Beyoglu, Turkey

Beyoglu Turkey

Beyoglu is a district on the European side of Istanbul, Turkey, separated from the old city (the historic peninsula of Constantinople) by the Golden Horn. It was known as Pera during the Middle Ages. According to the prevailing theory, the Turkish name of Pera, Beyoğlu, is a folk-etymological modification of the Venetian ambassadorial title Bailo, whose palazzo was the most grandiose structure in this quarter. The informal Turkish title Bey Oğlu (literally “Son of a Bey”) was originally used by the Ottoman Turks to describe Lodovico Gritti, the Istanbul-born son of Andrea Gritti, who was the Venetian Bailo in Istanbul during the reign of Sultan Bayezid II (1481–1512) and was later elected Doge of Venice in 1523. Bey Oğlu thus referred to Lodovico Gritti, who established close relations with the Sublime Porte and whose mansion was near present-day Taksim Square. Located further south in Beyoğlu and originally built in the early 16th century, the “Venetian Palace” was the seat of the Bailo. The original palace building was replaced by the existing one in 1781; it later became the “Italian Embassy” following Italy’s unification in 1861, and the “Italian Consulate” in 1923, when Ankara became the capital of the Republic of Turkey. The district includes other neighborhoods located north of the Golden Horn, such as Galata (the medieval Genoese citadel from which Beyoglu itself originated, today known as Karaköy), Tophane, Cihangir, Şişhane, Tepebaşı, Tarlabaşı, Dolapdere, and Kasımpaşa. It is connected to the old city center across the Golden Horn by the Galata Bridge, Atatürk Bridge, and Golden Horn Metro Bridge. Beyoglu is the most active art, entertainment, and nightlife center of Istanbul.
Recommended airport
Istanbul Airport (IST)
Nearby destinations
  • Istanbul a 2.28 km
  • Yalova a 49.43 km
  • Fatih a 2.82 km
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