The avenue is a long pedestrian street about 3 kilometers, begins from Tunel and ends at Taksim square located in Beyoglu district. During Ottoman period it was called Cadde-I Kabir means Big avenue. Foreigners and the local Italian and French Levantines called the street Grande Rue de Pera. The neighborhood accepted as Paris of th East because of its cosmopolitan culture during 19th century. The nostalgic tram runs from the square along the avenue and ends near the Tunel (1875) which is the world’s second-oldest subway line after london Underground (1863). It is estimated every day more than 3 million people visit Istiklal Caddesi. After declaration of Turkish Rupublic the street name converted to Istiklal for commemoration Turkish war of Independence.
The pedestrian street houses many elegant building from 19th century, consulates, elegant botiques, restaurants, patisseries, cafes, bars, cinemas, theaters, libraries, bookstores, art galeries, music stores, churches, synagogus and mosques.
Istiklal Avenue on Google Maps