Architecture
Istanbul City Guide: 5 Historical and 20 Contemporary Projects to Explore in Türkiye’s Largest City
Istanbul City Guide: 5 Historical and 20 Contemporary Projects to Explore in Türkiye’s Largest City
Byzantium, Constantinople and now Istanbul, the many names this city has had over the centuries are proof of the central role it has played throughout history. Founded by Greek settlers in the 7th century, the city served as an imperial capital for a cumulated period of over 1600 years. During the Roman/Byzantine, it played a crucial role in the advancement of Christianity before its transformation into an Islamic center and becoming the sear of the Ottoman Caliphate. Today, Istanbul is a vibrant city with a rich cultural scene and multiple historical layers to be discovered.
Straddling the Bosphorus strait, the city lies in both Europe and Asia, integrating architectural masterpieces that reflect the meeting of European and Asian cultures over the centuries. As the largest city in Turkey with a population of over 15 million residents, Istanbul also serves as the country’s economic, cultural, and historic center. Istanbul is the 15th largest city and the eighth most visited city in the world. The city is also home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Recently, Istanbul witnessed several architectural and design events such as the 17th Istanbul Biennale, which highlights contemporary art initiatives from around the country, aiming to emphasize the connection between the present-day life in the city and its richly layered past. Another recent event is the Contemporary Istanbul art fair, taking place in Tersane, a 600-years historic landmark renovated by the Tabanlioglu Architects. We’ve put together a list of 5 landmarks that showcase Istanbul’s rich history and 20 contemporary projects built by acclaimed local and international architectural offices such as Foster + Partners, GAD Architecture, Grimshaw, TEGET, and Emre Arolat Architecture.
Historical Istanbul
Hagia Sophia
Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque) / Sedefkar Mehmed Agha
Topkapı Palace
Basilica Cistern
Istanbul Archaeology Museum
Contemporary Istanbul
TV and Radio Tower / Melike Altınışık Architects (MAA)
The Ataturk Cultural Center / Tabanlioglu Architects
Apple Bagdat Caddesi / Foster + Partners
Kilic Ali Pasa Hamam Restoration / Cafer Bozkurt Architecture
Arter Museum / Grimshaw
Divan Kuruçeşme Venue / GAD Architecture
Marmara Forum Cloud Playground / Carve
Istanbul Maritime Museum / TEGET
Galataport / Dror + Gensler
Theodosius Cistern Entrance Building / Cafer Bozkurt Architecture
Istanbul Painting and Sculpture Museum / EAA – Emre Arolat Architecture
Koc University Medical Sciences Campus / Kreatif Architects + Cannon Design
Beylikduzu Ataturk Arts and Cultural Center / SO? Architecture and Ideas
Beyazıt State Library / Tabanlioglu Architects
Özyeğin University Faculty of Architecture and Design / ARK-itecture
Mecidiyekoy Liqueur and Cognac Factory / Emre Arolat Architecture
Esas Aeropark / Tabanlioglu Architects
Santral Istanbul Museum of Contemporary Arts / NSMH + EAA – Emre Arolat Architecture
Zorlu Center / Tabanlioglu Architects + EAA – Emre Arolat Architecture
Tersane Istambul / Tabanlioglu Architects
You can visit our list of City Guides here.