Istiklal Avenue

Istiklal Avenue, formerly known as the Grand Avenue of Pera, is a well-known pedestrian street found in Istanbul, Turkey's famed Beyoglu (Pera) neighborhood. The street extends 1.4 kilometers from Tunel Square in Galata, the historic Genoese neighborhood, to Taksim Square. The avenue is lined with buildings from the late Ottoman era, mostly from the 19th and early 20th centuries, built in a variety of architectural styles, including Neo-Classical, Neo-Gothic, Renaissance Revival, First Turkish National Architecture, and more. In addition to modern architecture, there are some early Turkish Republic buildings in the Art Deco style. The majority of the structures, which were formerly apartment blocks, are now used as boutiques, music stores, art galleries, cinemas, theaters, cafés, and a growing number of global chain stores. The avenue is home to a branch of Madame Tussauds. After Turkey won the War of Independence and the Republic was proclaimed on October 29, 1923, the street was given its current name, Istiklal (Independence).