Kadikoy, ancient Chalcedon meaning the village of the judge.

Kadikoy is an older settlement than those on the European side of the city of İstanbul . Relics dating to 5500-3500 BC ( Chalcolithic period ) have been found at the Fikirtepe Mound, and articles of stone, bone, ceramic, jewelry and bronze show that there has been a continuous settlement since prehistoric times. A port settlement dating from the Phoenicians has also been discovered. Chalcedon (Kadikoy) was the first settlement which the Greeks from Megara established on the Bosphorus , in 685 BC , a few years before they established Byzantium on the other side of the strait in 667 BC . Chalcedon became known as the 'city of the blind', the story being that Byzantium was founded following a prophecy that a great capital would be built 'opposite the city of the blind' (meaning that the people of Chalcedon must have been blind not to see the obvious value of the peninsula on the Golden Horn as a natural defensive harbour). And true enough, Chalcedon changed hands time and time again, as Persians , Bithynians , Romans , Byzantines , Arabs , Crusaders and Turks passed through the area, which was badly damaged during the riotous Fourth Crusade and eventually passed into Ottoman hands in 1353 , a full hundred years before İstanbul ( Constantinople ) was conquered. Thus, Kadikoy has the oldest mosque in İstanbul , which was built almost a century before the conquest of Constantinople in 1453 .

At the time of the conquest, Chalcedon was a rural settlement outside the protection of the city. It was soon put under the jurisdiction of the İstanbul courts, hence the name Kadikoy , which means Village of the Judge . In the Ottoman period, Kadikoy became a popular market for agricultural goods and in time developed into a residential area for people who would commute to the city by boat. The population was the typical Ottoman İstanbul mix of Armenians , Greeks , Jews and Turks . Kadikoy has several churches ( Greek , Armenian , Serbian , Catholic , Protestant ) and synagogues .  

This is from wikipedia.  I want to tell you also my story of Kadıkoy from my childhood and from today.  Kadıkoy is not the biggest settlement in surface but the biggest in population.  This place is a main shopping and entertainment area for locals.  There are plenty of shops, cafes, restaurants and movie theatres arount.  There are two theatre and one public educational center.  famous Salı Pazarı " Tuesday Market" is in Kadıkoy.  This is a market that you can find almost everything from good to clothing, from shoes to brown goods with almost half prices.  This market is also famous with their good quality replicas.  Keep this as a secret.

kadıkoy and Moda in my childhood was the main weekend destination.  The people that lives in Moda and in the silent streets of Kadıkoy were elegant and well behaved Turkish, Armenian or Jewish society.  Even Moda was very well known by late Baris Manco who was a worldwide famous Turkish pop singer.  We were going there to have tea at the gardens and watch the Moda quay at sundown.  The attitude of people and the amazing sprit on the streets was taking your soul and filling you with happiness.

I really liked to visit the fish market every time I went there.  Because it was not only a fish market but was full of the spice shops and  tobacco shops.   However t more important than that it was a pleasur to watch and being a part of the  nice and smiling crowd that moves like fluid.  Even today you can have the same feelings with less smiling face and more outcomers.


There is a 187 years old Armenian Church and there are still Sunday ceremonies there.  That church shows us that ther were quite number of Christian Society that lived there.




Kadıkoy is a real center for Istanbul.  You can reach the European side by bus, dolmus or by boats.  There are regular boats every 30 minutes to Karakoy, Eminonu ne Sirkeci.  You can find boats to Prince Islands and Sea Bus to Bostanci, Bakirkoy and Yenikapi.  While you are walking down to sea side and if you are hungry; you can try a burger or sandwich from Bambi.  This is a local chain of fast food.  Bambi vs Mc Donalds.