Beşiktaş () is a

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, municipa ...

and

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

Istanbul ) , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 34000 to 34990 , area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side) , registration_plate = 34 , blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD , blank_i ...

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...

, located on the European shore of the Bosphorus strait. It is bordered on the north by

Sarıyer Sarıyer () is the northernmost district of Istanbul, Turkey, on the European side of the city. It consists of the neighbourhoods of Rumelifeneri, Tarabya, Yeniköy, İstinye, Emirgan and Rumelihisarı. Sarıyer also administers the Black Sea co ...

and

Şişli Şişli () is one of the 39 districts of Istanbul, Turkey. Located on the European side of the city, it is bordered by Beşiktaş to the east, Sarıyer to the north, Eyüp and Kağıthane to the west, and Beyoğlu to the south. In 2009, Şiş ...

, on the west by Kağıthane and Şişli, on the south by Beyoğlu, and on the east by the Bosphorus. Directly across the Bosphorus is the district of

Üsküdar Üsküdar () is a large and densely populated district of Istanbul, Turkey, on the Anatolian shore of the Bosphorus. It is bordered to the north by Beykoz, to the east by Ümraniye, to the southeast by Ataşehir and to the south by Kadıköy; ...

. The district includes a number of important sites along the European shore of the Bosphorus, from

Dolmabahçe Palace Dolmabahçe Palace ( tr, Dolmabahçe Sarayı, ) located in the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul, Turkey, on the European coast of the Bosporus strait, served as the main administrative center of the Ottoman Empire from 1856 to 1887 and from 1909 t ...

in the south to the Bebek area in the north. It is also home to many inland (and relatively expensive, upper-middle class) neighborhoods such as

Levent Levent is a neighbourhood and one of the main business districts of Istanbul, Turkey, located on the European side of the city. It is a part of the municipality of Beşiktaş and is situated to the north of the Golden Horn, at the western s ...

and

Etiler Etiler is a neighbourhood on the European side of Istanbul, Turkey, in the district of Beşiktaş, close to the business quarters of Levent and Maslak. Etiler is famous for its upmarket cafés, pubs, night clubs, restaurants, gyms, coiffeurs, f ...

. Some of its other well-known neighborhoods include Yıldız, Kuruçeşme,

Ortaköy Ortaköy ( ''Middle Village)'' is a neighbourhood within the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul, Turkey, on the European shore of the Bosphorus. it was originally a small fishing village, known in Greek as Agios Fokas (Άγιος Φωκάς) in t ...

, and Arnavutköy. Beşiktaş' historic commercial centre is the quarter and Çarşı (literally, "marketplace"), which adjoins the small Abbasağa Park. Running in the north–south direction,

Barbaros Boulevard The Barbaros Boulevard ( tr, Barbaros Bulvarı) is a -long major street in the Beşiktaş district on the European side of Istanbul, Turkey. It runs in a straight line in south–north direction from Beşiktaş Square over Yıldız up to Zincir ...

is a major feeder road for the inner-city motorway and the

Bosphorus Bridge The Bosphorus Bridge ( tr, Boğaziçi Köprüsü), known officially as the 15 July Martyrs Bridge ( tr, 15 Temmuz Şehitler Köprüsü) and unofficially as the First Bridge ( tr, Birinci Köprü), is one of the three suspension bridges spanning ...

, terminating at the important public transport hub of

Zincirlikuyu Zincirlikuyu is a quarter of the Şişli district on the European side of Istanbul, Turkey. Part of Esentepe neighborhood, it is situated on a hilltop on the district border to Beşiktaş in the east. Having undergone redevelopment in recent year ...

. Büyükdere Avenue also runs through the district. Although it is a relatively small district of Istanbul, both in terms of population and area, Beşiktaş is one of the city's most important areas due to its business and shopping areas, historic sites, universities, scenic views of the Bosphorus strait, and feeder roads for the Bosphorus and Fatih Sultan Mehmet bridges passing through it. The district is also the leading financial center of Turkey. In a 2013 ranking of Turkish districts, Beşiktaş placed first overall due to its high

quality of life Quality of life (QOL) is defined by the World Health Organization as "an individual's perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards ...

, prosperity, and cultural level. Beşiktaş is also the highest ranking Turkish district in terms of the

Human Development Index The Human Development Index (HDI) is a statistic composite index of life expectancy, education (mean years of schooling completed and expected years of schooling upon entering the education system), and per capita income indicators, wh ...

, with an HDI of 0.864, while also ranking first in the individual indexes for income and education. The municipality is taking part in the Cities4Europe campaign and has qualified as a "European 12 Star City".

Name

The district takes its name from the Beşiktaş quarter located in the modern-day Sinanpaşa neighborhood. Along with Çarşı, this historic center is sometimes referred to as ''Köyiçi'' (roughly "inner village") by locals. The word ''beşik'' means " cradle" in Turkish, while ''taş'' means "

stone In geology, rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its Chemical compound, chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks ...

". According to one story, there was a Byzantine church in modern-day Beşiktaş with the name Kounopetra,

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece 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 ...

for "stone cradle". The church was built to honor a relic, a stone reportedly taken from the stable in

Bethlehem Bethlehem (; ar, بيت لحم ; he, בֵּית לֶחֶם '' '') is a city in the central West Bank, Palestine, about south of Jerusalem. Its population is approximately 25,000,Amara, 1999p. 18.Brynen, 2000p. 202. and it is the capital o ...

where Jesus was born. This stone was later relocated to

Hagia Sophia Hagia Sophia ( 'Holy Wisdom'; ; ; ), officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque ( tr, Ayasofya-i Kebir Cami-i Şerifi), is a mosque and major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey. The cathedral was originally built as a Greek Ortho ...

and disappeared during the Fourth Crusade, possibly to be sold in Europe's relics market. Another story states that a cleric from a

Saint Menas Menas of Egypt (also Mina, Minas, Mena, Meena; el, Άγιος Μηνάς, ; 285 – c. 309), a martyr and wonder-worker, is one of the most well-known Coptic saints in the East and the West, due to the many miracles that are attributed to his in ...

(Aya Menas) Church where Beşiktaş now is returned from a

pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

with a cradle-shaped stone used in the

baptism Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost ...

of Jesus and placed it in the church. One other explanation is that the name is a corruption of ''beş taş'', Turkish for "five stones", referring to the five stone pillars built to moor ships by

Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha Hayreddin Barbarossa ( ar, خير الدين بربروس, Khayr al-Din Barbarus, original name: Khiḍr; tr, Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa), also known as Hızır Hayrettin Pasha, and simply Hızır Reis (c. 1466/1478 – 4 July 1546), was an O ...

History

The Bosphorus has been settled for a long time, and there are many places of historical interest in Beşiktaş. The area is believed to have been settled by

Constantine the Great Constantine I ( , ; la, Flavius Valerius Constantinus, ; ; 27 February 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337, the first one to convert to Christianity. Born in Naissus, Dacia Mediterran ...

during his reign (306–337 CE). This stretch of the Bosphorus shore is somewhat sheltered from the strong northeasterly winds that bring storms to Istanbul, and thus it forms an ideal mooring place for ships. In Byzantine times, the area was called ''Diplokionion'', meaning "double pillar" in

, as it was the location of a set of twin pillars marking a key entry from the water into Constantinople. These columns would later provide the model for the twin pillars at the water's edge in

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...

. In ancient times the villages on the Bosphorus shore were isolated communities in the forest that lined the water-side. The Bosphorus, however, was prominent in the history and mythology of the ancient Greeks, and villages like Beşiktaş would have had their place in traditional tales such as ''

Jason Jason ( ; ) was an ancient Greek mythological hero and leader of the Argonauts, whose quest for the Golden Fleece featured in Greek literature. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcos. He was married to the sorceress Medea. He ...

and the Argonauts''. In the

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

, era churches and a monastery were built and the tradition of having a summer palace on the Bosphorus was begun by the Byzantines with their Ayios Mamas palace complex. The Bosphorus settlements, however, being outside the city walls, were vulnerable to raiders from the

Black Sea The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean 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 bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Rom ...

coasts, and little of this architecture or the statuary that would have decorated it so gloriously has survived. In the Ottoman period, once the Sultans had established control of the Black Sea coasts, the Ottoman navy was docked in the Bosphorus and the Bosphorus villages became safe and attractive again. One man, in particular, the sailor Barbarossa Hayreddin, built his palace and mosque in Beşiktaş, making it his home. By now Beşiktaş was an established Bosphorus crossing for caravans trading across

Anatolia Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The ...

and along the Silk Road, and for Ottoman armies. According to Ottoman estimations of 1882, the district of Beşiktaş had a total population of 28.777, consisting of 10.753 Muslims, 9.248

Greeks The Greeks or Hellenes (; el, Έλληνες, ''Éllines'' ) are an ethnic group and nation indigenous to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions, namely Greece, Cyprus, Albania, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, and, to a lesser extent, oth ...

, 4.897

Armenians Armenians ( hy, հայեր, '' hayer'' ) are an ethnic group native to the Armenian highlands of Western Asia. Armenians constitute the main population of Armenia and the ''de facto'' independent Artsakh. There is a wide-ranging diasp ...

, 3.057

Jews Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

, 601 Catholics, 203

Bulgarians Bulgarians ( bg, българи, Bǎlgari, ) are a nation and South Slavic ethnic group native to Bulgaria and the rest of Southeast Europe. Etymology Bulgarians derive their ethnonym from the Bulgars. Their name is not completely unders ...

and 18 Latins. This coast was very attractive to the Ottoman rulers, who built hunting lodges and then great palaces in the area, and the Beşiktaş district today contains some of the most important and attractive Ottoman buildings. The area was thus the scene of great intrigues of the late Ottoman period such as the dethronement of Sultan Abdülaziz at

in a coup in 1876, the announcement of the founding of the Ottoman parliament in 1908, and the deposing of Sultan Abdul Hamid II at

Yıldız Palace Yıldız Palace ( tr, Yıldız Sarayı, ) is a vast complex of former imperial Ottoman pavilions and villas in Istanbul, Turkey, built in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was used as a residence by the sultan and his court in the late 19th ...

in 1909. Following the foundation of the

Turkish Republic Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...

in 1923, the Ottoman ruling family was deported and the palaces and mansions along the coast were emptied. Some were given to new government ministries, some used as schools and other public buildings, others were demolished. Today, it is widely accepted by the residents of the area that the most significant resident of Beşiktaş was

Zübeyde Hanım Zübeyde Hanım (1856 – 15 January 1923) was the mother of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey. She was the only daughter of the Hacısofular family which included her two brothers. Zübeyde was born in Langaza vil ...

, the mother of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who lived in the old quarter at the heart of Beşiktaş, literally right next to the then headquarters of Beşiktaş J.K. Besides the more historic areas such as Yıldız,

Kuruçeşme Kuruçeşme is a neighborhood in Beşiktaş ilçe (district) of İstanbul, Turkey. It is on the European side of Bosphorous between the neighborhoods of Ortaköy and Arnavutköy. Historically, the neighborhood was called by various names such a ...

, Arnavutköy, Bebek, many residential areas in the district started to form around the 1950s. For example, the foundations of

(named after the Levent Farm previously located there) were established in the 1950s when construction began on a prestigious suburban mass housing project. The

, Konaklar, Akatlar, Nisbetiye, Levazım and Kültür neighborhoods followed soon after. In

2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses duri ...

and

2017 File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a s ...

, there were two terror attacks in the district. One was outside a stadium and the other was at a nightclub.

Climate

Beşiktaş experiences a humid subtropical climate (''Cfa/Cf'') according to both

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...

and Trewartha climate classifications, with cool winters and warm to hot summers. As its location in the middle of coastal Istanbul suggests, it has a transitional climate between the oceanic climate to the north, and the

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...

to the south, and is a good average of climates across 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 wide ...

9a, and AHS heat zone 3.

Government

Beşiktaş is located on the European side of

Istanbul Province ) , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 34000 to 34990 , area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side) , registration_plate = 34 , blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD , blank_in ...

. It became an independent district in 1930 after its separation from Beyoğlu, and the municipal government was founded in 1984. The district is composed of 23 neighborhoods. Besiktas mahalleler

Neighborhoods

* * * Arnavutköy * * Bebek * * *

* * *

* * * *

Vişnezade Vişnezade is a neighborhood in İstanbul, Turkey. ''Vişne'' means "sour cherry" and the neighborhood is named after İzzeti Mehmet Efendi (1629-1681) an Ottoman statesman nicknamed ''Vişnezade'' who was known to cultivate sour cherry in the pla ...

* Yıldız

Local election results

Historic quarters

Ortakoey Istanbul Bosporusbruecke Mrz2005

Arnavutköy: Located between Bebek and

. Aşiyan: Located between Bebek and

Rumelihisarı Rumelihisarı (also known as Rumelian Castle and Roumeli Hissar Castle) or Boğazkesen Castle (meaning "Strait-Blocker Castle" or literally "Throat-Cutter Castle") is a medieval fortress located in Istanbul, Turkey, on a series of hills on the Eu ...

. : Located along Barboros Boulevard, between Yıldız and

junction. Bebek: The origins for Bebek's name go back to the Conquest of Istanbul. : One of Istanbul's oldest quarters and the origin of the district's name.

: Located along the Bosphorus and known for its mansions.

: Known today for its iconic mosque and square. Historically a multicultural area. Yıldız: Located to the east of Barbaros Boulevard.

Places of interest

Beşiktaş is home to many historic and modern places of interest. Among the most notable are

Çırağan Palace Çırağan Palace ( tr, Çırağan Sarayı), a former Ottoman Empire, Ottoman palace, is now a five-star hotel in the Kempinski, Kempinski Hotels chain. It is located on the European shore of the Bosporus, between Beşiktaş and Ortaköy in Istan ...

, and

Ortaköy Mosque Ortaköy Mosque ( tr, Ortaköy Camii) or Büyük Mecidiye Camii () in Beşiktaş, Istanbul, Turkey, is a mosque situated at the waterside of the Ortaköy pier square, one of the most popular locations on the Bosphorus. It was commissioned by the ...

. The

neighborhood is home to many modern shopping malls and office buildings. Some of Turkey's tallest buildings are located in the area, along Büyükdere Avenue.

Historic

* Abbas Ağa Mosque * Akaretler Row Houses * Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha Memorial *

Bebek Mosque Bebek Mosque ( tr, Bebek Camii), officially Hümayûn-u Âbad Mosque ( ota, Hümayûn-u Âbad Cami for: Prosperous Imperial Mosque) is a 1913-built mosque located in Bebek neighborhood of Beşiktaş district in Istanbul, Turkey. Bebek Mosque wa ...

Dolmabahçe Clock Tower Dolmabahçe Clock Tower ( tr, Dolmabahçe Saat Kulesi) is a clock tower situated outside Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul, Turkey. Its construction was ordered by Ottoman sultan Abdülhamid II (1842–1918) and designed by the court architect Sa ...

Esma Sultan Mansion The Esma Sultan Mansion ( tr, Esma Sultan Yalısı), a historical yalı located on the Bosphorus in the Ortaköy neighborhood of Istanbul, Turkey and named after its original owner Princess Esma Sultan, is used today as a cultural center after ...

Feriye Palace The Feriye Palace ( tr, Feriye Sarayı) is a complex of Ottoman imperial palace buildings along the European shoreline of the Bosphorus strait in Istanbul, Turkey. Currently, the buildings host educational institutions such as a high school and a ...

Hatice Sultan Palace The Hatice Sultan Mansion ( tr, Hatice Sultan Yalısı), a historical yalı ( en, waterside mansion) located at Bosporus in Ortaköy neighborhood of Istanbul, Turkey and named after its original owner Hatice Sultan, is used today as a water sports ...

Istanbul Naval Museum The Istanbul Naval Museum ( Turkish: ''İstanbul Deniz Müzesi'') is a national naval museum, located at Beşiktaş district of Istanbul in Turkey. It was established in 1897 by the Ottoman Minister of Navy Bozcaadalı Hasan Hüsnü Pasha. The ...

* Ihlamur Palace * Makruhyan Armenian School *

Malta Kiosk The Malta Kiosk ( tr, Malta Köşkü), also known as the Malta Pavilion, is a historic imperial Ottoman residence located within the garden of the Yıldız Palace in Istanbul, Turkey. The two-storey pavilion was commissioned by Sultan Abdülaziz ...

* Naime Sultan Mansion * Orhaniye Barracks *

* Ortaköy Kethuda Hammam * Sinan Pasha Mosque * Tomb of Hayreddin Barbarossa *

Yahya Efendi Yahya Efendi or Molla Shaykhzadeh ul Yahya (1494 in Trabzon – 1570 in Istanbul), Ottoman Turks, Ottoman Islamic scholar, sufi sheikh, and poet buried in Beshiktash, Istanbul. He served as a teacher of sacred sciences during the reign of Sultan ...

Lodge *

Yıldız Hamidiye Mosque The Yıldız Hamidiye Mosque ( tr, Yıldız Hamidiye Camii), also called the Yıldız Mosque ( tr, Yıldız Camii, links=no), is an Ottoman imperial mosque located in Yıldız neighbourhood of Beşiktaş district in Istanbul, Turkey, on the way ...

Yıldız Park Yıldız Park ( tr, Yıldız Parkı) is a historical, urban park in Beşiktaş district of Istanbul, Turkey. It is one of the largest public parks in Istanbul. The park is located in Yıldız quarter between the palaces of Yıldız and Çıra� ...

* Yıldız Porcelain Factory *

Yıldız Clock Tower Yıldız Clock Tower ( tr, Yıldız Saat Kulesi), is a clock tower situated next to the courtyard of the Yıldız Hamidiye Mosque, in Yıldız neighborhood of Beşiktaş district in Istanbul, Turkey at the European side of Bosphorus. History ...

Modern

Akmerkez Akmerkez is a shopping mall located in the Etiler quarter of Beşiktaş district in Istanbul, Turkey. As the country's third shopping mall following Galleria Ataköy Galleria Ataköy, the first modern shopping mall in Turkey, is situated in th ...

Istanbul Sapphire Istanbul Sapphire, or Sapphire, is a skyscraper located in the central business district of Levent in Istanbul, Turkey. It was Istanbul's and Turkey's tallest skyscraper between 2010 and 2016, and the 4th tallest building in Europe when its co ...

* İş Towers *

Kanyon The Poseidon (russian: Посейдон, "Poseidon", NATO reporting name Kanyon), previously known by Russian codename Status-6 (russian: Статус-6), is an autonomous, nuclear-powered unmanned underwater vehicle under development by Rub ...

* MetroCity * Sabancı Center *

Vodafone Park Vodafone Park is an all-seater An all-seater stadium is a sports stadium in which every spectator has a seat. This is commonplace in professional association football stadiums in nations such as the United Kingdom, Spain, and the Nethe ...

Zorlu Center Zorlu Center is a multiple-use complex in the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul, Turkey containing an upscale shopping mall, a five-star Raffles hotel and a Cinemaximum megaplex, as well as residences and offices. It is home to Zorlu PSM, the large ...

Economy

With the Ottoman dynasty's settlement in Dolmabahçe in the 17th century and many workers eventually settling in houses and mansions in Beşiktaş, many shopping places like Çarşı popped up, helping the area to be a developing economic center. But with the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey, and the capital being moved to

Ankara Ankara ( , ; ), historically known as Ancyra and Angora, is the capital of Turkey. Located in the central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5.1 million in its urban center and over 5.7 million in Ankara Province, maki ...

, Beşiktaş's economic development came to a halt. Sabancı Kuleleri

In the 1950s with the birth of the

and

neighborhoods, and the construction of

. The district started growing back and eventually transportation levels in the neighborhoods rose, and with the construction of the

in 1973, many businesses centers and shopping malls got constructed and the district became a business district and tourism, with many skyscrapers and hotels like the Sabancı Center and Isbank Towers eventually getting built. Beşiktaş is home to

İşbank İşbank, officially Türkiye İş Bankası, is a commercial bank in Turkey. It was the largest private bank in the country by the size of total assets, total loans, total deposits and equity, as well as by the number of branches and employees a ...

, Garanti BBVA,

Akbank Akbank T.A.Ş. is one of the largest banks in Turkey. Founded in 1948, , it had revenues of nearly TL 13.7 billion. Listed on the Borsa Istanbul, its largest shareholders are members of the Sabancı family. Akbank is a bank that offers vehicle ...

Yapı Kredi Yapı Kredi is one of the first nationwide commercial banks in Turkey, and is the fourth largest publicly owned bank in Turkey by its asset size. It was established in 1944 by Kazım Taşkent. Assets of the bank include credit cards, assets un ...

and Fibabanka's head offices and embassies of

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of t ...

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedo ...

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

, Egypt,

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

, Northern Cyprus, South Africa, Spain, and the

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia ( The Middle East). It is located at t ...

. The consulate of Saudi Arabia, formerly in Beşiktaş, was moved to a building in the Istinye neighborhood in

district in September 2019, following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the building in 2018.

Sports

The area gives its name to Turkey's oldest sports club, Beşiktaş J.K., Beşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü (Beşiktaş Gymnastics Club), founded in 1903. The club's Association football, football team is one of the top three in Turkey, having won 16 Turkish Super League titles and participating regularly in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, Europa League. The team played their home games at the historic BJK İnönü Stadium, İnönü Stadium, which was demolished in 2013 and replaced on the same grounds by the 42,590 seat

. There are Besiktas Museum Turkey's largest sport museum located in the stadium. The stadium is near Dolmabahçe Palace at the shore of the Bosphorus. The football team wears black and white shirts and is nicknamed the Black Eagles. The club has earned notoriety for its faithful fans, who have broken volume records with 132 decibel cheers. BJK Akatlar Arena is the home of the basketball team. The club's most famous supporter group is called Çarşı (supporter group), Çarşı, and is known for its involvement in social and political issues. Besides Beşiktaş JK, the district is also home to the smaller yet historic Ortaköy S.K., Ortaköy SK. The Istanbul Specialized Swimming Club was the first specialized swimming club in the country. In addition, there are a number of other amateur sports clubs and Levent Tennis Club. Many of the notable sporting facilities in the district belong to Beşiktaş JK; such as Vodafone Park, BJK Akatlar Arena, Süleyman Seba Sports Centre, Fulya Training Facilities and Çilekli Football Field.

Education and culture

Beşiktaş is arguably the most important educational center of Istanbul. The central campuses of some of Turkey's leading universities, such as Boğaziçi University, Galatasaray University, and Yıldız Technical University are located in the district. The Turkish War Academies and central parts of Beykent University, Kadir Has University, Istanbul Technical University, and Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University can also be found here. Many notable primary and secondary schools such as Robert College, Etiler Anadolu Lisesi, the Istanbul Japanese School, MEF International School Istanbul, MEF International School, the Etiler campus of the British International School Istanbul, and the Etiler campus of the Tarabya British Schools, can be found in Beşiktaş. A total of 43 K–12, K-12 schools (12 private) are listed by the municipality. Museums in the district include the Aşiyan Museum, the Beşiktaş J.K., Beşiktaş JK Museum,

, Istanbul State Art and Sculpture Museum, Istanbul City Museum,

Museum, and the Firefighting Museum. As of 2018, there are 18 art galleries, 20 Library, libraries, 12 Theater (structure), theatre venues, and 8 movie theatres with numerous screens listed by the municipality. In addition, there are other notable performance venues such as Turkcell Kuruçeşme Arena, Kuruçeşme Arena and Zorlu Center PSM, Zorlu Performing Arts Center. , founded in 1994 by Yılmaz Erdoğan and , is known nationwide for its theatre, cinema, and television productions. File:GSUniversitesi.jpg, Galatasaray University File:Bosphorus University.jpg, Boğaziçi University Faculty of Science and Letters building File:Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi 10.jpg, Yıldız Technical University Faculty of Engineering File:RobertCollegeGouldHall1.jpg, Robert College, Gould Hall

Transportation

Beşiktaş is an important transport hub with Ferry, ferries going to the Asian side and dozens of buses departing from the area. Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa Pier, Beşiktaş

International relations

Involvement

The municipality is an associated partner of Eurocities and is involved in a number of working groups ranging from urban ageing to migration and integration. It is also a part of the Cities4Europe campaign. Beşiktaş was awarded the '12 Star City' title for 2016 and 2017 by the Council of Europe.

Twin municipalities

* Brooklyn, New York City, United States, since 2005. * Erlangen, Bavaria, Germany, since 2004. * Flag of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Güzelyurt District, Güzelyurt, Northern Cyprus * Lewisham, London, United Kingdom * Shkodër, Albania * Songpa District, Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea * Trenčín, Slovakia * Xanthi, Greece

Gallery

File:Besiktas Square.jpg, Beşiktaş Square File:Beşiktaş, March 2017 - Hayır campaign for Turkish referandum 2.jpg, Beşiktaş "Eagle Square" File:Levent Çarşı 2011.jpg, A view from

Çarşı File:İstanbul Bebek sahili 1934.JPG, The Bebek coast in 1934 File:İstanbul 5153.jpg, Sinan Pasha Mosque File:IstanbulNavalMuseum37.JPG,

File:Yildiz Park 02.jpg,

File:Ihlamur Palace Ceremonial House 06.jpg, Ihlamur Palace File:Istanbul asv2021-10 img15 Yıldız Hamidiye Mosque.jpg,

File:Esma Sultan Yalısı.JPG,

File:İstanbul - Bebek, Beşiktaş r6 - Şub 2013.JPG, Hıdiva Mansion File:Besiktas ferry landing.JPG,

pier File:Ortakoy husrev kethuda hamamı.jpg, Ortaköy Kethuda Hammam File:Beşiktaş Belediyesi ve Kaymakamlığı.JPG, Beşiktaş Kaymakam and Municipality building File:Yildiz Porcelain Factory 01.jpg, Yıldız Porcelain Factory File:Saatkulesi.jpg,

File:Beşiktaş Mars 2013.jpg, Dolmabahçe Mosque and

File:Akaretler, Beşiktaş.JPG, Akaretler Row Houses

Video gallery

File:İstanbul - Sinan Paşa Camii (Beşiktaş) - Şubat 2013.ogv, View of Sinan Pasha Mosque and surrounding area from the Bosphorus,

pier in foreground File:İstanbul - Ortaköy & Büyük Mecidiye Camii - Şubat 2013.ogv, View of

from the Bosphorus,

and the 15 July Martyrs Bridge, Bosphorus Bridge on the right File:İstanbul - Arnavutköy, Beşiktaş & Akıntıburnu Deniz Feneri - Şubat 2013.ogv, View of Arnavutköy and the Akıntıburnu lighthouse File:İstanbul - Aşiyan,Beşiktaş & Aşiyan Mezarlığı - Şubat 2013.ogv, View of the Aşiyan quarter and Aşiyan Asri Cemetery, with

and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge on the right File:İstanbul - Beşiktaş İskelesi - Şubat 2013.ogv,

pier and surrounding area

References

Notes

External links

Official website of Kaymakam (district governor)

Official interactive map

Beşiktaş gallery at Fotopedia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Besiktas Beşiktaş, Bosphorus Districts of Istanbul Province Populated places in Istanbul Province Istanbul Central Business District