Things to Do in Esenler: 7 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Esenler

• 3 Historic
• 1 Ancient City
• 1 Nature
• 1 Attraction
• 1 Cultural

1 🏺 Ancient City

Atışalanı Water Aqueduct

A historic water aqueduct also known as the Avasköy Aqueduct, believed to have been built by Mimar Sinan.

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2 🏛️ Historic

Davutpaşa Barracks

A historic site that was used as barracks in the Republican era until 1999 and has survived intact to the present day.

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i Photo: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA) · Source

3 📸 Attraction

Istanbul Bus Terminal (Büyük İstanbul Otogarı)

One of the largest bus terminals in Europe, the Istanbul Bus Terminal lies within the boundaries of Esenler. With thousands of bus departures a day, it connects travellers to every corner of Türkiye.

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i Photo: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA) · Source

4 🌳 Nature

Esenler Parks

Parks, green spaces and walking routes in the district's dense urban fabric offer places to relax.

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5 🏛️ Historic

Atışalanı (Avas) Water Aqueduct

The historic water aqueduct in Esenler, also known as the Avasköy Aqueduct.

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6 🏛️ Historic

Hünkar Kasrı (Otağ-ı Hümayun)

A kiosk from the Ottoman period, also known as the Otağ-ı Hümayun.

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7 🎭 Cultural

Adnan Büyükdeniz Digital Library

A restored former church ruin that now serves as a digital library.

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While you are in Esenler, you can also see the highlights of Istanbul province. These places are in other districts.

• Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya-i Kebir Mosque) — Built by the Byzantine emperor Justinian between 532 and 537, this was the largest cathedral in the world for about a thousand years; it was converted into a mosque in 1453 and a museum in 1934, and reopened for worship as a mosque in 2020. With its dome 55 metres high and its Byzantine mosaics, it is one of the turning points in the history of architecture.
• Topkapı Palace — Built by Mehmed the Conqueror at Sarayburnu in the 1460s, the palace was the seat of government and residence of the Ottoman sultans for about 400 years; with its Harem, Treasury, Holy Relics and courtyards, it is now a museum.
• Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque) — A six-minaret mosque built for Ahmed I between 1609 and 1616 by the architect Sedefkâr Mehmed Ağa; it is also known as the Blue Mosque because of the more than 20,000 İznik tiles decorating its interior.
• Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnıcı) — A vast underground cistern built in the 6th century under Justinian and carried on 336 columns; the Medusa heads under two of the columns are its most famous corner.
• Süleymaniye Mosque — Built by Mimar Sinan for Suleiman the Magnificent between 1550 and 1557, the mosque stands at the centre of a large complex with madrasas, a hospital, a soup kitchen and tombs; its silhouette on the hill overlooking the Golden Horn is one of the symbols of the city.
• Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı) — One of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world, made up of more than 60 streets and thousands of shops that grew up around the bedestens built under Mehmed the Conqueror; carpets, jewellery, copperware and leather goods are sold.

Practical Information for Visiting Esenler

Suggested time

Half a day

Best time to visit

All year round

Places to visit

7 places

• 🍲

  Bus Terminal Area Restaurants

  Restaurants around the Istanbul Bus Terminal serve flavours from different regions of Anatolia.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Esenler

• 🚌

  Transport Hub Culture

  The Istanbul Bus Terminal is one of the city's most important transport junctions and symbolises the link between Anatolia and Istanbul.

Local Products

• Textile Products — Esenler is one of Istanbul's textile production centres.

Economy

Thanks to the Istanbul Bus Terminal, Esenler is an important centre for the transport and logistics sector. Textiles and trade are also major economic activities.

How to Get to Esenler

Esenler is connected to every part of Türkiye by metro (M1), bus and the Istanbul Bus Terminal.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Istanbul

Esenler: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Esenler Famous dishes and local products →
• 🗺️ Things to Do in Istanbul The province's 22 best places and all its districts →

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