Kadıköy Bull Statue, Bronze statue at Altıyol intersection, Kadıköy, Turkey
Kadıköy Bull Statue is a bronze animal sculpture standing at the Altıyol intersection in the Kadıköy district on the Asian shore of Istanbul. The figure shows a muscular animal with lowered head and front legs braced firmly against the ground in a tense, alert posture.
French sculptor Isidore Bonheur cast the work in 1864 for the International Exhibition in Paris, where it first appeared publicly. After spending time in Germany and other European locations, the piece eventually arrived in Istanbul and was permanently installed in Kadıköy.
Residents refer to the area simply as Boğa, using the Turkish word for bull when giving directions or arranging to meet. Street vendors set up around the base, and people sit on nearby benches watching the flow of pedestrians crossing the busy junction.
The sculpture sits in the middle of a pedestrian area where six major roads converge, creating a constant flow of people passing by. The surrounding space stays active throughout the day, making any time suitable for a visit to observe the neighborhood rhythm.
The work originally served as an exhibition piece in the 19th century and traveled through several countries before settling permanently in Istanbul. Its initial purpose as a display object explains the careful detailing and naturalistic rendering of the animal form.
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