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When I first moved to Istanbul in October 2010, Dolapdere was unsafe and off limits. However, this neighborhood in the Beyoğlu district is almost completely unrecognizable today.
While driving through Dolapdere in October 2018, I was shocked at the changes. Just a short walk downhill from Taksim Square, gentrification has unsurprisingly crept into the poverty-stricken area. There has been significant investment by hotels, art galleries, and businesses.
Arter
One of the biggest arrivals is Arter, a modern art gallery that moved to a huge facility in Dolapdere in September 2019 from its space on the more visible Istiklal Street. I visited on my most recent trip to the city in October 2023, so I’ll update with more info as soon as I have a chance. Admission is 100₺ and it’s free for all visitors on Thursdays (as of February 2024). Arter is open daily except Mondays.
Flea Market
My memories of Dolapdere are all from the flea market. The neighborhood has a high concentration of Roma, who get together to sell a mishmash of items on Sundays. The best way to get there is to walk down Dolapdere Taksim Street or Elmadağ Street and cross Irmak Avenue.
I visited this open-air “gypsy bazaar” with Tyra, Selen, and Canan, and it was very entertaining. First of all, the people were extremely friendly and had a good sense of humor.
Second, the variety of goods on sale was absolutely ridiculous. There were antiques that could have fetched a good price at a proper antique shop as well as head-scratchers like half-empty tubes of toothpaste and used AA batteries. We saw the ugliest clothing imaginable along with electronics that are beyond obsolete today.
To make things even more interesting, rumor has it that many of the goods are stolen from homes around Istanbul and resold in the flea market!
Panagia Evangelistria Greek Orthodox Church
The flea market takes place on the streets surrounding the Panagia Evangelistria Greek Orthodox Church (Εὐαγγελιστρίας τῶν Προπόδων / Panayia Evangelistria Rum Ortodoks Kilisesi). The building was constructed between 1877 and 1893. It was designed by Ottoman Greek architect Petrakis D. Mimaridis and stands on the site of an older wooden church dating back to 1857.
