Sisli

Şişli is a crowded central district of İstanbul, Turkey. It is a business, shopping and residential area north of Taksim, the entertainment heart of the city.

The centre of Şişli today

Now that the wealthy elite of central Şişli have moved further out of the city, the large buildings on the grand avenues are occupied by offices, banks, and big shops. Since the 1970s most older buildings have been pulled down and replaced with newer, and perhaps less remarkable, multistory structures. The back streets are still residential, and many working-class families and students have settled here. As in most parts of Istanbul, the number of people living and working in these blocks challenges the existing infrastructure; for example, competition for parking spaces is intense, and traffic during peak hours can come to a standstill. But for the residents of Şişli, there are plenty of shops, cafés, pubs, and other amenities and these make life in Şişli still manageable. Additionally, Şişli's central location to other important areas of Istanbul adds to its desirability. In the 'gecekondu' (shanty town) districts life is harder, while some neighbourhoods remain very attractive indeed - (see section on individual neighbourhoods below).

Business and shopping

Being a central area well-served with public-transport and other infrastructure Şişli is a center of trade and shopping. The main road through Şişli up to the skyscrapers of Mecidiyeköy, Gayrettepe, Levent and beyond is now lined with office blocks. Europe's largest and the world's second largest (urban-area) shopping mall, Cevahir İstanbul, is situated here. Due to Şişli's middle-class past and the enduring quality of some neighbourhoods the area is home to many upmarket shops mainly in the stylish and charming Nişantaşı area. Parking is an enduring problem, especially in the narrow side-streets. People also come to Şişli for schooling; this city-centre area has some well-known high schools and a great number of dersane (preparatory courses for the annual university entrance exams), evening and weekend schools where people come to cram for university or high school entrance examinations, or to learn English. There are many well-established cafes and restaurants, including fast-food for the students and shoppers