Istiklal Caddesi
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Why go
- The Tünel, which you can board at the avenue's southern end.
- Art Nouveau details in the shopping arcades and on the shop fronts.
Don't miss
- Casa BotterOne of the finest Art Nouveau buildings in Istanbul. On the map
- Çiçek PasajıA flower passage with small restaurants and taverns. On the map
- Galatasaray SquareThe former imperial Galatasaray Lisesi, the oldest secondary school in Turkey, stands on the square.Mid-avenue, where Yeniçarşı Caddesi crosses. On the map
- Church of St. Antonius (S. Antonio di Padova)One of the churches on the avenue, alongside Santa Maria. On the map
- SALT BeyoğluA gallery on the avenue, which also hosts theatres, cinemas and bookshops. On the map
Know before you go
- Motor traffic is not allowed on the avenue or its side streets.
- The nostalgic tram runs between Taksim Square and Tünel Square.
Tips for your visit
- Start at Tünel Square, at the lower end, and walk up to Taksim Square.
- Churches, synagogues and mosques line the avenue, including the Santa Maria church.
- The Balık Pazarı, meaning fish market, lies along the avenue.
- Music shops, bookshops, art galleries and cinemas line the street.
Best time to visit
- It is least crowded in the hours before dawn; otherwise it is crowded almost all day.
- On weekends about 3 million people walk along it each day.
- By night it is one of the centres of Istanbul's nightlife.
With kids
- Since 1990 the avenue has been closed to motor traffic, side streets included, so the whole walk runs without cars.
- A nostalgic tram runs on the Taksim–Tünel stretch, which is closed to cars.
Interesting facts7
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The Tünel was the world's second-oldest underground urban railway.
İstiklal Avenue - Wikipedia -
Yeşilcam, Turkey's home-grown Hollywood equivalent, was based in the side streets near the Emek Passage.
İstiklal Avenue - Wikipedia -
Grand Pera, a building on the avenue, now houses a branch of Madame Tussauds.
İstiklal Avenue - Wikipedia -
1973
A monument from 1973 marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Turkish Republic.
İstiklal Avenue - Wikipedia -
About half of the shops sell clothing, lingerie, accessories, costume jewellery, shoes or bags.
İstiklal Caddesi - Wikipedia -
The avenue is the most cosmopolitan area in Türkiye.
İstiklal Caddesi - Wikipedia -
Around the avenue, many international art festivals are held, including an annual film festival.
Avenue İstiklal - Wikipedia
Shorts
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Taksim İstiklal CaddesiMlkydnn
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Taksim istiklal caddesiBy Cuneyt
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Istanbul Turkey 🇹🇷 October 14th istiklal caddesiSamyar Hava
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İstanbul Taksim istiklal CaddesiBekir AKAY YT
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Street Faces of Taksim İstiklal CaddesiIstanbul.streetss
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İstiklal Caddesi Tramvay - Beyoğlu İSTANBULGezgin Matematikçi
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İstiklal CaddesiCityVerse
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Istiklal Caddesi Istanbulpyramide08
History
İstiklal Caddesi began as a narrow ridge road that slowly became the core of Grande Rue de Péra. In Ottoman times it was called Cadde-i Kebir, meaning Grand Avenue. It was the hub of cosmopolitan Istanbul, with many minority-owned shops, and a popular place for intellectuals and foreign residents. The Tokatlıyan Hotel was a favourite of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the state founder. From the late 1980s the municipality and the Beyoğlu district restored its historic buildings. Many former apartment blocks now house boutiques, music stores and cinemas.
- Second half of the 19th centuryIts modern form takes shape, and it becomes a luxurious centre of shops, stylish buildings and entertainment venues.
- 1897Mıgırdiç Tokatlıyan builds the first Tokatlıyan Hotel on the avenue.
- 1923The avenue is renamed İstiklal, meaning independence, after the republic is declared.
- 1955Shops along the avenue are looted in the anti-Greek Istanbul pogrom.
- 1970s–1980sOlder residents move away and the avenue declines.
Show all
- 1990The avenue is closed to motor traffic and made fully pedestrian; the old tram returns.
- 2013Parades and gatherings have been effectively banned since the Gezi Park protests.
- 2016 and 2022A 2016 Islamic State suicide bombing kills five; a 13 November 2022 bomb attack, attributed by the authorities to the PKK, kills at least six.
Sources: İstiklal Avenue - Wikipedia · İstiklal Caddesi - Wikipedia · İstiklal Caddesi - Wikipedia · Avenue İstiklal - Wikipedia · checked 19 Oct 2026
Questions and answers
How do I get to İstiklal Caddesi in Istanbul?
The avenue runs from Tünel Square, at the northern end of Galata, to Taksim Square, with Galatasaray Square in the middle.
Can I drive along İstiklal Caddesi?
No. Motor traffic is not allowed on the avenue or its side streets, which have been closed to cars since 1990.
How crowded is İstiklal Caddesi?
It is crowded almost all day, except in the hours before dawn. About 3 million people walk along it each day at weekends.
Is there a tram on İstiklal Caddesi?
Yes. A nostalgic tram runs between Taksim Square and Tünel Square, along the car-free stretch of the avenue.
How long is İstiklal Caddesi?
It is about 1.4 km long, from Tünel Square to Taksim Square.
What is the Tünel in Istanbul?
The Tünel, a railway opened in 1875, was the world's second-oldest underground urban railway. It can be boarded at the avenue's southern end.
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