ISTIKLAL CADDESI (İSTİKLAL STREET)

İstiklal Caddesi, the heartbeat of today's Istanbul, was established in the 19th century and attracts large numbers of people both day and night.
The street, dominated by cultural activities, cafes, bars and restaurants,
is fast-paced until the morning light...

The entertainment centers of istanbul are located along istiklal Caddesi (istiklal Street) in the heart of the Beyoğlu district.
Something interesting and exciting is always happening on istiklal with its hundreds of restaurants, cafes and bars, the many art galleries, cinemas and theaters.
While strolling down istiklal, visitors will be fascinated by the architecture of the buildings, most of which date from the late 19th century.
Several of istanbul's oldest neighborhoods are located on and around istiklal and were settled over the centuries by foreigners who came to the city to live and work.
Among the oldest residents of the area are the Genoese who arrived during the mid-13th century.
Named "Grand Rue de Pera" by westerners or "Cadde-i Kebir" (The Great Street) by the Ottomans, istiklal became more important in the 19th century upon the building of several foreign consulate offices. The street has witnessed a dynamic redevelopment in the past 25 years since many of the older buildings have been restored and reopened.
If you begin your tour of istiklal at the old-time streetcar (Tramway) stop in Taksim Square, the first building you pass right is the French Consulate. Walking along, you will pass the AFM Cinemas, restaurants and shops, many of them in buildings with interesting classically decorated facades. The side streets of istiklal also offer an abundance of stores, bookshops, cafes and things to do along the way.
The first street on the left from Taksim Square is Meşelik Sokak, where you can access Hagia Triada Greek Orthodox Church which can be seen from Taksim Square.

Hagia Triada Greek Orthodox Church built by Russians in 1880, it is one of the first examples of vaulted architecture.
On the ground floors of several buildings facing the main street, there are small passage ways that are among the unique aspects of istiklal.
Within Halep Çarşısı (Halep Bazaar) there is the Beyoğlu Sinemasi (Beyoglu Cinema) and Ses Tiyatrosu (Ses Theatre), formerly a movie theater.
In the passage, together with restaurants there are souvenir shops especially attractive for young people.
Just across the street, in Atlas Pasaji (Atlas Passage) are the Atlas Sinemasi (Atlas Cinema) and Sadri Alışık Tiyatrosu (Sadri Alishik Theatre).
Atlas is known for its stores that sell collectibles and alternative clothing shops.
Reaching Galatasaray, Just before Çiçek Pasaji (Flower Market) on the right, stands Tokatlıyan iş Hani, a business building that used to be one of the three original luxury hotels of the city.
The restaurant and patisserie were a meeting point for celebrities and foreign guests up until the 1950s.
Though the hotel has seen the passage of time, it is still quite a dynamic place.
In the office block, you can see side by side stores selling oriental belly dance costumes and tattoo parlors.