Turkic Wikimedia Conference 2023/Guide

Digital Guide

Click on the image below to access the digital guide containing all the details for the participants.

TWC 2023 Digital Guide

Istanbul

A collage of views of the city (from up to down: Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace), Basilica Cistern, Maiden's Tower, Eyüp Gondola and Galata Tower

Istanbul is Turkey’s (Türkiye from now on) largest city as economically, demographically, culturally and historically. Also, it is the most populous European city, and the world's 15th-largest city by population. The city is located on two sides of the Bosphorus Strait, a 31-km-long waterway that separates Asia from Europe.

Turkic Wikimedia Conference 2023 will be held in the Asian (Anatolian) part of the city at the entrance of the Bosphorus. The venue of the event, Üsküdar University, takes its name from the Üsküdar district it is situated in. Üsküdar is a major transport hub, with ferries and rail service (Marmaray) to the European side where the historical peninsula; and home to about half a million people, numerous historic buildings and Maiden's Tower, one of the symbols of İstanbul from Byzantine times.

Some tourist attractions

Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque Hagia Sophia is a mosque and former basilica, cathedral and museum. Built 1485 years ago, it remained the largest cathedral in the world for a thousand years. Located opposite of Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque is Ottoman-era historical imperial mosque located in Fatih District. It was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.
Galata Tower, which is one of the symbolic structures of Istanbul, was built by the Genoese in 1348 as a watchtower.
İstiklal Avenue, is a popular pedestrian-street located between Tünel and Taksim Square and many historical buildings, including St. Anthony of Padua Church and Çiçek Pasajı, are located on the street.
Topkapı Palace was the primary royal residence of the Ottoman Sultans in Istanbul between 1465 to 1856.
Çamlıca Tower and Çamlıca Mosque, Çamlıca Tower at an altitude of 369 meters, hosts two restaurants and an observation terrace and it's located 2.9 km from the Hotel Mercure Altunizade. Completed in 2019, Çamlıca Mosque is Türkiye’s largest mosque in terms of capacity. It's located 3.8 km from the Hotel Mercure Altunizade.
Beylerbeyi Palace, located in the Beylerbeyi of Üsküdar district, the palace was built in 1865 by the Ottoman Sultan Abdülaziz.

Important phone numbers

Emergency telephone number for Türkiye

International calling code for Türkiye: +90
Ambulance, Fire, Police, Gendarme: 112
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (24/7 Help Desk for transportation, Istanbulkart etc.): 153
Consulates General of the Countries in Istanbul (Hotline)
- Azerbaijan: +90 536 613 86 48
- Georgia: +90 541 818 44 00
- Iran: +90 212 513 82 30-33
- Kazakhstan: +90 212 662 53 47
- Uzbekistan: +90 212 323 20 37
- Russia (Bashkortostan, Sakha and Tatarstan): +90 212 292 51 01

Quick facts

Timezone

Istanbul is located in the UTC/GMT +3 time zone. (Convert to your timezone) This time zone is also called Turkey time (TRT). There are no summer or winter time switches across the country. In Istanbul, the sun rises around 07:00 and sets around 18:40.

Currency

Turkish lira sign

Turkish lira (TRY, TL or ₺) is used in Istanbul and all over Türkiye. You can use your own credit, debit or prepaid card in the city (in restaurants, cafes, bars, shops, pharmacies, etc.). However, please note that you should only use Turkish lira (₺) as cash. You can carry out your foreign exchange transactions at exchange offices located all over the city. This will allow you not to waste time withdrawing money or converting currencies. We recommend paying everywhere in Istanbul with a bank card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express). If you prefer digital payment methods such as Apple Pay and Google Wallet, you can also use this payment method in most places.

Turkish lira banknotes
Turkish lira coins

Mobile / Internet providers

There are 3 mobile operators across Türkiye; Turkcell, Türk Telekom and Vodafone. You can also use the İBB Wi-Fi service provided free of charge by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality in many points of Istanbul (public transportation, city squares and public areas).

Plug type

Europlug Type C, E and Type F plug types are used in Türkiye. The voltage current across the country is 230 V / 50 Hz. If you do not have a type C, E or F plug, it is recommended to obtain a converter.

Type C plug (Europlug) and socket
Type E plug and socket
Type F plug and socket

Istanbul

Airports

There are two airports used effectively in Istanbul; Istanbul Airport (European Side) and Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (Asian Side)

Istanbul Airport
Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport

Public transport

Railway systems map of Istanbul

In order to use public transportation vehicles, you must first have an Istanbulkart. The card price is ₺70. The boarding fee for one person is ₺15,00.

You can also use your own MasterCard cards on public transport. However, the fare schedule you will pay with your MasterCard cards is as follows: Bus ₺30, Metrobus ₺60.

İETT (Bus)
Metro
Tram
Metrobus (Bus Rapid Transit)
Marmaray (Commuter rail)
Ferry Lines (Seaways)

Quick facts

General
Driving orientation	Drives on the right
Country code	+90
Istanbul
Population	15.907.951 (2022)
Land area	5.461 km²
Climate	Between Temperate and subtropical. Lowest -11°C, highest +40°C degrees throughout the year. Humidity rate is 75%.

Important notes

In Istanbul, you do not need to feed the animals you see on the street. Because they are regularly fed and cared for by the relevant units.

Enjoy your stay!