Ümraniye
Encyclopedia
Ümraniye is a very large working class
district
of Istanbul
, Turkey
with a population of over 250,000. It became district in 1987 by secession from Üsküdar
. Also; Ömerli, Koçullu, Sırapınar and Hüseyinli villages were separated from Beykoz district in same year. Finally, Nişantepe quarter passed from Samandıra, where bounded to Kartal, to Alemdar, where bounded to Ümraniye in 2002. It has 7 municipalities: Ümraniye, Çekmeköy, Sarıgazi, Yenidoğan, Taşdelen (formerly Sultançiftliği), Alemdar (formerly Alemdağ) and Ömerli. Her neighbours are; Şile
the northeast, Kartal
the southeast, Kadıköy
the south, Üsküdar
the west and Beykoz
the northwest. The mayor is Hasan Can (AKP
).
, yet shares little of its charm. It began as a small village
of under 900 people, but in the early 1950s. Its population grew far beyond its capacity during the 1970s and 1980s due to migration
to the cities from rural areas of Anatolia
.
The growth of Ümraniye was better controlled than similar districts on the Europe
an side (such as Esenler
or Gaziosmanpaşa
); there are better, wider road
s through the district, more space between the blocks and more green space in general. And better amenities, a large commercial district grew up to support this large population, the main road through the centre has shiny public buildings, big shops, shopping centres, branches of all the banks etc. And Ümraniye has high schools, a courthouse, cultural amenities such as cinema and all the other infrastructure of an urban area. And the traffic of course.
Ümraniye became famous after an arms cache allegedly belonging to conspiratorial Ergenekon network
was discovered here in 2007.
.
Recently there has been a great deal of change in Umraniye. Large shopping malls and entertainment centers have opened. Many housing projects have been developed in Umraniye to address the needs of all classes. Ümraniye is one of the fastest growing areas in Istanbul.
In the last few decades, Ümraniye has built a lively shopping and business district. Numerous international businesses are now based in Umraniye, which attract young, well-educated people from all over Turkey. At Ümraniye, you can find 34 kindergarten, 61 primary School and 9 high schools, as well as 22 sport-centers, and 29 hospitals and clinics. There are numerous athletic and cultural activities in Umraniye at 40 parks, 3 movie theaters and 3 theaters.
Recent building projects include the construction of large shopping malls (including Istanbul's first branch of IKEA), and modern apartments complexes have made parts of Ümraniye attractive places for people to buy real estate, especially as Ümraniye is on a main highway that leads to one of the two bridges linking the Asian and European sides of Istanbul. A car ride from Ümraniye to Mecidiyeköy
, a business center on the European side of the city, may only take around 20 minutes in good traffic. Ümraniye also provides easy access to Üsküdar, Kadıköy and Ataşehir, the business capital of the Asian side of Istanbul.
on the Europe
an side. It must be noted that this violence was concentrated in a small quarter of Ümraniye, a vast district. In recent times however, Ümraniye has been relatively calm, and the most dangerous crimes in the area are those typical of urban areas, such as pick-pocketing or theft.
The people of Ümraniye usually vote in large numbers for conservative parties. The AK Party
does well in this district.
and Ümraniye there is a 'çilehane' of the Sufi saint Aziz Mahmud Hudayi
. A çilehane (cheelay-hahnay, lit. 'despair house') was where Sufis would go to pray in seclusion.
There is a large sports complex where major basketball games are played, the Haldun Alagaş sports complex.
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
district
District
Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...
of Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
with a population of over 250,000. It became district in 1987 by secession from Üsküdar
Üsküdar
Üsküdar is a large and densely populated municipality of Istanbul, Turkey, on the Anatolian shore of the Bosphorus. It is bordered on the north by Beykoz, on the east by Ümraniye, on the southeast by Ataşehir, on the south by Kadıköy, and on the west by the Bosphorus, with the areas of Beşiktaş,...
. Also; Ömerli, Koçullu, Sırapınar and Hüseyinli villages were separated from Beykoz district in same year. Finally, Nişantepe quarter passed from Samandıra, where bounded to Kartal, to Alemdar, where bounded to Ümraniye in 2002. It has 7 municipalities: Ümraniye, Çekmeköy, Sarıgazi, Yenidoğan, Taşdelen (formerly Sultançiftliği), Alemdar (formerly Alemdağ) and Ömerli. Her neighbours are; Şile
Sile
Şile is a small holiday city on the Black Sea, 70 km from the city of Istanbul, Turkey. Şile is the also the name of the district and the municipality that contain the city center of Şile...
the northeast, Kartal
Kartal
Kartal is a district of Istanbul, Turkey located on the Asian side of the city, on the coast of the Marmara Sea between Maltepe and Pendik. The mayor is Altınok Öz . Despite being far from the city centre, Kartal is heavily populated now. . Total land area is 147,000 m² which includes some...
the southeast, Kadıköy
Kadiköy
Kadıköy is a large, populous, and cosmopolitan district of İstanbul, Turkey on the Asian side of the Sea of Marmara, facing the historic city centre on the European side of the Bosporus...
the south, Üsküdar
Üsküdar
Üsküdar is a large and densely populated municipality of Istanbul, Turkey, on the Anatolian shore of the Bosphorus. It is bordered on the north by Beykoz, on the east by Ümraniye, on the southeast by Ataşehir, on the south by Kadıköy, and on the west by the Bosphorus, with the areas of Beşiktaş,...
the west and Beykoz
Beykoz
Beykoz is a district in the suburbs of Istanbul, Turkey at the northern end of the Bosphorus on the Anatolian side. Beykoz includes everything from the streams of Küçüksu and Göksu up to the opening of the Bosphorus into the Black Sea, and the villages in the hinterland as far as the river of Riva...
the northwest. The mayor is Hasan Can (AKP
Justice and Development Party (Turkey)
The Justice and Development Party , abbreviated JDP in English and AK PARTİ or AKP in Turkish, is a centre-right political party in Turkey. The party is the largest in Turkey, with 327 members of parliament...
).
History
Ümraniye is located on high ground just inland from ÜsküdarÜsküdar
Üsküdar is a large and densely populated municipality of Istanbul, Turkey, on the Anatolian shore of the Bosphorus. It is bordered on the north by Beykoz, on the east by Ümraniye, on the southeast by Ataşehir, on the south by Kadıköy, and on the west by the Bosphorus, with the areas of Beşiktaş,...
, yet shares little of its charm. It began as a small village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
of under 900 people, but in the early 1950s. Its population grew far beyond its capacity during the 1970s and 1980s due to migration
Human migration
Human migration is physical movement by humans from one area to another, sometimes over long distances or in large groups. Historically this movement was nomadic, often causing significant conflict with the indigenous population and their displacement or cultural assimilation. Only a few nomadic...
to the cities from rural areas of Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
.
The growth of Ümraniye was better controlled than similar districts on the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an side (such as Esenler
Esenler
Esenler is a district of Istanbul, Turkey, on its European side. Esenler is mainly densely packed, working class residential in the midst of its industrial neighbouring districts of Gaziosmanpaşa, Güngören and Bağcılar...
or Gaziosmanpaşa
Gaziosmanpasa
Gaziosmanpaşa is an impoverished working class municipality and district of Istanbul, Turkey, on its European side. With a population of 400,000 plus, it is one of the most populous districts. In 2009 Gaziosmanpaşa district were the divided to three districts: Gaziosmanpaşa, the central;...
); there are better, wider road
Road
A road is a thoroughfare, route, or way on land between two places, which typically has been paved or otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, including a horse, cart, or motor vehicle. Roads consist of one, or sometimes two, roadways each with one or more lanes and also any...
s through the district, more space between the blocks and more green space in general. And better amenities, a large commercial district grew up to support this large population, the main road through the centre has shiny public buildings, big shops, shopping centres, branches of all the banks etc. And Ümraniye has high schools, a courthouse, cultural amenities such as cinema and all the other infrastructure of an urban area. And the traffic of course.
Ümraniye became famous after an arms cache allegedly belonging to conspiratorial Ergenekon network
Ergenekon network
Ergenekon is the name given to an alleged clandestine, Kemalist ultra-nationalist organization in Turkey with possible ties to members of the country's military and security forces...
was discovered here in 2007.
Ümraniye today
With its natural landscape and urban design, Umraniye was chosen as the cleanest district of Istanbul by ISTACISTAC
The International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization is a research and postgraduate institution of the International Islamic University Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
.
Recently there has been a great deal of change in Umraniye. Large shopping malls and entertainment centers have opened. Many housing projects have been developed in Umraniye to address the needs of all classes. Ümraniye is one of the fastest growing areas in Istanbul.
In the last few decades, Ümraniye has built a lively shopping and business district. Numerous international businesses are now based in Umraniye, which attract young, well-educated people from all over Turkey. At Ümraniye, you can find 34 kindergarten, 61 primary School and 9 high schools, as well as 22 sport-centers, and 29 hospitals and clinics. There are numerous athletic and cultural activities in Umraniye at 40 parks, 3 movie theaters and 3 theaters.
Recent building projects include the construction of large shopping malls (including Istanbul's first branch of IKEA), and modern apartments complexes have made parts of Ümraniye attractive places for people to buy real estate, especially as Ümraniye is on a main highway that leads to one of the two bridges linking the Asian and European sides of Istanbul. A car ride from Ümraniye to Mecidiyeköy
Mecidiyeköy
Mecidiyeköy is a neighbourhood located in the Şişli district of Istanbul, Turkey. It is also one of the prominent business quarters of Istanbul. It is situated between Fulya, Kuştepe, Gültepe, Esentepe, and Gülbahar neighbourhoods...
, a business center on the European side of the city, may only take around 20 minutes in good traffic. Ümraniye also provides easy access to Üsküdar, Kadıköy and Ataşehir, the business capital of the Asian side of Istanbul.
Politics
Ümraniye has seen its fair share of political violence between left- and right-wingers over the years, and during the 70s and 80s law enforcement was problematic in parts of the area. In this way it was considered the Asian side's equivalent of GaziosmanpasaGaziosmanpasa
Gaziosmanpaşa is an impoverished working class municipality and district of Istanbul, Turkey, on its European side. With a population of 400,000 plus, it is one of the most populous districts. In 2009 Gaziosmanpaşa district were the divided to three districts: Gaziosmanpaşa, the central;...
on the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an side. It must be noted that this violence was concentrated in a small quarter of Ümraniye, a vast district. In recent times however, Ümraniye has been relatively calm, and the most dangerous crimes in the area are those typical of urban areas, such as pick-pocketing or theft.
The people of Ümraniye usually vote in large numbers for conservative parties. The AK Party
Justice and Development Party (Turkey)
The Justice and Development Party , abbreviated JDP in English and AK PARTİ or AKP in Turkish, is a centre-right political party in Turkey. The party is the largest in Turkey, with 327 members of parliament...
does well in this district.
Places of importance
In between UskudarÜsküdar
Üsküdar is a large and densely populated municipality of Istanbul, Turkey, on the Anatolian shore of the Bosphorus. It is bordered on the north by Beykoz, on the east by Ümraniye, on the southeast by Ataşehir, on the south by Kadıköy, and on the west by the Bosphorus, with the areas of Beşiktaş,...
and Ümraniye there is a 'çilehane' of the Sufi saint Aziz Mahmud Hudayi
Aziz Mahmud Hudayi
Aziz Mahmud Hudayi , , is amongst the most famous sufi saints of Turkey, mystic, poet, composer, author, statesman and Islamic scholar. He was the Sheikh of Sultan Ahmed I who constructed the famous Blue Mosque and especially gained the respect of Sultan Murat III. He read the first Friday prayer...
. A çilehane (cheelay-hahnay, lit. 'despair house') was where Sufis would go to pray in seclusion.
There is a large sports complex where major basketball games are played, the Haldun Alagaş sports complex.