Bayrampasa Istanbul

There are a number of important public buildings in the area: Istanbul's largest prison; two large sports complexes; the main bus station (which is actually in Bayrampasa although it is named Esenler bus station). Bayrampasa lies on the route of the old road to Thrace and a number of major roads and a light railway run through the middle of the area.

The area was known as Sagmalcilar until 1970 when a large outbreak of cholera, caused by pollution of the Ottoman-built water supply by new buildings and factories, led to the area being quarantined. Following this incident the name Sagmalcilar became synonymous with cholera so the district was renamed Bayrampasa. Little of the Ottoman water system, which was built by Mimar Sinan, remains today.

Bayrampasa is the Turkish word for a variety of artichoke and there is a large statue of an artichoke in the middle of the district.