Beşiktaş

Beşiktaş is an administrative district on the European shore of the Bosphorus that combines residential neighborhoods, office complexes, and university buildings across roughly 18 square kilometers (7 square miles). The area runs from the waterfront promenade inland over gentle hills up to the modern high-rises of Levent.

Sultans chose this stretch of coast from the 19th century onward for palaces and administrative buildings, with Dolmabahçe Palace becoming the new seat of government. The Ottoman leadership favored this location for its direct access to the Bosphorus and proximity to the Golden Horn.

The traditional market known locally as the Çarşı serves as a busy gathering point for residents who come for everyday shopping and meeting friends at cafés. This old commercial area contrasts with the modern office towers and shopping centers that rise in neighborhoods further inland.

The main through-roads Barbaros Boulevard and Büyükdere Avenue run through the district and link the waterfront to northern parts of the city. Many ferry piers along the coast provide connections across the water to other parts of Istanbul.

The name comes from five large stones once used as mooring points for ships, reportedly placed by Ottoman admiral Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha. These stones were called cradle stones because of the way vessels rested against them.