THE PARKS AND RECREATION AREAS OF ISTANBUL

 Istanbul is a major tourist destination because of its rich history, culture, and natural beauty.



 You can find out a lot about the parks, recreation areas, historical pavilions, and mansions in Istanbul by going to http://www.istanbultabiatparklari.gov.tr/tabiat-parklari. There, you'll find information about their history, design, how to get there, and more.


The city forest of Kemerburgaz (Eyupsultan)


The Kemerburgaz City Forest is in the village of Gokturk Pirincci in Eyupsultan. On October 26, 2019, it opened to the public as Turkey's largest city forest. One of the most important projects to green up Istanbul is the forest, which has many amenities like picnic areas, restaurants, and cafes.


The city forest, which is also called the Kemerburgaz International City Forest, is set up on an area of land that is 5,526,000 sqm. But only 1.5 million square meters are open to visitors. Kemerburgaz City Forest has a watch tower, playgrounds for kids, a football field, places to pitch a tent or camp, country restaurants, country cafes, places to rent bicycles, souvenir shops, a volleyball court, cattle barns, pony barns, and a bazaar with organic products. Aside from these, the forest has places to rent ATVs, an ice rink (only in the winter), places to pray, administrative and staff buildings, a 357-kilometre-square lawn, more than 8,000 trees, 420, 000 bushes, and 120 pergolas.


Camlica Hill (Uskudar – Kisikli)


Camlica is a big hill that looks over all of Istanbul. When the weather is clear, you can see all of these places from the hill: Marmara, Adalar, Halic, and Beyoglu, as well as the Black Sea. With a simit (a Turkish bagel) and a glass of tea, it's easy to enjoy a quiet moment alone.


Fatih Grove – Otagtepe Park (Beykoz – Kavacik )


Otagtepe Park used to be Fatih Grove. From the park, you can see the Fatih Sultan Mehmet and Bogazici bridges from a bird's-eye view. The park's unique seascape is also very interesting.


Recreation Area of Tasdelen (Cekmekoy)


The Tasdelen Recreation Area gets its name from a spring called Tasdelen that is near oak, pine, and hornbeam trees. Hafsa Hatun, the mother of Suleiman I, named the place Tasdelen Natural Spring Water. It is thought that the water heals many diseases, especially kidney stones. During the time that Ataturk was sick, Tasdelen spring water was also used. The Tasdelen Recreation Area is also used by groups that put on concerts, picnics, festivals, and weddings.


Polonezkoy Natural Park (Beykoz – Polonezkoy)


Since 1994, Polonezkoy Natural Park in Beykoz, Istanbul, has been the first and largest natural park in Turkey. The Ottomans used to call this Polish village Adamkoy, but it is now called "Polonez Karyesi" (Polonaise Village). In 1894, the refugees who lived here were given citizenship by the government. The village's name changed to Polonezkoy in 1923. (another form of Polonaise Village). The natural park is about 3,000 hectares big and has a lot of different plants and animals.


Avcikoru Natural Park (Sile)


In the park's daily use area, there is a country restaurant, a stall, and a playground for kids. This area is also a place where people can have a picnic. Through the paths, people can go for a walk in the woods. In addition, there are survivor tracks and inflatable playgrounds for kids in the park.


Elmas Burnu Park is a place for fun (Beykoz – Riva)


One of Riva's three beaches is the Elmas Burnu Beach in the natural park. There are places to change and shower at the beach. People can also do water sports there. There are places to picnic and pitch tents in the natural park. The park has a country restaurant and a stand where people can buy what they need.


Goztepe Recreation Area (Beykoz- Goztepe)


Goztepe Natural Park and Recreation Area is in Beykoz and was made a natural park in 2013. Most people use the natural park as a place to have a picnic, but it's also a good place to watch birds and walk through the woods. During certain times, there are also spring festivals in the area.



Botanical Garden of Nezahat Gokyigit (Atasehir)


Ali Nihat Gokyigit made the Nezahat Gokyigit Botanical Garden in 1995 as a memorial park for his wife, Nezahat Gokyigit. So, the planting and reforestation activities were used at first to make a "memorial park." 46 hectares of the park were used to plant about 50,000 trees and shrubs. Later, work began to turn the park back into a botanical garden. The park opened to the public in 2002, and in 2003, it got a new name: Nezahat Gokyigit Botanical Garden.


Aydos Forest (Kartal)


The Aydos Forest is a unique recreation area with a lot of oxygen. Together with the Aydos Pond, it is a great place to spend time. You can sip tea and have a picnic by the pond in this beautiful setting, or you can look at 537-meter-high Aydos Hill, which is Istanbul's highest point. During the Ottoman Empire, the forest was used for hunting. This shows that there were a lot of pine trees in the forest.


Sakli Gol Lake (Sile – Kamandere Village)


Sakli Gol Lake is a body of water near Kamandere Village in Sile. People from Istanbul like to get away for the weekend to this beautiful area, which has nice walking paths and a delicious breakfast. On the way to the reservoir, there is a small bazaar where people from the area sell natural goods. Visitors can do their shopping there.


Mihrabad Park and Playground (Uskudar – Kanlica)


During the last years of the Ottoman Empire, Rukiye Hanim, the daughter of Misirli Abbas Halim Pasa, was given the Mihrabad Recreation Area as a reward for seeing the bride's face. The area has been a home to sultans and the site of many musical nights under the moonlight. Its beautiful scenery has also inspired many artists. The recreation area has a restaurant, a café, places for parties and meetings, places for social and cultural activities, walking paths, and an amphitheater.


Hacet River Recreation Area is a place for fun (Tuzla)


Hacet River Natural Park covers 16 hectares and gets its name from the river that runs through it. It was made a natural park in 2012. The Hacet Spring, which is in the natural park, is thought to be sacred by the people who live there. In general, the area is home to common oak, blackberry, and buddleja davidii, but the Turkish pine is by far the most common tree.


Gokturk Pond (Eyup – Kemerburgaz)


Gokturk Pond Natural Park, in the Eyup neighborhood of Istanbul, was made a natural park in 2011. The Gokturk Pond, which is part of the park, gives the Gokturk Lake Natural Park its name. The Karanlik Dere Stream and its smaller branches all flow into the pond. Most of the trees are oak or hornbeam. Because Belgrad Forest is close by, Gokturk Pond Natural Park has a lot of different plants and animals. The natural park is also a place to go because people can use it every day and walk or ride their bikes around the pond.


Maresal Fevzi Cakmak Recreation Area (Catalca)


Maresal Fevzi Cakmak Recreation Area is a resort and picnic area in Catalca. It is named after a famous person in the history of the Republic of Turkey. The patches of pine trees are another beautiful thing about the area. During the summer, the pool in the area is used. From the top of the entrance, you can see the wide Thracian lands and the Catalca Train Station.


Ataturk Arboretum (Sariyer)


Arboretum is a place where trees and bushes are cared for and grown. A tree park is another name for an arboretum. The scientific research that goes on in these botanical gardens is also important.


Ataturk Arboretum is known for its always green plants and interesting natural setting. It is also home to Turkey's first plant nursery, which opened in 1961. The arboretum looks like an open-air museum because there are so many trees, plants, and animals that you haven't seen before.


Emirgan Grove (Sariyer)


Before it was called Emirgan Grove, it was called the Feridun Garden. Feridun Bey, a marksman who died in 1583, lived here before he died. There are also pavilions and gardens there that were made for Emirgun Han. Emirgan Grove is one of the most popular groves in Istanbul. It is on the European side, between Baltalimani and Istinye, on a hillside and ridge in the northwest of the Emirgan quarter. Two connected ponds at the top of the hill make a beautiful mirror-like effect. Behind the waterfall, which is past the ponds, there is a small path, stairs, and bridges that lead into a cave. The Turkish Turing and Automobile Company fixed up the Yellow Mansion in the grove in 1979. It is now a café. The Pink Mansion was fixed up in 1982. The first floor is a café, and the upper floors are a museum house and the Bogazici library. The Turkish Turing and Automobile Company fixed up the White Mansion and turned it into a complex for classical music.


Ulus Park (Besiktas)


The park has a beautiful landscape that looks out over the Bosporus. It is a mix of green and aqua blue. From the park, people can see the Bosphorus Bridge, the Topkapi Palace, and the Uskudar. There are also public areas and special restaurants.


Bayrampasa Adapark City Park (Bayrampasa)


Bayrampasa Adapark is the biggest amusement park in Turkey. It opened on July 30, 2003, on a 480,000-square-meter plot of land. People come to the park to see the fake pond, the funfair, the children's playground, the farm areas, and the amphitheater. During the summer, the park is also the site of festivals and concerts. Aside from these, there is also a mini zoo, a bazaar, walking paths, hobby gardens, an exhibition area, and both indoor and outdoor sports areas.


Imrahor Park and Playground (Gaziosmanpasa – Arnavutkoy)


Imrahor Pond was built to protect the forest and study the water supply. It is close to the same-named settlement area. With its plants and animals, the area is almost like a natural park. It is a mix of forest green and aqua blue. Along the pond, there are places to sit and walk that are popular on the weekends with schools, clubs, businesses, and most of all, families.


Bakirkoy Botanical Garden (Bakirkoy)


The Bakirkoy Botanical Park first let people in in 2013. With two 11,50m towers, the park has the two highest playgrounds in Turkey. Dinosaurs stand at the entrance to the park to greet visitors. Solar panels, which are another part of the park, provide the electricity that the park needs. In addition to the botanical areas, the park has children's playgrounds, statues, a natural pond, decorative pools, resting areas for migrating birds, picnic areas, and social facilities with a children's playground. Everything in Bakirkoy Botanical Garden is also made for people who are old or have disabilities. The park's management gives the elderly and people with disabilities a golf cart.


City Forest of Mimar Sinan (Eyup – Alibeykoy)


Around the reservoir is where the recreation area is set up. The city park has places to park cars, picnic tables, outdoor tea cafés, a place to train horses, children's playgrounds and special parks, paintball, walking tracks, and bike routes. In Sultangazi, there is a forest with high wooden watch towers that people can climb to get a better view of Istanbul.


Mehmet Akif Ersoy Park is a place for fun (Sariyer)


Mehmet Akif Ersoy, a poet, gave the area its name. It is one of the nine natural parks in Belgrad Forest. During migration, Belgrad Forest is one of the most popular places for birds to pass through. It has water, food, and birds that sing. Visitors can also see the Black Sea mole and a species of tortoise that is threatened all over the world. The place also has a picnic area, places to sit down, and cafés.



Yildiz Park (Besiktas – Ortakoy)


Yildiz Park was called the Yildiz Grove at first. During the time of the Ottomans, sultans came here to hunt and rest. The park is a great place to go for a walk, ride a bike, and watch cute squirrels in the trees and water animals in the ponds. Yildiz Park is a great place for wedding photos and for taking pictures of nature. Here, you can take nice pictures of the hanging wooden bridges, waterfalls, pond, and nature. In Yildiz Park, there are also two mansions called the Malta and Cadir Mansions. But these places can't be seen as tourist attractions. Both of these places are restaurants.


Gulhane Park (Fatih – Cankurtaran)


During the Byzantine Period, Gulhane Park was used as an arsenal and barracks. In later times, wrestling and javelin competitions were held there as well as other shows and events. Many obelisks were also put up in Gulhane Park to remember these events. Sadrazam Pasa had the Incili Mansion built here for Murad III. After the sultans moved to the Dolmabahce Palace and the trees and mansions in the park were taken down because the European railways went to Sirkeci through Sarayburnu, Gulhane Park lost its popularity as a place to have fun and became known as "Lousy Kagithane." In the 1880s, Abdulhamid II gave permission for this park to be the site of the Empire's first big museum. After the Istanbul Archaeology Museum was built, Mayor Cemil Pasa took care of the landscaping and opened the park to the public in 1912. As a "Has Bahce," Gulhane Park serves the "Sur-i Sultani" project, which is run by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (private garden of sultans). In the "Has Ahirlari" building of the park, which means "private barns of the sultan," the Istanbul Islamic Sciences and Technology History Museum opened in 2008.


Tibbi Bitkiler Bahcesi means "Garden of Medical Herbs" (Zeytinburnu)


The Garden of Medical Herbs was started as part of a project by Zeytinburnu Municipality and Merkez Efendi Medical Association to study and develop medical herbs, grow them using organic methods, and share the results with the public. When you go to the Garden of Medical Herbs, the most important thing to remember is not to hurt the animals. Volunteering as a gardener is a good way to spend time in nature at this place. In addition to the plants, the garden is also home to a number of birds. The association also has a shop where some products are sold to make money for the group. Here, people can get seedlings of marguerite, strawberry, lemon thyme, and spearmint.


Rone Park Rone Park (Bakirkoy – Yesilkoy)


Yesilkoy used to be called Saint Stefano (Ayastefanos). This name came from a local man named Monsieur Rone. His father was a prince from Lebanon, and his mother was a Greek woman who lived in the area. Painters Pietro Bello and Count Amadeo Preziosi are buried in this area. Rone Park is where the green land and the water meet. The place has a mini zoo, playgrounds for kids, walking paths, and beautiful natural landscapes for photographers, among other things.

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