Golden Horn Landscaping

Project which aims to clear the polluted Golden Horn and landscape it's shores with parks, promenades, and sports facilities. The area has been transformed and revitalized, the environment has been upgraded, and water resources have been conserved.
Variant Names Haliç Peyzaj Projesi
Location Istanbul, Turkey
Architect/Planner Metropolitan Municipality of Istanbul
Client Metropolitan Municipality of Istanbul
Date 1985
Century 20th
Decade 1980s
Building Types landscape, open/public space, urban design and development
Building Usage park, esplanade, waterfront development

This horn-shaped estuary, divides European Istanbul. One of the best natural harbors in the world, the Byzantine and Ottoman navies and commercial shipping interests were centered here. Today, lovely parks and promenades line the shores where the setting sun dyes the water a golden color. At Fener and Balat, neighborhoods midway up the Golden Horn, whole streets of old wooden houses, churches, and synagogues date from Byzantine and Ottoman times. The Orthodox Patriarchy besides here at Fener. Eyup, a little further up, reflects the Ottoman style of architecture. Cemeteries sprinkled with dark cypress trees cover the hillsides. Many pilgrims come to the tomb of Eyup in the hope that their prayers will be granted. The Pierre Loti Cafe, atop the hill overlooking the shrine is a wonderful place to enjoy the tranquility of the view. Istanbul is an international art and cultural center. The International Arts and Cultural Festival is held each year in June and July with famous artists coming from all over the world. These performances are held mostly in the Ataturk Cultural Center. Those who enjoy classical music can hear it at Cemal Resit Rey Hall. Operas, operettas, ballets, film, concerts, exhibitions and conferences will contribute to the cultural palette of the city. Istanbul also has a rich program of light entertainment. Nightclubs provide splendid entertainment throughout dinner, ranging from a selection of Turkish songs to the famous belly-dance. Istanbul is an international gambling city; there are many casinos. (We'd like to remind that all casinos were closed till the second announcement from the government.) Alongside these are modern discos, cabarets, and jazz clubs in the Taksim-Harbiye district. In Sultanahmet, there are a number of restaurants in restored Byzantine and Ottoman buildings which offer a unique setting for an evening out. Kumkapi, with its many taverns, bars and fish restaurants, is another attractive district. People have been meeting for years in Beyoglu district's Cicek Pasaji for snacks and seafood specialties. Also in this district, the narrow Nevizade street, near Cicek Pasaji, is the best place in Istanbul for eating Turkish specialties and drinking raki. You may also want to visit Tatilya Cumhuriyeti, a large amusement park in Beylikduzu. On the Bosphorus, Ortakoy is the best place for nightlife in Istanbul, with its nightclubs, jazz clubs, fine seafood restaurants and bars. In Eminonu don't miss an opportunity to see the fishermen dressed in traditional Ottoman clothes on their Ottoman-style boats where you may board and taste their famous delicious fried fish.