyer, Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its population is 9,864 (2022). It is situated to the north of Belgrad Forest which is one of the most popular exc ...
* Yeni * Yeniköy * Zekeriyaköy


Sarıyer today

Sarıyer is connected to downtown Istanbul by Büyükdere Avenue, the main road from Beşiktaş up to Maslak and beyond; this is the route used by minibuses serving Sarıyer-Beşiktaş. There is also high-speed ferry boat service for commuting to the city. The M2 metro line runs via Maslak to Hacıosman. However, many people commute by car, contributing to the heavy traffic congestion. Sarıyer itself is a traditional working-class Turkish town, lacking in infrastructure. The industry feeds the local fish market and a long line of famous fish restaurants. There are also a variety of cafés, kebab houses and bars, where many of İstanbul's residents come to eat and drink on weekends.
Emirgan Emirgan is a neighbourhood in the municipality and district of Sarıyer, Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its population is 8,052 (2024). It is a leafy, middle-class suburb of Istanbul, on the western shore of the Bosphorus north of the Fatih Sultan Mehm ...
is former retreat from the city, backed by a hillside still green despite the recent construction of villas within it. The district is named after Emir Güne Han, a Persian nobleman who was given 50 hectares of land in the area in 1635 by
Murad IV Murad IV (, ''Murād-ı Rābiʿ''; , 27 July 1612 – 8  February 1640) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1623 to 1640, known both for restoring the authority of the state and for the brutality of his methods. Murad I ...
after he surrendered
Yerevan Yerevan ( , , ; ; sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia, as well as one of the world's List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerev ...
without a fight. There is a square in the center, shaded by a huge plane tree, with a cafe in the middle. It is home to the
Sakıp Sabancı Museum The Sabancı University Sakıp Sabancı Museum () is a private fine arts museum in Istanbul, Turkey, dedicated to Islamic calligraphy, calligraphic art, religious and state documents, as well as paintings of the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman era. The ...
. Emirgan Korusu, which hosts the Emirgan Tulip Festival annually, is also located in the neighborhood. Reşitpaşa is a crowded district on the hill above Emirgan. It has both attractive villas and illegal
gecekondu , meaning 'put up overnight' (plural ), is a Turkish language, Turkish word meaning a house put up quickly illegal building, without proper permissions, a Squatting, squatter's house, and by extension, a shanty or shack. is a neighborhood made o ...
housing on a forested hillside. The modern campus of the
Istanbul Stock Exchange The Borsa İstanbul (abbreviated as BIST) is the sole exchange entity of Turkey combining the former Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE) (), the Istanbul Gold Exchange () and the Derivatives Exchange of Turkey () under one umbrella. It was establishe ...
is nearby, along with one of the campuses of
Istanbul Technical University Istanbul Technical University, also known as Technical University of Istanbul (, commonly referred to as İTÜ), is an public university, public technical university located in Istanbul, Turkey. It is the world's third-oldest technical university ...
. Istinye is a fishing port, which once contained a shipyard, with a village behind and tea gardens by the sea. As in so many other areas, luxury condos now rise from Istinye's hillsides. In 2003 the new American consulate was built here. One of Istanbul's most popular malls, Istinye Park, is named after the neighborhood but is actually located in the neighboring Pınar. Yeniköy consists of luxury villas on a hillside and a small area of tightly packed old houses near the sea. The latter area, the old village, has a longstanding
Greek Greek may refer to: 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 of all kno ...
community, evidenced by its Orthodox churches. Yeniköy has many long-established cafes and bakeries reminiscent of old Istanbul. Former prime minister Tansu Çiller lives in a town-house on the seafront. In recent years Yeniköy has acquired a community of
Filipinos Filipinos () are citizens or people identified with the country of the Philippines. Filipinos come from various Austronesian peoples, all typically speaking Filipino language, Filipino, Philippine English, English, or other Philippine language ...
, working as domestic help in the big villas. Tarabya was formerly the
Greek Greek may refer to: 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 of all kno ...
Theràpia, the name of which comes from the Greek word ''therapeia'' (therapy) and indicates the area's former use as a sanctuary from the city for the sick. It is now an affluent neighbourhood, dominated by the once grand Tarabya Hotel. There are fish restaurants and 'taverna' featuring traditional Turkish music, drink, and atmosphere. Marmara University has a small site here, teaching French, housed in a villa built by
Alexander Ypsilantis Alexandros Ypsilantis (12 December 1792 – 31 January 1828) was a Greek nationalist politician who was member of a prominent Phanariot Greeks, Phanariot Greek family, a prince of the Danubian Principalities, a senior officer of the Imperial R ...
. A stream once flowed to the Bosphorus, but is now covered by concrete. Tarabya also is home to the German consulate. Büyükdere was formerly the Greek-
Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...
Vathys Kòlpos District, 'the deep gulf' in
Greek Greek may refer to: 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 of all kno ...
. It was originally a residential area composed mostly of old, quiet neighborhoods. However, recent years have seen the construction of expensive apartments and condominiums. Home to a number of churches, the Spanish and Russian summer consulates and the Sadberk Hanım Museum. The area is also known for its
börek ''Börek'' or burek or byrek is a family of pastries or pies made in the Middle East and the Balkans. The pastry is made of a thin flaky dough such as filo with a variety of fillings, such as meat, cheese, spinach, or potatoes. A borek may be ...
. Bahçeköy was formerly the
Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...
Petra district. It is one of the northern villages of Sarıyer. After
Suleiman the Magnificent Suleiman I (; , ; 6 November 14946 September 1566), commonly known as Suleiman the Magnificent in the Western world and as Suleiman the Lawgiver () in his own realm, was the List of sultans of the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman sultan between 1520 a ...
came back from
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, he settled the
Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Southeastern Europe who share a common Serbian Cultural heritage, ancestry, Culture of Serbia, culture, History of Serbia, history, and Serbian lan ...
in the nearby forest, which has since been known as the "Belgrade" Forest ('' Belgrad Ormanı''.) In the 19th century, the village was inside the
Belgrad Forest Belgrad Forest () is a mixed deciduous forest lying adjacent to Istanbul, Turkey. It is named after the village next to the forest, settled by thousands of Serbs who were deported to the capital Constantinople from the city of Belgrade in 1521, w ...
but due to the latter's retreat before development, Bahçeköy now sits on the forest's edge. Atatürk Arboretum is in Bahçeköy. At one time, the Ottoman military would use the
Belgrad Forest Belgrad Forest () is a mixed deciduous forest lying adjacent to Istanbul, Turkey. It is named after the village next to the forest, settled by thousands of Serbs who were deported to the capital Constantinople from the city of Belgrade in 1521, w ...
for military exercises. Today it is popular for picnics at the weekend, and the road to Kilyos passes through here. The woods are home to Istanbul University's department of forestry, and are accessible by public transport. There have always been rural communities here but since the 1990s, luxury housing and private schools have been built in parts of the forest. The largest of these developments is the new village of Zekeriyaköy, which is now one of the most expensive residential areas in Istanbul. The campus of the Koç University is also located in the forest. The growth of these areas may have, along with construction and poorly conceived traffic flow planning, contributed to the heavy traffic in the village of Sarıyer. Kilyos is a small town, a summer retreat from the city, although it is often windswept in winter. Some Istanbul residents swim in the sea at Kilyos, although the rocky coast and strong currents, including, in places, a dangerous undertow, make swimming here risky. The road to Kilyos leads through the Belgrad Forest with its system of viaducts and reservoirs going back to the Ottoman period, although it is also accessible through the village of Sarıyer, leading to serious traffic delays during summer months. In recent years Kilyos has acquired a number of bars and cafés, including a couple of well-known private beach clubs and a rock festival in summer.


Climate

Sarıyer's climate, typical of northern Istanbul, is oceanic ''(Cfb/Do'') according to both
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
and Trewartha climate classifications, with cool winters and warm summers. Sarıyer's climate is marked by high precipitation (the highest annual precipitation in Istanbul), milder summers and slightly colder winters than most of lowland Istanbul. It is classified as
USDA hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most widely ...
8b with pockets of 8a, and AHS heat zone 3.


Places of interest

*
Rumelihisarı Rumelihisarı (also known as Rumelian Fortress and Roumeli Hissar Fortress) or Boğazkesen Fortress (literally 'strait-cutter fortress') is a medieval Ottoman Empire, Ottoman fortress located in Istanbul, Turkey, on a series of hills on the Europ ...
– the huge fortress on the
Bosphorus The Bosporus or Bosphorus Strait ( ; , colloquially ) is a natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located in Istanbul, Turkey. The Bosporus connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and forms one of the continental bo ...
built during the Ottoman Conquest of Istanbul. *
Sakıp Sabancı Museum The Sabancı University Sakıp Sabancı Museum () is a private fine arts museum in Istanbul, Turkey, dedicated to Islamic calligraphy, calligraphic art, religious and state documents, as well as paintings of the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman era. The ...
* Sadberk Hanım Museum * Borusan Contemporary – a museum of contemporary fine arts. *
Rumeli Feneri Rumeli Feneri, also Türkeli Feneri, a historical lighthouse still in use, is located on the European side of the Bosporus Strait's Black Sea entrance in Istanbul. Etymology Rumeli (or Rumelia) is a former name for the Ottoman territories wes ...
– a historic
lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lens (optics), lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Ligh ...
in the Rumelifeneri village. *Ottoman era wooden seafront houses ( yalı). *The historic aqueducts of the
Belgrad Forest Belgrad Forest () is a mixed deciduous forest lying adjacent to Istanbul, Turkey. It is named after the village next to the forest, settled by thousands of Serbs who were deported to the capital Constantinople from the city of Belgrade in 1521, w ...
– another important piece of historical architecture in the area. *
İstinye Park İstinye Park is a shopping center in the İstinye quarter of Istanbul, Turkey with 291 stores, of retail area, and four levels of underground parking. The center features both enclosed and open-air sections. The open-air section has a green centr ...
, one of the upmarket shopping malls in Istanbul. *
Istanbul Stock Exchange The Borsa İstanbul (abbreviated as BIST) is the sole exchange entity of Turkey combining the former Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE) (), the Istanbul Gold Exchange () and the Derivatives Exchange of Turkey () under one umbrella. It was establishe ...
building at
İstinye İstinye is a neighbourhood in the municipality and district of Sarıyer, Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its population was 15,721 in 2022. It is on the European side of the city between the neighbourhoods of Emirgan and Yeniköy, on the northweste ...
. * Maslak business district. * Telli Baba tomb of a Muslim saint. * Nature parks: ** Bentler Nature Park, a nature park with historic dams in Bahçeköy neighborhood, ** Falih Rıfkı Atay Nature Park, a nature park inside
Belgrad Forest Belgrad Forest () is a mixed deciduous forest lying adjacent to Istanbul, Turkey. It is named after the village next to the forest, settled by thousands of Serbs who were deported to the capital Constantinople from the city of Belgrade in 1521, w ...
, ** Fatih Sultan Mehmet Nature Park ** Irmak Nature Park, a nature park inside Belgrad Forest, ** Kömürcübent Nature Park, a nature park inside Belgrad Forest, ** Mehmet Akif Ersoy Nature Park, a nature park inside Belgrad Forest, ** Neşet Suyu Nature Park, a nature park inside Belgrad Forest, ** Türkmenbaşı Nature Park, a protected area in Çayırbaşı neighborhood. * Garipçe, Sarıyer, a village on the
Bosphorus The Bosporus or Bosphorus Strait ( ; , colloquially ) is a natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located in Istanbul, Turkey. The Bosporus connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and forms one of the continental bo ...
popular for its fish restaurants.


Sports

The football club Sarıyer S.K. was the winner of 1992 Balkans Cup winner and played in
Süper Lig The Süper Lig (, ''Super League''), also known as Trendyol Süper Lig for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Turkey and the highest level of the Turkish football league system. In the 2023–2024 season, twen ...
for 13 seasons. They are currently playing in the
TFF Second League The TFF 2. Lig (), currently referred to as Nesine 2. Lig for sponsorship reasons, is the third level in the Turkish football league system. It was founded in the 2001–02 season with the name of ''Turkish Second League Category B'' as a continu ...
. Although Galatasaray S.K. established in 1905 at the
Galatasaray High School Galatasaray High School (, ), established in Istanbul in 1481, is the oldest and Selective school, highly selective high school in Turkey. It is also the second-oldest Turkish educational institution after Istanbul University, which was establi ...
which is located in Galatasaray district and the club keeps Hasnun Galip Club Administrative Center in
Beyoğlu Beyoğlu (; ) is a municipality and Districts of Turkey, district of Istanbul Province, Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its area is 9 km2, and its population is 225,920 (2022). It is on the European side of Istanbul, Turkey, separated from the o ...
until 2011; Galatasaray S.K. relocated the Club Administrative Center to Rams Global Stadium in 2011, which is in Sarıyer, after the club left their former home ground Ali Sami Yen Stadium. The women's football club Kireçburnu Spor play in the Turkish Women's First Football League. The women's volleyball team of Sarıyer Belediyespor compete in the Turkish Women's Volleyball League. Çayırbaşı Stadium is home to several football clubs in Sarıyer.


Education

Primary and secondary schools: * British International School Istanbul Zekeriyaköy Campus in Zekeriyakoy * Istanbul International Community School Hisar Campus * Lycée Français Pierre Loti d'Istanbul Tarabya Campus * Tarabya British Schools Tarabya and Yeniköy campuses Universities: * Beykent University Ayazağa - Maslak Campus *
Istanbul Technical University Istanbul Technical University, also known as Technical University of Istanbul (, commonly referred to as İTÜ), is an public university, public technical university located in Istanbul, Turkey. It is the world's third-oldest technical university ...
Ayazaga Campus * Koç University Main & Batı Campus


Twin towns — sister cities

Sarıyer is twinned with: * Aachen, Germany (2013) * Salisbury, United Kingdom * Akhalkalaki, Georgia * Puerto Princesa, Philippines * Çekmeköy, Turkey * Vác, Hungary * Enfield, United Kingdom


See also

* Topuzlu Dam, built in 1750 * Valide Dam, built in 1796 * New Dam, built in 1830


References


External links


İstanbul Stock Exchange (in English)

Koç University

Sariyer Portal
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sariyer Bosphorus Populated places in Istanbul Province Fishing communities in Turkey Metropolitan district municipalities in Turkey Districts of Istanbul Province Edge cities in Turkey