Bakırköy (District)

Bakırköy is a district located on the European side of Istanbul, along the coast of the Sea of Marmara. The district’s history extends back to antiquity, and over time it has fulfilled various administrative, military, religious, and social roles during the Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, and Republic of Türkiye periods. Bakırköy acquired its current name in 1925; during the Byzantine era it was known as Hebdomon and held a significant position as a settlement in historical records.

History

The history of Bakırköy reaches back to the Byzantine period. During the Roman Empire, Hebdomon, situated along the Via Egnatia route, was an important settlement housing imperial summer palaces, religious structures, and military encampments. Buildings in the area suffered damage during Latin and Arab invasions and were gradually abandoned. In the Ottoman period, following the conquest of Istanbul, this settlement was known as Makriköy and was administered for a time as a village under the Küçükçekmece kazas.

The transition of the Ottoman Empire to a modern administrative system began in the mid-19th century with the Tanzimat Decree. During this period, Bakırköy was incorporated into the Kaza-yı Erbaa Mutasarrıflığı and eventually attained kaza status. After the proclamation of the Second Constitutional Monarchy in 1908, it operated as the 20th Municipal Department under the Istanbul Municipality. In 1910, a reorganization replaced the name Küçükçekmece with Bakırköy kaza.

During the Republic era, Bakırköy officially became a district of Istanbul in 1926. Over time, it acquired its present boundaries following the separation of neighboring districts such as Bahçelievler, Güngören, Bağcılar, and Küçükçekmece.

Geographical Location and Boundaries

Bakırköy is situated in the Çatalca-Kocaeli section of the Marmara Region, in the southwest of Istanbul. To the north lie Güngören and Bahçelievler, to the east Zeytinburnu, to the west Küçükçekmece, and to the south the Sea of Marmara.

Geologically, the area consists of layers from the Devonian, Eocene, Neogene, and alluvial periods. It features diverse geological characteristics including schist, limestone, gravel, continental-marine facies, and alluvial deposits.

Archaeological and Cultural Heritage

Bakırköy possesses a rich cultural heritage from the Roman and Byzantine periods. Although much of the archaeological remains from the Hebdomon settlement have not survived to the present day, the area’s history can be traced through various written sources and limited archaeological findings.

Research has identified traces of palatial ruins, religious buildings, and military installations along the Via Egnatia route in Hebdomon. The majority of these remains were destroyed during modern urbanization without adequate documentation or preservation efforts.

Bakırköy Adalet Sarayı (Ministry of Justice)

Neighborhoods and Settlement Structure

Bakırköy currently has 15 neighborhoods:

• Ataköy 1. Kısım
• Ataköy 2-5-6. Kısım
• Ataköy 7-8-9-10. Kısım
• Ataköy 3-4-11. Kısım
• Basınköy
• Cevizlik
• Kartaltepe
• Osmaniye
• Sakızağacı
• Şenlikköy
• Yenimahalle
• Yeşilköy
• Yeşilyurt
• Zuhuratbaba
• Zeytinlik

Demographic Structure

With a population of 219,893, Bakırköy is one of Istanbul’s oldest urbanized areas. Population density is particularly high in the neighborhoods of Ataköy and Osmaniye.

Transportation Infrastructure

Bakırköy occupies a central location in terms of transportation and is served by metrobus, Marmaray, sea buses, and extensive bus networks. It is connected to Istanbul’s main transportation corridors via the coastal road and the E-5 highway.

Throughout history, Bakırköy has been one of Istanbul’s key settlement areas. Shaped by military, religious, and political functions since the Roman period, the district maintained its administrative development through the Ottoman and Republican eras and gradually became one of Istanbul’s central districts.