Şişli is one of the most fascinating historical areas in Istanbul located in the European part of the city. It has a famous mosque, the Şişli Mosque
Şişli is one of the most fascinating historical areas in Istanbul located in the European part of the city. It has a famous mosque, the Şişli Mosque.
It is one of 39 municipalities in the greater city of Istanbul; to the east is bordered by the municipality of Besiktas, to the north by the Sarayir region, to the west by Eyup, Kagıthane and Bey Oglo from the south.
The population of the Şişli district in 2017 was 318 thousand people, spread over an area of 35 km 2, shared by several neighborhoods in Şişli, such as Nisantisi district, Mecediakoy, Ok Meydan, with a population density of 9100 inhabitants/km 2.
After the movement of a number of residents out of Istanbul’s historic borders, large buildings in the area have become for companies, banks, and supermarkets.
In the 1970s, most of the old buildings were modernized and replaced with modern multi-storey buildings.
The back streets are still of a residential nature, and many working-class families and students have settled here. As in most parts of Istanbul, the number of people living and working in these blocks is a challenge to existing infrastructure projects; for example, competing to find a parking place for your car in the old Şişli lanes is not simple!
But for the inhabitants of Şişli, the spirit of the place and the fragrant history of many shops, cafes and authentic facilities make life in it a real pleasure in itself, which cannot be replaced by any other choice.
In addition, the central Şişli location for other vital areas of Istanbul doubles the desire to live in it.
Being a central area well-served with public-transport and other infrastructure, Şişli is a center of trade and shopping. The main road through Şişli up to the skyscrapers of Mecidiyeköy, Gayrettepe, Levent and beyond is now lined with office blocks. Europe’s largest and the world’s second largest (urban-area) shopping mall, Cevahir İstanbul, is situated here. Due to Şişli’s middle-class past and the enduring quality of some neighborhoods the area is home to many upmarket shops mainly in the stylish and charming Nişantaşı area. Parking is an enduring problem, especially in the narrow side-streets.
People also come to Şişli for schooling; this city-center area has some well-known high schools and a great number of dersane (preparatory courses for the annual university entrance exams), evening and weekend schools where people come to cram for university or high school entrance examinations, or to learn English.
