Kadıköy, İstanbul's landmark district, blends history with modern life

The first settlement in Kadıköy, whose foundation dates back to the 10th century BC, is thought to have been established by the Phoenicians during this period. In the region now known as Fikirtepe, it is believed that a trading colony called Harhadon was established. Opposite this first settlement, in the area between Moda Cape and Yoğurtçu, a second settlement called Halcedon (Copper Country) is seen to have been established. Horse races are thought to have been organized by the Halcedonians in Haydarpaşa Meadow. The Halcedon region came under Ottoman control in the 1350s. Following the conquest of Istanbul, Halcedon, present-day Kadıköy, was granted by Fatih Sultan Mehmet to Celalzade Hızır Bey, the Istanbul Qadi. It is said that the name Kadıköy derives from this. Kadıköy became a popular recreation area during the Tulip Period, in the 18th century. The meadows of Haydarpaşa, Yoğurtçu, Moda and Kuşdili, as well as the Uzun Meadow regions, were loved and adopted by the people. However, Kadıköy's development fundamentally dates to the 19th century. Important structures such as Selimiye Barracks and Haydarpaşa Military Hospital transformed the character of the region and increased its importance. In addition to these developments, the commencement of intra-city ferry operations and the opening of the Haydarpaşa-Izmit railway line made Kadıköy one of Istanbul's important districts. During the reign of Abdülhamid II between 1876 and 1909, mansions built by important state officials began to rise around Göztepe, Erenköy and Bostancı.

Levantines and non-Muslims are also seen to have purchased large plots of land on the Fenerbahçe side and had summer mansions built. The commencement of operations of Hasanpaşa Gazino in 1892, followed immediately by the provision of city water to the district in 1894, accelerated Kadıköy's development.

Kadıköy, which did not benefit from the first urban renewal operations in the 1860s, witnessed important urban development during the second renewal operations in the period between 1912 and 1914 under Cemil Topuzlu. In addition to road construction and infrastructure works, Yoğurtçu Park was also built on the banks of Kuşdili Stream in Kadıköy. The municipal building located in Pier Square was also built during this period. Before the Republic, Kadıköy had become one of Istanbul's most developed districts. However, Kadıköy, which was attached to Üsküdar Sanjak, a larger and more important center of Istanbul at that time, in 1869, was only able to become a district much later, on 1 September 1930. Kızıltoprak and Erenköy formed two subdivisions of Kadıköy. Between 1938 and 1949, Dr. Lütfi Kırdar served as Governor and Mayor. During Kırdar's tenure, while the third urban renewal operations in Istanbul were being carried out, important projects were realized in Kadıköy. The new Ankara Road built north of the Kadıköy region moved inter-city traffic outside the residential area and simultaneously created the psychological boundary of the district. However, even in the 1950s, low-density, detached housing with gardens in places continued to develop around Kadıköy. This unique character of the district underwent a transformation in the 1960s. The concentration of commerce and service sectors in Kadıköy gained momentum after the 1960s, and Kadıköy began to acquire the characteristics of a second-tier metropolitan sub-center, following first-tier centers such as Sirkeci-Eminönü-Karaköy-Beyoğlu. Of course, this meant that Kadıköy somewhat lost its old district center characteristics. Kadıköy underwent a series of important urban arrangements in the 1980s. Haydarpaşa Cove was filled and the square was enlarged, the sea was filled between Dalyan-Bostancı and the waterfront was arranged and the coastal road opened (1984-1987), yacht marina construction in Kalamış Cove and Fenerbahçe (1985-1988), the square was enlarged by filling the sea between Pier and Mühürdar, completed in 1993, and green areas were created, are among the projects implemented. Today, Kadıköy is one of Istanbul's most important districts in terms of population size, economic activity and urban development.

Prepared by: B. Serhat Cengiz