Beyoglu — Europe in Istanbul

At the northern coast of the Golden Horn bay there is located Beyoglu district, famous for its beauties and history.

Business Istanbul

This district is by right considered a business and cultural center of Istanbul. But besides that it has a rich historical past – some time ago the district “Galata” used to be here, and Genoese colonists were settling here. Today only the giant Galata tower reminds of those ancient times. During the medieval times the modern Beyoglu used to be a trade region and was called “Pera”.
Today only the memories and rare historical data are left from the rich ancient past of these places. Now Beyoglu is the corner of contemporaneity in many-sided and multiplex Istanbul.

Beyoglu of our days is a modern district with plenty of buildings, interesting from the point of view of architecture and a special unique charm. The architecture of Beyoglu is a special topic. The majority of local buildings are constructed at the end of XIX – beginning of XX century, and bears the character, peculiar to the period. The architecture in modern style is the trademark of Beyoglu. Among ingenious buildings it is difficult to find minarets, appearing through the crowns of trees in other, more traditional districts of Istanbul. Besides plenty of offices and shops this district is famous with the abundance of distractive houses.

Beyoglu and Taksim

These two districts can not be imagined without each other. Apart from the fact that they are united with Istiklal avenue, Beyoglu and Taksim are united by their common spirit, unusual for the traditional Istanbul – the spirit of European life, modern, sheer, and as a rule – the night one. Here most of the bars and night clubs of the whole city are concentrated. Due to this modern and dynamic atmosphere Beyoglu looks more like a European city than like an ancient district of Istanbul.
Taksim square is the pride of the district. Here lots of prestigious hotels and shops are located. And in the center of the square there is the monument “Republic”, built in 1928 in the honor of the establishment of republic in the country. Not far from the square a cozy park is situated, it is called “Taksim Gezisi”, and at the beginning of Istiklal avenue – the church Hagia Triada.