Nisantasi is the small district of Sisli extending from Taksim to Levent with a population of half a million residents. It is considered to be an upscale neighborhood with luxury brands, sidewalk cafes, and decorative buildings. Nisantasi, which means commemorative stone, emerged from the obelisk at the gridlocked crossroads of Valikonagı Caddesi, Tesvikiye, and Rumeli Caddesi.
Previously, Nisantasi was filled with target stones to mark the archery range records of the Ottoman archers and Sultans. These stones have details of the distance, date, and the shooter's name on the pavements. Sultan Selim III erected the first aiming stone on the site of what today is Tesvikiye Mosque.
Many neighborhoods in the area, such as Macka, Tesvikiye, Harbiye, Pangaltı, Osmanbey, and Bomonti are within walking distance of each other. It can be easily accessed from the main spots such as Taksim and Besiktas.
Orhan Pamuk, a Nobel Prize-Winning writer, had a long and deep history as he grew up in the Pamuk Apartment in the neighborhood right across the City’s Nisantasi. That is why he referred to the district in a lot of his novels.
Abdi Ipekci street in Nisantasi was named after Abdi Ipekci to honor him. He was a journalist and human rights activist murdered in 1979. His statue was built in 2000, and it stands between Tod’s and Louis Vuitton.
Nisantasi has gained considerable fame because of being preferred by high-ranked officials and dynasty members, leaving Topkapı Palace and moving to Dolmabahce or Yildiz Palace. From Kadikoy, Bakirkoy, Levent, and Sariyer, it can take 30 minutes to reach Nisantasi. From the Istanbul Airport, it can take up to 40 minutes.
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