FRIDAY: ART, ANTIQUES AND ACTIVISM
Beyoğlu – Taksim
The historic district of Pera, today known as Be yoğlu, is the beating heart of Istanbul’s cultural life and home to the city’s thriving art scene. The neighborhood was once the epicenter of aristocratic European settlements, the traces of which can still be seen in the mansions and embassies that survive from that time, continuing to exude their elegance as museums, art galleries and restaurants.
These streets have been through many transformations over the decades, but always represented Istanbul’s beating, complex, and countercultural heart. Beyoğlu was once home to countless cinemas and theaters, and it remains centered around bars, clubs and taverns. This counterculture of the night is echoed in the iconic public spaces where citizens have challenged authority and built Istanbul’s strong and resilient civil society.