Esenler

Esenler
Esenler
Coordinates: 41°03′00″N 28°51′00″E
Country	Turkey
Province	İstanbul
Government
• Mayor	Mehmet Tevfik Göksu (AKP)
• Kaymakam	Nazım Madenoğlu
Area
• District	39 km2 (15 sq mi)
Population (2008)
• District	464,557
• District Density	12,000/km2 (31,000/sq mi)
Website	www.esenler.bel.tr

District location in Istanbul

Esenler is a district of Istanbul, Turkey, on its European side. Esenler is mainly densely packed, working class residential in the midst of its industrial neighbouring districts of Gaziosmanpaşa, Güngören and Bağcılar. The mayor is Tevfik Göksu (AKP).

History

In the Ottoman times this area, well outside the city walls, was the villages of Litros and Avas, populated by Greek farmers. These villagers were deported in the population exchange at the founding of the Turkish republic and the area was then settled by Turks from Macedonia.

Esenler today

Main bus station in Esenler, Istanbul

Many of the large numbers of people that migrated to Istanbul in the 60s to 90s ended up in districts like this and with a population of over half a million Esenler has desperately insufficient infrastructure, leading to over-crowded schoolrooms and many other problems.

Esenler has the huge inter-city bus terminal of the European side.

References

• "History and geography of Esenler" (in Turkish). Governorship of Esenler, Istanbul. 2009. http://www.esenler.gov.tr/?id=31. Retrieved 2009-08-09. 
• "Administrative situation of Esenler" (in Turkish). Governorship of Esenler, Istanbul. 2009. http://www.esenler.gov.tr/?id=33. Retrieved 2009-08-09. 
• "History of Esenler" (in Turkish). Municipality of Esenler, Istanbul. 2009. http://www.esenler.bel.tr/index.php?c=page&page=esenlertarihi. Retrieved 2009-08-09. 

External links

• District governor's official website (Turkish)
• District municipality's official website (Turkish)
• Local news website (Turkish)