Golden Horn


Golden Horn


The Golden Horn (Turkish: Halic) is an inlet of the Bosphorus dividing the city of Istanbul and forming a natural harbor.

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Beykoz


Beykoz


Beykoz is a district in the suburbs of Istanbul, Turkey at the upper end of the Bosphorus on the Anatolian side. Beykoz includes everything from the streams of Kucuksu and Goksu (just before Anadolu Hisari

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Balat


Balat


Balat is known as a Jewish quarter--with a small Armenian population-- dating back to the Byzantine period. Balat's winding streets provided a meeting ground for navigators, seafarers, street vendors and porters. Following the earthquake of 1894 and a series of fires that affected not only the neighbourhood but whole city of Istanbul, the social structure of Balat underwent significant changes: The wealthiest section of the inhabit

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Fener


Fener
Because of the location of the Greek Patriarchate and the Orthodox Church, Fener was dominantly a Greek neighbourhood since the Byzantine period. In the 17th century, Fener became the residence of upper classes and the bourgeoisie with its hewn stone buildings and richly ornamented house facades. During the Ottoman period, an important segment of Greeks who lived in Fener, who were well-educated and fluent in several languages, held high government positions as interpreters or diplomats. D

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Bulgarian Church


Bulgarian Church


St. Stephan Bulgarian Church which belongs to Bulgarian minority is may be the most interesting church of Istanbul. Bulgarian residents of Ottoman Empire previously performed their religious rituals in the churches of Fener Orthodox Patriarchy. And probably under the influence of nationalism, Bulgarian people received permission from the state to have their own churc

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