If we define that famous street, which was named with Tatavla in the Ottoman Empire and which we know today as “Kurtuluş Caddesi”, as “multicultural”, we will not have made a mistake. Armenians and Greeks who were brought to Tatavla lived in the Ottoman Empire. With the great fire that broke out in those years, most of the residents of the city died. After the establishment of the republic, this street was named “Kurtuluş Caddesi” in memory of the survivors.
The Street Today
The people living in Kurtuluş come from different ethnic backgrounds and cultures. There are communities such as Turkish, Kurdish, Armenian, Greek, Jewish, Syriac and immigrants from different countries in the region. Therefore, there are differences between people in Salvation, such as different languages Decrees, customs, food and religions. The streets, shops and restaurants in Kurtuluş form a colorful mosaic reflecting the influence of different cultures. Especially popular areas such as Teşvikiye Street, Nişantaşı and Istiklal Street, located in Şişli Kurtuluş, are home to different cultures. In addition, there are shops selling books in many different languages, cinemas where foreign films are shown and places where music from different cultures can be heard in Kurtuluş. This cultural diversity ensures that the area has a tolerant atmosphere and leads many people to choose to live here.
“Kurtuluş Caddesi” seemed to be a symbol of multiculturalism from the past to the present, because there are many Armenians and Greeks living here. In fact, there are so many Armenians that the place where the most Agos newspapers are located in Istanbul is Kurtuluş Caddesi again. According to our research, there are about 20 Agos Newspapers in the grocery store.
In our interview with “Bircan Market”, one of the places that sells Agos Newspaper, “Bircan Market owner Mr. Can “comes to me every morning to buy Agos Newspaper, this tradition has not changed for 60 years, there are a lot of Armenians living on Kurtuluş Street.” said. By the way, we were a little surprised when we found out the price of the Agos Newspaper, because this newspaper is sold for 20 Turkish Liras. We interpret the reason for this as printing costs and the fact that it is sold only in a few regions. Because the price of a product with little demand becomes too much.
Churches on Kurtuluş Street
Although people with different religions have been living in this location since the Ottoman Empire until today, everyone respects every religion. Sunday Sunday rituals, which start at 9 o’clock every Sunday, and “One of the month” rituals, which are held on the first day of every month, are definitely attended by those who attend.
During our visit to the church, we met many people who came to worship, usually very clean and well-dressed people. The Buddha is actually a proof that Kurtuluş Street is multicultural.
Kurtuluş Street Artisans
There are many historical shops on this street that have been operating for 50-60 years. In fact, it is because of these important issues that make Kurtuluş Street historical.
We asked a few people who live on Kurtuluş Street and they recommended a few shops to us, but we found out that this pickle in particular is very old. this pickle, which has been operated since 1954, has officially become a symbol of this street. We would definitely recommend our dear readers to stop by here and taste the pickles.
When we look at the streets of Kurtuluş, we can easily understand that it is an old settlement, narrow streets, adjacent houses and you can be alone with the crowd. Although some people like it, some people don’t like it very much. Especially on the street, you can see a lot of Arabic-written signs lately, these signs usually consist of food shops.
Conclusion
Kurtuluş has been a region inhabited by different cultures and communities throughout history. During the Ottoman Empire, it was a neighborhood where minorities such as Greeks, Armenians, Jews settled. During the Republican period, it was a neighborhood where people who migrated from various regions of Anatolia settled. Today, Şişli Kurtuluş is defined as a neighborhood where people from different cultures meet. There are people of many different ethnic backgrounds, restaurants speaking various languages, places of worship opened according to religious beliefs, cultural events and ethnic Sundays in the district. For this reason, Şişli Kurtuluş district is called as “multicultural”.
By Berk Özden and Muzaffer Cenk Kınacı