The name of the city area “Besiktas” can be translated as “five stones” from Turkish. Some sources connect the name of the city area to the ancient port located here and supported by five massive pillars built by Hayreddin Pasha Barbarossa, a legendary Ottoman navy admiral (at first corsair and later influential state figure). His multiple victories secured the dominance of the Ottoman Empire in the Mediterranean for many years. Besiktas area is still considered a strategic city location with its large port and easy access to all key sites of Istanbul via the multiple means of affordable well-developed transportation system consisting of buses, metro, ferries, trams, bridges, taxis and even an underground tunnel build under the Bosphorus strait to connect the European and Asian sides of the city. 

In the past several generations of Ottoman sultans and aristocracy started building their residencies in the area. The rich historical heritage of the city is worth exploring by visiting sites like Rumeli Hisari, Dolmabahce Palace, Ihlamur Pavilions, Ortakoy Mosque, mausoleum, and square of Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha, and the Greek Orthodox church of archangels Michael and Gabriel. 

Special attention requires the maritime museum located in the area with its large collection of ships and firearms from different periods of history, including the yacht of Ataturk himself! From other modern sites, we would like to emphasize Beshiktas Carsi, an area market, and Istanbul Sapphire, a skyscraper offering stunning views of the city from its 54th floor. The building includes the mall, residential area, restaurants, terraces, gardens, and even has a pool and a mini-golf course! The area is also home to one of the most loved Turkish soccer teams Besiktas, named after the city area and based in the modern Vodafone Arena stadium with more than 40,000 sits capacity that also happened to host the 2019 UEFA Super Cup.