4 places to visit in the Kartal district of Istanbul: Aydos Hill, Dragos Hill and Kartal Seafront. Plan your trip to Kartal with local food, practical tips and transport information.
General Information
Kartal is a district and suburb of Istanbul province, located on the Asian side of the Sea of Marmara coast. The district covers 38 km², lies at an average elevation of 21 metres above sea level and has a population of 475,630. Kartal is bordered by Maltepe to the west, Sancaktepe to the north, Sultanbeyli to the north-east and Pendik to the east.
Geography
Aydos Hill, the highest point in Istanbul, and Yakacık Hill, known as the “Balcony of Istanbul”, are located in Kartal district. The district consists of twenty neighbourhoods and has 2,186 streets and avenues. Under the influence of the cold climate of the Balkan Peninsula, the rainy climate of the Black Sea and the mild, sunny climate of the Mediterranean in winter, the prevailing winds in the district are the poyraz (northeasterly) and the lodos (southwesterly).
History
The historical development of the Kartal district can be studied from the early 6th century onwards, because historical works from the Byzantine period were found in excavations at settlements such as Samandıra and Yakacık. In 1080–1083 Pendik, Kartal and Maltepe were captured by the Seljuk Sultan Kutalmışoğlu Süleyman Şah; then, with the Dragos Stream set as the border, a treaty was concluded with the Byzantine Emperor in 1081. Kartal was incorporated into Ottoman territory in the 1400s. Kartal gained district status in 1928, and after being declared an industrial zone in 1947 it became one of the fastest-growing districts of Istanbul.
History and Culture
The centre of Kartal was a fishing village called Kartalimen in the 6th century. The historical artefacts found in the excavations at Yakacık are understood to date from the Byzantine era. It is known that during the Ottoman period the Greek population on the coast was engaged in fishing, while the Armenian population in the interior was engaged in farming. Kartal was declared a district industrial zone in 1947.
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