Taksim ... a thumbnail of Turkey
Last Updated: 2023-07-27
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Taksim district in Istanbul
The Turkish district of Taksim is one of the most famous tourist places in Europe, and the most famous in Turkey, and millions of tourists visit it annually. The neighborhood is a model for Turkey; Because of its advantages that bring together civilization, history and contemporary life, where its ancient history and ancient past, and its advanced contemporary life keep pace with and mix with the developments of the world.
In this article you will read:
- Etymology
- Taksim Square
- Galata Tower
- Istiklal Street
- Taksim Mosque
- Church of Aya Triada
- Taksim meeting place for cultures and art tram
- Tram
- Ataturk Cultural Center
- Hotels and restaurants
- The most important residential complexes of Taksim
Etymology:
It is called Taksim, meaning to distribute; Because it was the point where the main water lines converge, and they branch off to other parts of the city, and this name was given to it by Sultan Mahmud I.
Taksim Square
Taksim Square is a favorite place for celebrations and events. There are many different hotels in it, such as five-star luxury hotels, and small hotels with shared rooms, and the most famous of its hotels are (Santa ottoman), which is 300 meters from Taksim, and (Innpera) which is 50 meters from Taksim Square, in addition to (Triada) which is very close from Taksim Square. It is distinguished by its decorated rooms in the Turkish style, and the hotel serves traditional Turkish dishes, in addition to the Marmara Hotel, which directly overlooks Taksim Square. In the middle of Taksim Square is the monument, which is a statue sculpted by the famous Italian artist Pietro in 1928 AD, to commemorate Ataturk and many important figures of his time, and the victory in the War of Independence. Celebrations are held near it on some occasions, such as the anniversary of Ataturk's death, and the anniversary of the War of Independence.
Galata Tower
It is a historical tower in Istanbul, consisting of nine floors. It is one of the oldest and most beautiful towers in the historical city, characterized by its high height of 66.90 meters, which provides an impressive panoramic view of the city.
There is no accurate information about the year of the tower’s construction, but some historical sources say that it was built in the year 507 AD, and was restored in the time of the Ottoman Empire in the year 1509 following the earthquake that struck Istanbul at that time, by the Ottoman architect known at the time, the architect “Khair al-Din”, one of the students of the famous Mimar "Sinan".
Some sources mention that during the era of the Ottoman Empire, the Turkish scientist “Hazarfen Ahmed Shalaby” installed artificial wings in 1638, and began flying from the roof of the Galata Tower, to the Uskudar area on the Asian side of the city. At that time, he cut about 3,358 meters through the installed industrial artificial wings, as this experience marked the beginning of human experiments in flight.
During the era of the Ottoman Empire, the tower was exposed to fire twice, the first in 1794 and the second in 1831, but it was restored again. The height of the Galata Tower is about 66.90 meters, its outer diameter is about 16.45 meters, its internal diameter is about 8.95 meters, and the thickness of its walls is estimated at 3.75 meters. The tower consists of nine floors, so that the first seven floors can be climbed through the electric elevator, and the rest of the floors are completed by the visitor going up by feet. On the ninth floor there is a restaurant for visitors, in addition to a circular balcony overlooking many areas of Istanbul, the most important of which are Fatih, Eminunu, Uskudar and Taksim, in addition to the Gulf of Marmara Sea.
The tower is supervised by a private tourism company to manage it and organize the entry of tourists and visitors from different countries of the world. The tower management does not require a specific period for the tourist's tour of the tower. The entry fee for a foreign tourist is seven dollars, while the Turkish visitor pays only four dollars.
Istiklal Street:
Istiklal Street, extending from Taksim Square to the Karakoy area. It is an old street in which a tram goes back about a hundred years, and it is one of the oldest trams in the city, while there are old narrow alleys on the outskirts of the street and its end brings the visitor back to the fragrance of history.
Also, most of the houses and buildings on the street are more than a hundred years old, most notably the domed church and the Hussein Agha Mosque opposite it as well. The street includes diplomatic centers and consulates for several countries such as the Netherlands and Russia, as well as service centers and hotels that host the most important international conferences.
It is customary for the musicians to take their place in this street, and sometimes bands play their melodies there, providing interesting and beautiful performances for the visitors.
Istiklal Street includes Galata High School, which is famous for its outstanding construction. It is located in the middle of the street, which also hosts the famous wax museum "Madame Tussauds", which opened about two years ago, and includes wax statues of various famous people from Turkey and the world.
The Taksim area is connected to other important areas such as the prestigious and famous “Nisantashi” neighborhood in Istanbul, and the famous “Osmanbey” commercial area as well, all the way to the “Mecidiyekoy” area, which is considered one of the densest commercial areas in the city, due to the large number of Turkish and foreign companies operating in Turkey in that area.
Istiklal Street, extending from Taksim Square to the Karakoy area. It is an old street in which a tram goes back about a hundred years, and it is one of the oldest trams in the city, while there are old narrow alleys on the outskirts of the street and its end brings the visitor back to the fragrance of history.
Also, most of the houses and buildings on the street are more than a hundred years old, most notably the domed church and the Hussein Agha Mosque opposite it as well. The street includes diplomatic centers and consulates for several countries such as the Netherlands and Russia, as well as service centers and hotels that host the most important international conferences.
It is customary for the musicians to take their place in this street, and sometimes bands play their melodies there, providing interesting and beautiful performances for the visitors.
Istiklal Street includes Galata High School, which is famous for its outstanding construction. It is located in the middle of the street, which also hosts the famous wax museum "Madame Tussauds", which opened about two years ago, and includes wax statues of various famous people from Turkey and the world.
The Taksim area is connected to other important areas such as the prestigious and famous “Nisantashi” neighborhood in Istanbul, and the famous “Osmanbey” commercial area as well, all the way to the “Mecidiyekoy” area, which is considered one of the densest commercial areas in the city, due to the large number of Turkish and foreign companies operating in Turkey in that area.
Taksim Mosque:
Taksim Mosque was put up decades ago, after the establishment of the Turkish Republic, to be constructed, but it was delayed until 2017, when the construction of the mosque began in the square, where the mosque’s minarets rose to give a beautiful integrated picture in the region. The total area of the mosque is 875 square meters, with a height of up to 3 floors. It can accommodate about 1,000 worshipers, in addition to a car park that can accommodate 165 vehicles, as well as conference and exhibition halls attached to the mosque.
The building is more than 20 meters high, the dome is about 10 meters high, and the minarets are more than 30 meters high, as the height of the church was taken into account in the construction work of the project, to be in a single format.
Church of Hagia Triada:
In a scene unlike any other in the world, the mosque meets the church at the entrance at the famous Istiklal Street. The church was opened in the year 1880, and was built at the entrance to Istiklal Street in Istanbul, during the period in which the area was built, as the area is considered one of the oldest neighborhoods built in the nineteenth century in Istanbul. The church was built on the ruins of a Greek Orthodox cemetery, and was located outside the city at the time, and with the development of the region, Taksim turned into a central area and a major attraction for trade, tourism and culture.
Thus, the mosque and the church as places of worship of interest to Muslims and Christians alike appear in an important scene, especially in an area that bears symbolism and significance, a central area in Taksim Square, in an indication of the spirit of brotherhood in this country.
A crossroads of cultures and art:
In addition to the convergence of religions, the Taksim area constitutes a center for the convergence of cultures, especially as tourists and visitors move to the region from all places and directions, from inside and outside Turkey, especially since Turkish tourism reached record numbers last year, exceeding 52 million tourists.
Tourists take advantage of the opportunity to tour the area and take memorial photos, in front of the mosque and church, in front of the entrance to and inside the famous Istiklal Street, as well as in front of the memorials of the Turkish Republic located in the heart of the square.
And these important sites are adorned with the many pigeons that walk on the ground among the tourists who seek to feed them and take pictures with them before they fly in a beautiful scene that gives pleasure in the soul.
The square constitutes a forum for different arts, given the events that are organized in the area on an ongoing basis, including art exhibitions and performances, and it is common to see theater groups, playing groups and singers in the vicinity of Taksim and along Istiklal Street, addressing all segments and ages.
The Taksim area hosts a market along Istiklal Street, commercial centers, and numerous huge bookstores, and is considered a center for music and cinema lovers.
The area also includes Madame Tussauds Istanbul Museum, which is the first branch in Turkey of the international wax museum chain and one of the most important museums in Istanbul. It opened in Istanbul in November 2016.
Thus, the Taksim area and Istiklal Street constitute a meeting point and embrace the whole world, with the presence of tourists and visitors, and the people of Istanbul looking for rest after a long working day, so that the area forms a mosaic that enjoys security, and brings together people of all races, religions and races.
The famous Taksim Tram:
105 years ago, the Taksim tram was put into service with the city of Istanbul, and the city's railway network established the "Dar Saadet" tramway company in 1869, and the first horse-drawn tram in Istanbul in 1871, linking the regions of Azad Kapi and Besiktas, and in 1914, specifically on February 11, the first electric tram line was established, and the length of the railways in the city is now 170 km, and government statements say that work is continuing on an additional 285 km, bringing the length of the railways in Istanbul to about a thousand km on the first centenary of the Republic foundation in 2023 AD.
It is noteworthy that the tram line that connects Istiklal Street to the Karakoy district has been in operation for 139 years. It is the second oldest in the world after the London tram line. Perhaps the importance of the Taksim tram lies in the areas between which it travels. It departs daily from Taksim Square at half past seven in the morning, transporting passengers in its only car to Beyoglu via Istiklal Street, and continues in this way until ten o'clock at night.
Ataturk Cultural Center:
It is the focal point of Taksim Square and is a multi-purpose cultural center and opera house. It is considered an important example of Turkish architecture from the 1960's. The center has hosted many theater performances and concerts by national symphony orchestras, choirs, classical orchestras, and other cultural and art festivals in the summer. It was distinguished by the capacity of its halls, one of which could accommodate 1,307 seats, and it was closed in 2008.
Hotels and restaurants:
The city of Taksim contains many hotels, old and modern restaurants that focus on showing the Turkish heritage and civilization in it, and serving various traditional Turkish dishes. Accommodation and dining prices vary according to its proximity or distance from the city center. However, they all offer roughly the same quality in terms of general guest services.
Taksim Project 360
The project is located in the center of old and ancient Istanbul, only 500 meters from the famous Taksim Square, close to all tourist places, institutions and services. The project follows the famous municipality of Beyoglu, the tourist capital of Istanbul. The project is surrounded by many shops, famous restaurants and cafes, and there are also gardens and many historical, archaeological and tourist areas, which is the largest destination for tourists coming to Istanbul. This distinctive project consists of residential units, administrative offices and shops side by side with a building area of 20 thousand square meters and through a front facade of 220 meters.
Benesta Beyoğlu Project
One of the few residential complexes located near Taksim Square, which makes the demand for it high, especially when only 245 apartments are available. It has a great location in the heart of Istanbul close to metro station, tram station, ferry port, universities, schools, shopping malls, tourist attractions and many more.
Quick tips:
- Galata Tower entered the Temporary World Heritage List in 2013.
- Taksim is visited by more than 52 million tourists annually.
- Taksim is the old center of historical Istanbul.
Sources:
Anadolu Agency | Al-Jazeera | Al Arabi TV Network
Edited by Mersat Real Estate ©
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