Istiklal Street: first destination for tourists coming to Istanbul

Istiklal Avenue is a pedestrian street and the heart of Istanbul, its economic and cultural center, visited by tens of thousands of visitors and tourists on a daily basis. It is located in Taksim area of Beyoglu district and extends across Karakoy Harbor and Galata Lighthouse Tower of Istanbul.

There is an old train built since the time of the Ottomans running through the street, making it a must-visit for every tourist and one of the most beautiful tourist attractions in the city.

Many old buildings, shops, cafes and restaurants serving Turkish, Arabic and Western cuisines, as well as Sufi shrines and Christian church towers that represent Byzantium and its capital, Constantinople centuries ago, spread across the street.

With the proclamation of the Turkish Republic, the street’s name was changed from “Grand Avenue” to Istiklal Street (Arabic for independence) to celebrate the victory in the Turkish War of Independence that took place in 1923.