Through the years, istanbul has witnessed many cultures from roman period, beyzantine period, and ottoman period and because of its distinctive geographical location that connects the european continent with the asian continent through the bosphorus, istanbul city considered one of the most culture-rich cities in the world. despite that istanbul is not one of the oldest cities in the world like damascus but what passed over the years on istanbul made it richer in culture.
published: 29 September 2022 / updated: 21 November 2024Share
Today, Istanbul Government tries its best to spread Turkish culture around the world and increase the awareness of it whether inside Istanbul or outside it at international events. Actually, when you walk through the streets of Istanbul you will find read the following line “ Kultur Merkezi “ in any district which means culture center, and if you enter one of them you will find many facilities such as theatre, library, bookstore, and some have cinema hall in it.
While some cultural centers are small serve only the neighborhood next to it, some other culture centers are big to offer services and host national or international events for big number of people. Events can be musical, art and painting events, lectures, and social events. Here are some of the famous culture centers in Istanbul.
Istanbul Foundation For Culture And Arts Center – Iksv:
Probably one of the most famous culture centers in Istanbul or even in Turkey. The Foundation is a non-profit foundation that organizes festivals and cultural events of music, theatre, jazz, and films. The foundation also hosts artistic and cultural events in its main culture and art center and presents an exclusive collection of items from different regions around the world.
The IKSV center is located in Beyoglu district and it is open for everyone.
New Ataturk Cultural Center:
Ataturk Cultural Center will be a cultural landmark to replace Taksim ataturk cultural center, the center will be open soon and will be able to host around 2.500 people inside. It will mainly serve as an opera house but also will have a theatre, cinema hall, libraries, design workshops, Restaurants, and many exhibition halls
With 800 seats for theatre, 1000 seats for conference halls, 250 seats for cinema. And 250 seats for each smaller theatres, new Ataturk Cultural Center will be magnificent.
According to Culture and Tourism Minister Numan Kurtulmus the architecture and all building materials will be infigenous which considered on of the most important features of the building.
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Akbank Sanat (Akbank Art):
It was founded in 1993 and through the years it has made a significant contribution and collaboration in the development process of Turkish culture and art. Akbank center has rich and a lot of programs that changes every month. In fact, It has hosted more than 700 events and festivals in music, art, children workshop, filmigs, and many other events that helped many people to grow and go international.
The Akbank Art center is located in Istiklal Street, Beyoglu district.
Borusan Muzik Evi (Borusan Music House):
Located in Istiklal Street, Beyoglu district in a building that was originally built in 1875. It does not only offer music events, thanks to its high capacity concert halls, exhibition halls, and art venues Borusan Music house offers a wide range of cultural services and educational programs for kids and adults. Beside that, its comprehensive library is station that all music lovers must stop at it and for orchestra fans, you should not miss the Istanbul Borusan Philharmonic Orchestra (BIPO) they host events in the center and sometimes offer special experimental musical groups.
Hodjapasha Cultural Center:
Located in Sirkeci near the Hagia Sophia. Hodjapasha Cultural center offer Traditional Dance shows, mainly the Rumi dance shows.
Hodjapasha was originally Hamam, and you can tell that from its design and the bathing hall it it. The building is old and historical but with modern purple and white modern lights it has became one of the most attractive places. The most famous show of its shows is whirling dervish, everyone has agreed on the great time a person could have when visiting, because the seats are so close to the dancers in a way you can feel yourself one of them. Hodjapasha Cultural Center is on of the most important Cultural Centers that you most visit.
Many other Cultural and Art centers and venues are available in Istanbul for everyone and offer a lot of events in music, art, film making, theatres, education programs, design workshops, children’s workshops, and many other events that collaborate in spreading and increasing the awareness of Turkish Culture, and sharing and exchanging other cultures from around the world, and helping the new artists to grow nationally or internationally.
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Istanbul, turkey's most remarkable and the most splendid city, has long been a popular tourist and even local tourist destination. have you ever thought about why istanbul is so marvelous and popular? since the entertainment never ends in istanbul, you always have so many chances to catch an exciting event to enjoy yourself and make your day unique. as a matter of fact, people are flocking to istanbul to experience some events, concerts, festivals, and more!
People who are bored with the ordinariness of daily life sometimes prefer bars to relax and listen to music with pleasure. These people immerse themselves in the flow of the atmosphere with the cocktails they choose at the venue that best suits their style. How about going out alone or with your friends in Istanbul evenings to have some fun and have a drink? Let's talk about the best pubs and bars in Istanbul for you.
Where is selamicesme? the selamicesme neighborhood of the kadikoy district is home to the selamicesme mosque. being one of the most well-known and adored neighborhoods on istanbul's asian side, getting there is not a problem. the marmaray and stepping out at the feneryolu stop are the most direct ways to travel to kadikoy from the european side of istanbul. selamicesme mosque is about a 5-minute walk from there.you can board one of the ferries that depart from eminonu for kadikoy if you prefer a more time-consuming yet enjoyable mode of transportation. by doing this, you can spend about 15 minutes admiring the stunning bosphorus strait while grabbing a cup of tea and some goodies from the store inside the ships. when you arrive at the kadikoy pier, seek the big yellow iett bus pick-up location, which is very close to the kadikoy pier. take the bus with the number 4 or the one with the 16d. to get to the selamicesme mosque, get out at the onsekiz mart stop and walk for 5 to 10 minutes. other things to do in and near kadikoy visit the moda neighborhood: the moda neighborhood is one of kadikoy's attractions that stands out from the rest. there is enough to do here to keep you busy for a full day. take a stroll along istanbul's moda coast to observe the bosphorus strait from one of the city's most picturesque and tranquil coastlines. you will unavoidably pass by a few tea gardens on the way there. choose one with a view of the bosphorus, and as you take in the scenery, order a cup of tea or turkish coffee. visit dondurmaci ali usta to sample any of the more than 50 types of delicious, all-natural ice cream for some of the best ice cream in turkey. next, board a tram and begin exploring kadikoy. you will observe the district's prevailing bohemian aesthetic during your trip. you can take a culinary walks kadikoy tour to enjoy turkish cuisine while touring one of the most well-liked neighborhoods on istanbul's asian side because kadikoy is home to a lot of fantastic restaurants where you can sample numerous dishes from the well-known turkish kitchen. visit moda stage theatre to see some of the finest works of turkish theater and cinema. the location for art lovers in kadikoy, there are various plays and movies being produced here, from well-known shows to more independent, arthouse films. after all of this, it might become a little bit late, but don't worry—kadikoy is recognized for having fantastic nightlife with a variety of top-notch bars and pubs. arkaoda is undoubtedly one of istanbul's top bars and a favorite among both locals and tourists. this establishment, which can be found on bar street, features fantastic live music, a wonderful ambiance, and a wide selection of top-notch drinks. viktor levi wine house provides more than 12 different varieties of wines prepared in their cellar if you prefer outstanding house wine over a few beers. the interior of the building is decorated with a variety of plants, adding to its elegant appearance. do you like rock music? so zincir bar is the spot for you. this inviting and welcoming tavern offers a wide selection of drinks and snacks at more reasonable prices than other bars around. are you prepared for another adventure? the following day, depart from the kadikoy dock and board a ferry to eminonu. once there, enter the historic neighborhood of fatih because there is much to learn about this area.
For sure, you have heard a lot about the rich cuisine in turkey and rich food culture, and of course you heard about the turkish coffee and the turkish tea because beside palaces, the bosphorus, and beautiful natural sight, turkish coffee and turkish tea are very famous things in turkey. in fact, a lot of people connect istanbul city with turkish tea and coffee.