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Belgradkapı is a neighborhood in Istanbul, Turkey, that straddles the old Theodosian Walls of Constantinople. It’s located in both the Zeytinburnu and Fatih districts, and north of the Yedikule neighborhood.
History
Belgradkapı is named for the Belgrade Gate (Belgrad Kapısı), which corresponds to the Byzantine Xylokerkos Gate (Πύλη τοῦ Ξυλοκέρκου). The Ottomans named the gate for the Serbian artisans resettled there after Süleyman the Magnificent conquered Belgrade in 1521.
Panagia of Belgrade Church
First, on the inside of the gate is the Panagia of Belgrade Greek Orthodox Church (Παναγία του Βελιγραδίου / Belgrat Kapı Panayia Rum Ortodoks Kilisesi). It was originally built by resettled Serbs in 1523 and dedicated to St. Paraskevi, whose relics were kept there. The current church was built in 1837, and the relics were moved to more prominent churches.
Silivrikapı Ice Rink
A short walk north in the Silivrikapı neighborhood is the Silivrikapı Ice Rink (Silivrikapı Buz Pisti), which opened in September 2009. It contains an Olympic-size rink with a seating capacity of 900 as well as a practice rink with a seating capacity of 200. It hosts Istanbul’s ice hockey clubs.
A Statue of Peace and Culture
Just outside the gate is a large sculpture in the middle of an intersection. It’s officially called A Statue of Peace and Culture (Barış ve Kültür Heykeli) and was erected in 2001. The sculpture portrays three hands holding up a half globe. The three hands represent the Turkish, Greek, and Armenian people living in Zeytinburnu. Three olive branches extending from the globe symbolize peace.
Abdi İpekçi Arena
Finally, a short walk south towards the Yedikule Gate is the former site of the Abdi İpekçi Arena. Construction started in 1979 and it finally opened on June 3, 1989. It was named after Turkish journalist Abdi İpekçi (1929-1979) and had a seating capacity of 12,270.
Abdi İpekçi Arena hosted many international sporting events, congresses, and concerts as well as games for Istanbul’s top four basketball clubs, Anandolu Efes, Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray and Besiktas. It declined in importance after the opening of the Sinan Erdem Dome in 2010 and was demolished in early 2018.
