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Sarıyer is the northern-most district on the European side of İstanbul, going right up to the Black Sea, an area blessed with coastlime and lush forest.
The Sarıyer district is a huge area comprised of the villages on the European shores of the Bosphorus from Rumelifeneri, down through Tarabya, Yeniköy, İstinye, Emirgan to Rumelihisarı, in other words most of the Bosphorus. Sarıyer also administers the Black Sea coast to the west of the mouth of the Bosphorus including the village of Kilyos. These were all once rural fishing villages but now house many expensive villas owned by many of İstanbul's rich businessmen, actors and musicians, attracted by the coastline and the lush forest behind. There are now high-speed ferry boats for commuting to the city.
Koc University is here
The centre of Sarıyer is still a traditional rural, working-class Turkish town, lacking in infrastructure, with a high proportion of retired residents. . It has a small harbour where fishing is still practiced and therefore a fish market and a long line of famous fish restaurants. There is also a variety of cafés and bars, where many of İstanbul's city residents come to eat and drink at the weekends. Many of the restaurants are owned by famous musicians, who sometimes put on live shows for customers.
Places of interest along this side of the Bosphorus include:
- Rumelihisarı - the huge fortress on the Bosphorus built during the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul. There are a number of cafes and fish-sandwich places by the Bosphorus and in the summer Rumelihisarı is the venue for a series of popular open-air concerts.
- The Sakıp Sabancı Museum,
- Sadberk Hanım Museum
- Any number of wooden seaside houses (yalı).
- The waterways through the Belgrade forest - another important piece of historical architecture in the area.
Kilyos is a small town, a pleasant retreat from the city, although windswept in winter, (and even in summer the Black Sea can produce dramatic storms). Kilyos is one place Istanbul people can still swim in the sea, although the coast is rocky and strong currents sometimes make swimming in the Black Sea dangerous here. The road to Kilyos leads through the Belgrade Forest with its system of viaducts and reservoirs going back to the Ottoman period. There are lovely cool spots to stop in the forest and in other places hilltoips with marvellous views of the Bosphrous and the Black Sea. For many years this whole area has been a popular spot for picnics. In recent years many homes have been built in the forest and Kilyos has acquired a number of bars and cafes, including a couple of well-known private beach clubs and a rock festival in summer. There are still beaches though and plenty of spots for a picnic.
At one time Sarıyer had a leading football team, but it has gone into serious decline since the late 1980's.
External links
| Districts of Istanbul | ||
|---|---|---|
| European side |  | |
| Asian side | ||
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