Kemerburgaz City Forest

Description

It is one of Istanbul's largest city forests, featuring large ponds, walking trails, and sports areas.

Story

Kemerburgaz City Forest is one of Istanbul's largest and most modern recreational areas opened in recent years. Formed by organizing a vast forested area located in the triangle of Eyüpsultan, Kemerburgaz, and Göktürk, the city forest quickly transformed into a natural life center with hundreds of thousands of visitors. The historical past of the region dates back to forest protection areas during the Ottoman period. This area was used for centuries by military and technical personnel for the protection of water basins and the supervision of hunting grounds. With the city forest project, enormous walking paths, bicycle routes, observation terraces, pond-side platforms, picnic areas, and social facilities have been built in the region. These structures were positioned without disturbing the natural ecosystem, and the tree cover was largely preserved. The presence of such a large natural area so close to the city has made a significant contribution to Istanbul's need for green spaces. Many bird species, small mammals, freshwater turtles, and natural plant species live in the forest. In the early morning hours, the misty atmosphere of the forest, the reflection on the surface of the ponds, and the sounds of birds provide a unique peaceful environment here. Running and cycling tracks are especially popular with athletes during weekdays. Today's biggest advantage of Kemerburgaz City Forest is that it is both intertwined with nature and offers modern walking paths and facilities. For this reason, it is an ideal natural living area for different age groups.

Visit Tips

• Access from the Göktürk entrance is easier.
• It can be very crowded on weekends; go early in the morning.
• Bicycle routes are wide; careful use is important.
• The area around the pond can be windy.

Photos