Istiklal Avenue

Overview

From the old funicular station at Tünel to the wide open space of Taksim Square, Istiklal Avenue runs for 1.4 kilometers (0.9 miles) through the heart of Beyoğlu. A red tram rattles down the middle, while grand 19th-century facades line both sides, hiding passages, churches, consulates and pastry shops.

It is easy to walk it once, fast, between Taksim and the Galata Tower. We would much rather you walk it slowly, downhill, and turn off into the side passages, because that is where the old Grande Rue de Péra still lives. Our Istanbul jazz night stops here.

Istiklal Avenue, Once the Grande Rue de Péra

Istiklal Avenue, in Turkish İstiklal Caddesi, is a pedestrian street in the historic Beyoğlu district, once called Pera. It starts at Tünel Square, at the top of Galata, and ends at Taksim Square. In Ottoman times, however, it was the Cadde-i Kebir, the Grand Avenue. Under the Republic, it took the name Istiklal, “Independence”, to honor the War of Independence. See also Asmalımescit.

Most of its buildings date from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Because of this, their styles range from Neoclassical and Neo-Gothic to Art Nouveau and early Turkish national architecture, with a few Art Deco blocks from the first years of the Republic.

Embassies, Cinemas and a Red Tram

The Grand Avenue of Pera

Back in the 19th century, Turks, Greeks, Armenians, Jews and Levantines met European diplomats and merchants here. Embassies lined it until 1923, when they moved to the new capital, Ankara. Many of these buildings still serve as consulates today, including those of France, Greece, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain and Sweden.

Cinema street and revival

For decades, the streets around the Emek Passage were home to Yeşilçam. That was Turkey’s answer to Hollywood. Later, however, the area went through hard years. The city restored the old buildings, closed the avenue to traffic and brought back the nostalgic tram.

Walking Istiklal Avenue: What to Look For

The Tünel and the nostalgic tram

At the southern end, the Tünel funicular climbs up from Karaköy. It first opened on 17 January 1875. It is the second-oldest underground urban railway in the world, after the London Underground. From Tünel Square, the red nostalgic tram runs the length of the avenue to Taksim.

Çiçek Pasajı and Balık Pazarı

Near Galatasaray Square, Çiçek Pasajı, the Flower Passage, stands on the site of the old Naum Theater. Today, its arcade is full of restaurants and taverns. Next door, the lanes of Balık Pazarı, the fish market, lead past the Armenian church of Üç Horan.

Churches and Galatasaray

Along the way, look for the Catholic churches of St. Anthony of Padua, in red brick, and Santa Maria Draperis, as well as the Greek Orthodox church of Hagia Triada near Taksim. Halfway along the avenue, Galatasaray Square is home to the historic Galatasaray High School. The football club took its name from the school, and on November 24 its fans fill the city for Galatasaray vs Aston Villa.

Eating and Drinking Along Istiklal Avenue

Even today, Istiklal is where Istanbul comes to stroll, shop and meet. The best of it, however, sits a few steps off the avenue, in the passages and lanes. These are the places we stop at with our guests, from lunch to a last coffee. For lunch, Hacı Abdullah, beside the Ağa Mosque, has served Ottoman-Turkish dishes since 1888.

Look in, too, at Casa Botter, an Art Nouveau landmark, and for art, the Pera Museum lies just off the avenue. Finally, every spring, the Istanbul Film Festival screens films in the cinemas around the avenue. At the Taksim end, the AKM stages opera and ballet; see our guide to opera and ballet in Istanbul.

How to Visit Istiklal Avenue

Getting to Istiklal Avenue

• From Karaköy: ride the Tünel funicular up to Tünel Square.
• From Taksim: take the metro to Taksim and walk south.
• Combine it with the Galata Tower and Cihangir, both a short walk away.

Local tips for Istiklal Avenue

• Walk downhill from Taksim to Tünel, then continue to Galata and Karaköy.
• Want the stories behind the facades? Our guides in Istanbul know which passages to open and which stairs to climb.
• Explore the side streets, because that is where most of the passages and cafés hide.
• Ask us what is on in the district during your dates, and we add an exhibition or a concert to your private day.