Taksim Square (Turkish: Taksim Meydanı), situated in the European part of Istanbul, Turkey, is a major shopping, tourist and leisure district famed for its restaurants, shops and hotels.
Taksim Square, it is considered the heart of modern Istanbul, with the central station of the Istanbul Metro network, on a normal day, Taksim Square is a mess of buses and crowds, a tangle of plazas, streets, shops and taxi horns.Istanbul Taksim Square is also the location of the Monument of the Republic (Cumhuriyet Anıtı) which was crafted by Pietro Canonica and inaugurated in 1928. The monument commemorates the 5th anniversary of the foundation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, following the Turkish War of Independence.
History
The word Taksim means “division” or “distribution“. The Taksim square was originally the point where the main water lines from the north of Istanbul were collected and branched off to other parts of the city. This use for the area was established by Sultan Mahmud I. The square takes its name from the Ottoman era stone reservoir which is located in this area. Additionally, the word “Taksim” can refer to a special improvisational musical form in Turkish classical music that is guided by the Makam system. Another significant building that once stood on the square was the 19th century Taksim Artillery Barracks (Taksim Topçu Kışlası, which later became the Taksim Stadium), but it was demolished in 1940 during the construction works of the Taksim Gezi Parkı.
Today
Taksim is a main transportation hub and a popular destination for both tourists and the native population of Istanbul. Istiklal Caddesi (Independence Avenue), a long pedestrian shopping street, ends at this square, and a nostalgic tram runs from the square along the avenue, ending near the Tunnel (1875) which is the world’s second-oldest subway line after London’s Underground (1863). Surrounding Taksim Square are numerous travel agencies, hotels, restaurants, pubs, and international fast food chains such as Pizza Hut, McDonald’s, Subway, and Burger King. It is also home to some of Istanbul’s grandest hotels including the InterContinental, the Ritz-Carlton, Hilton and The Marmara Hotel.
Taksim is also a favourite location for public events such as parades, New Year celebrations, or other social gatherings.
Taksim Square, Istanbul
Taksim is full of bars and night clubs ..the night life is very loud here..the tram in the middle of the street is really cute but it is a very crowded place.
Despite the "social unrest" this area continues to be one of the up and coming areas of Isanbul… lots to see (people & things!) and lots to do (eat & dance)… enjoy it.
Lovely street to walk and shop but sports shoes are a must due to recent demonstrations at the square, just in case you need to run. Otherwise sports shoes would be handy while shopping thru this long street of shops.
It is a nice square to hangout with a lot of restaurants and coffee shops. Also there plenty of different shops.
The busy square has the best wet burgers I have ever had. I have no tolerance for spicy food but these burgers have a light spice that make them so enjoyable to the palate. They are addictive!
If you are keen of night's life. That's just the plaxe for you. The area is crowded, noisy, and full of entertainments. Just watch out not to mingle with people/strangers inviting you to join them for a drink. You will fet scammed. Stay clean and ask for the prices inside before you order anything.
I have been to this place many years ago and i visited it again to see if much has changed to this historic area of Istanbul . The place is still crowded and noisy. I noted that the number of restaurants is less than before ; but there are still some restaurants around. At the time of our visit it…
Spent a few hours there, taksim square itself is nothing amazing but the streets coming off it have some great local and international shops, cafes and people watching spots
This is a lively square during the day with families, street vendors, and people traveling to their daily activities. There are seem to be many great restaurants and places to have a drink in and around the square.
you can go here to shopping and to see many strance people 🙂
is different from teh old city but you can see the Istiklal street and of course the galata tower…