Sarıyer

History

It is the site of the ancient Greek city of Phinopolis (Greek: Φινούπολις), which was founded on an existent Thracian settlement. Sarıyer's Bosphorus villages, backed by steep hills, were once rural fishing communities. In the 18th century, palace officials and other people close to the Ottoman sultan started building their yalıs on the coastline. Around this time, wealthy foreign

traders of Pera and Galata built summer residences in the area. In the beginning of the 19th century, the embassies, located in Istanbul proper, started acquiring plots of lands to build summer residences. Despite all this development, the villages remained quiet fishing towns up until the 1950s. In the 1950s and 60s, the Sarıyer villages were considered "holiday towns" for the people living in Istanbul. However, since the construction of the coast road, these villages, and increasingly the hillsides behind them, rapidly urbanized. By the 1980s, the coastal areas were full of newly built, expensive apartments, while the hillsides being built up with illegal housing called gecekondu.

The district Sarıyer was established in 1930 from parts of the districts of Beyoğlu and Çatalca. The district's boundaries shrunk after the neighbourhood of Kemerburgaz was given to the Eyüp district in 1936 and when the villages of Maslak and Ayazağa were given to Şişli district in 1954. The present boundaries of Sarıyer were created after incorporating the neighbourhoods of Maslak, Ayazağa and Huzur from the district of Şişli in 2012.

Composition

There are 38 neighbourhoods in Sarıyer District:

Sarıyer today

Sarıyer is connected to downtown Istanbul by Büyükdere Avenue, the main road from Beşiktaş up to Maslak and beyond; this is the route used by minibuses serving Sarıyer-Beşiktaş. There is also high-speed ferry boat service for commuting to the city. The M2 metro line runs via Maslak to Hacıosman. However, many people commute by car, contributing to the heavy traffic congestion.

Sarıyer itself is a traditional working-class Turkish town, lacking in infrastructure. The industry feeds the local fish market and a long line of famous fish restaurants. There are also a variety of cafés, kebab houses and bars, where many of İstanbul's residents come to eat and drink on weekends.

Emirgan is former retreat from the city, backed by a hillside still green despite the recent construction of villas within it. The district is named after Emir Güne Han, a Persian nobleman who was given 50 hectares of land in the area in 1635 by Murad IV after he surrendered Yerevan without a fight. There is a square in the center, shaded by a huge plane tree, with a cafe in the middle. It is home to the Sakıp Sabancı Museum. Emirgan Korusu, which hosts the Emirgan Tulip Festival annually, is also located in the neighborhood.

Reşitpaşa is a crowded district on the hill above Emirgan. It has both attractive villas and illegal gecekondu housing on a forested hillside. The modern campus of the Istanbul Stock Exchange is nearby, along with one of the campuses of Istanbul Technical University.

Istinye is a fishing port, which once contained a shipyard, with a village behind and tea gardens by the sea. As in so many other areas, luxury condos now rise from Istinye's hillsides. In 2003 the new American consulate was built here. One of Istanbul's most popular malls, Istinye Park, is named after the neighborhood but is actually located in the neighboring Pınar.

Yeniköy consists of luxury villas on a hillside and a small area of tightly packed old houses near the sea. The latter area, the old village, has a longstanding Greek community, evidenced by its Orthodox churches. Yeniköy has many long-established cafes and bakeries reminiscent of old Istanbul. Former prime minister Tansu Çiller lives in a town-house on the seafront. In recent years Yeniköy has acquired a community of Filipinos, working as domestic help in the big villas.

Climate

Sarıyer's climate, typical of northern Istanbul, is oceanic (Cfb/Do) according to both Köppen and Trewartha climate classifications, with cool winters and warm summers. Sarıyer's climate is marked by high precipitation (the highest annual precipitation in Istanbul), milder summers and slightly colder winters than most of lowland Istanbul. It is classified as USDA hardiness zone 8b with pockets of 8a, and AHS heat zone 3.

Places of interest

Rumelihisarı – the huge fortress on the Bosphorus built during the Ottoman Conquest of Istanbul.

Sakıp Sabancı Museum

Sadberk Hanım Museum

Borusan Contemporary – a museum of contemporary fine arts.

Rumeli Feneri – a historic lighthouse in the Rumelifeneri village.

Ottoman era wooden seafront houses (yalı).

The historic aqueducts of the Belgrad Forest – another important piece of historical architecture in the area.

İstinye Park, one of the upmarket shopping malls in Istanbul.

Istanbul Stock Exchange building at İstinye.

Maslak business district.

Telli Baba tomb of a Muslim saint.

Nature parks:

Bentler Nature Park, a nature park with historic dams in Bahçeköy neighborhood,

Falih Rıfkı Atay Nature Park, a nature park inside Belgrad Forest,

Fatih Sultan Mehmet Nature Park

Irmak Nature Park, a nature park inside Belgrad Forest,

Kömürcübent Nature Park, a nature park inside Belgrad Forest,

Sports

The football club Sarıyer S.K. was the winner of 1992 Balkans Cup winner and played in Süper Lig for 13 seasons. They are currently playing in the TFF First League.

Although Galatasaray S.K. established in 1905 at the Galatasaray High School which is located in Galatasaray district and the club keeps Hasnun Galip Club Administrative Center in Beyoğlu until 2011; Galatasaray S.K. relocated the Club Administrative Center to Rams Global Stadium in 2011, which is in Sarıyer, after the club left their former home ground Ali Sami Yen Stadium.

The women's football club Kireçburnu Spor play in the Turkish Women's First Football League.

The women's volleyball team of Sarıyer Belediyespor compete in the Turkish Women's Volleyball League.

Çayırbaşı Stadium is home to several football clubs in Sarıyer.

Education

Primary and secondary schools:

British International School Istanbul Zekeriyaköy Campus in Zekeriyakoy

Istanbul International Community School Hisar Campus

Lycée Français Pierre Loti d'Istanbul Tarabya Campus

Tarabya British Schools Tarabya and Yeniköy campuses

Universities:

Beykent University Ayazağa - Maslak Campus

Istanbul Technical University Ayazaga Campus

Koç University Main & Batı Campus

Twin towns

Sarıyer is twinned with:

Aachen, Germany (2013)

Salisbury, United Kingdom

Akhalkalaki, Georgia

Puerto Princesa, Philippines

Çekmeköy, Turkey

Vác, Hungary

Enfield, United Kingdom

Gönyeli, Northern Cyprus