Notes on the Geography of Turkey (Istanbul): The Growing Edge of the MetropolisIstanbul has 8 million people. Or 14 million, depending on how you define the boundary. Here we look at some greenfield residential subdivisions and a town that's just on the western edge of the metropolis. Make default image size larger ![]() Luxury apartments about an hour west of Sultan Ahmet by freeway, assuming moderate traffic. ![]() Getting tired of highrises? Want to keep your feet on the ground? ![]() How about a gated community with a grand entranceway with genuine cast-stone lions? ![]() Think we can get in? Ah, you betcha! We'll just say that we're from California. ![]() We're in. And amazingly, there's just about nobody here. The streets are dead empty. Looks like we really do have an American-style gated community, not just physically but socially. ![]() Single-family dwellings. The distant hills are in the path of an urban tidal wave. ![]() Trouble is, there's no diving board. Not even a stainless-steel grill. ![]() Guess we'd better sober up. Here's a statue of Sinan, the great architect. He stares at an arched bridge at Buyuk Cekmece, a town a few miles west of the subdivisions in the previous pictures. Sinan started out as a military engineer; hence his presence here at the bridge. ![]() His handiwork. ![]() Parts of Buyuk Cekmece look prosperously modern. ![]() When you think of middle-class Turkey--the Turkey that wants to be part of Europe--this isn't a bad model. ![]() Gates on the downtown streets keep traffic to a minimum. ![]() The shopping streets are pleasant. ![]() The town is connected. ![]() No need for traveller's checks. ![]() In fact, you have to really work to find some trace of the town as it used to be. Here, Ciftlik Street. ![]() Construction methods of those days. ![]() Box-framing with load-bearing masonry. |
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