Our Neighborhood
Galata/
Pera is the liveliest and most cosmopolitan neıghborhood of Istanbul, visited by nearly 3 million people daily. Located in close proximity to Taksim Square, the main hub for public transportation, it is a predominantly pedestrian zone along the main avenue, Istiklal Caddesi (the old Grand Rue de Pera) which houses exquisite buildings, music and bookstores, art galleries, cinemas, theaters, libraries, cafés, pubs, night clubs with live music, historical patisseries, chocolateries and restaurants. Still bearing the cosmopolitan glory of the 19th century empire, Galata/Pera also contains numerous religious buildings (including the Italian Catholic Santa Maria and S. Antonio di Padua, the Greek Orthodox Haghia Triada, three Armenian churches and many synagogues) and the consulates (former embassies) of several European nations, displaying a variety of eclectic architectural styles from neoclassic and neo-Gothic to art nouveau. Also significant are the Fish Market (Balıkpazarı) and the 19th century arcade “Çiçek Pazarı” (old Citee de Pera) still containing small, intimate restaurants and taverns. The school is accessed through Tepebaşı Caddesi (old Petit Champs), another busy street lined with the Pera Art Museum, the Italian Cultural Center and many fine restaurants. In front of the Istanbul Culinary Institute, where once the 19th century Theater of Petit Champs stood, is an open plaza overlooking the Golden Horn, waiting to be flanked by a Frank Gehry designed building which, when completed, promises to crown the neighborhood as the cultural heart of Istanbul.