There are no buildings of historical significance in the beautiful district of Kadıköy on the shores of the Marmara. It has been one of the fastest growing districts in Istanbul for the last 20 years.

This is the site of the ancient village of Chalcedon. Later many monasteries were built on this site and the early Christian Ecumenical Council met here several times in the 5th century.

Only a few of the later mansions set in beautiful gardens have survived to our day. Yacht clubs, marinas and wide roads line the shores of Kadıköy.

Fenerbahçe is an ideal place for picnics and promenades. The Baghdad Avenue is famous for the shopping opportunities it offers. On the Uskudar side of the district, there is the Haydarpasa Railway Station built in 1906 in the Prussian architectural style. Now it is closed for construction.

This was the first (or last) stop of the Istanbul-Baghdad railway. The cemeteries and monuments for the British and French soldiers who lost their lives in the Crimean War are situated on the slopes near the station, next to the large military hospital.

There are two colossal buildings behind the commercial port facilities. The one with the clock tower, the former Haydarpasa High School, now houses a section of the university. The second building with four big towers is the Selimiye Barracks.

During the Crimean War (19th century), Florence Nightingale served here as a nurse and her room is preserved.

The district behind Leander's Tower is Uskudar, the historical location for crossings to the European side.

The 16th century mosques and the monumental fountain in the square, and the miniature Şemsi Paşa Mosque and the medrese on the shore,

both built by Sinan, are fine examples of Turkish architecture.

The historical Karacaahmet Cemetery is located on the slopes of Uskudar and behind these rise the Carnhca hills.

These hills covered with pine groves offer a bird's eye view of the Bpsphorus and the Princes' Islands.