Bosphorus at Kabataş

Today, there are few places where you can freely and for free approach the Bosphorus coast in the European part of the city center. Kabataş pier is one of the places where you can see the entire strait within the city limits. On the Asian side, we can see the Uskudar district. The building with red decorations is the Sozbir Royal Residence Hotel.

To the left, you can see the Ayazma Mosque (Ayazma Camii).

The white building of the former Nemlizade tobacco warehouse now houses the headquarters of one of the largest Turkish companies, Ciner Group, which operates in almost all sectors of the economy.

To the right, you can see a small island with one of the symbols of Istanbul, the Maiden Tower (Kız Kulesi) against the background of the container berths of the port of Haydarpaşa (Haydarpaşa Port).

Looking north, we can see the vast waters of the Sea of Marmara, with a variety of ships of different sizes and purposes.

If you look north, towards the Black Sea, you will see the Dolmabahce Palace on the European coast.

In the distance, you can see the first bridge over the Bosphorus, which was opened in 1973. Originally named the Bosphorus Bridge (Boğaziçi Köprüsü), it was renamed the 15 July Martyrs Bridge (15 Temmuz Şehitler Köprüsü) in 2016 in honor of the victims of the failed military coup. However, Istanbul residents often refer to it as the First Bridge (Birinci köprü).

In front of the western pillar of the bridge is Cape Ortaköy, where you can see the dome and minarets of the Great Mosque of Mecidiye (Büyük Mecidiye Camii), better known as the Ortaköy Mosque (Ortaköy Camii).

Behind the bridge on the Asian side, there is a high hill with the Büyük Çamlıca Camii (Big Çamlıca Mosque) on top. This is the largest mosque in Turkey, opened in 2019, and can accommodate over 60,000 worshippers at once.