Karaköy
| Karaköy | |
|---|---|
| Neighborhood | |
A view of the Karaköy skyline from the Bosphorus
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 Karaköy
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| Coordinates: 41°01′22″N 28°58′30″E / 41.02278°N 28.97500°ECoordinates: 41°01′22″N 28°58′30″E / 41.02278°N 28.97500°E | |
| Country |
 Turkey
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| Region | Marmara |
| Province | Istanbul |
| District | Beyoğlu |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
| Postal code | 34425 |
| Area code | 0-212 |
Karaköy, the modern name for ancient Galata, is a commercial neighborhood in the Beyoğlu district of Istanbul, Turkey, located at the northern part of the Golden Horn mouth on the European side of Bosphorus.
Karaköy is one of the oldest and most historic districts of the city, and is today an important commercial center and transport hub. The location is connected with the surrounding neighborhoods through streets originating from Karaköy Square. The Galata Bridge links Karaköy to Eminönü in the southwest, Tersane Street to Azapkapı in the west, Voyvoda Street to Şişhane in the northwest, the steeply sloping Yüksek Kaldırım Street to Beyoğlu in the north, Kemeraltı Street and Necatibey Street to Tophane in the northeast.
The commercial quarter, which was originally the meeting place for banks and insurance companies in the 19th century, is today also home to mechanical, electrical, plumbing and electronic parts suppliers.
The word Karaköy is the combination of "Kara" and "köy". "Kara" probably originates in the Turkish word Karay, referring to a Turkic-speaking Jewish community called the Crimean Karaites. At one time, Karaites were a majority of the people who lived in this district. In modern Turkish language, however, "kara" means black or dark in rural areas. "Köy" means village.
Karaköy has been a port area since Byzantine times when the north shore of the Golden Horn was a separate settlement, across the Golden Horn from Constantinople. After the re-conquest of the city from the Latin Empire on 1261, the emperor of Byzantium granted to the merchants of Genoa permission to settle and do business at this location as part of a defense pact.
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Wikipedia