Ümraniye

Ümraniye is a municipality and district of Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its area is 46 km2, and its population is 732,379 (2022). It was separated from Üsküdar in 1987. It is bordered by Çekmeköy to the northeast, Sancaktepe to the east, Ataşehir to the south, Üsküdar to the west and Beykoz to the northwest.
History
Ümraniye is located on high ground just inland from Üsküdar. It was originally a small village of less than 900 inhabitants, mainly coming from the Black Sea Region in the 1950s. Its population grew far beyond its capacity during the 1970s and 1980s due to migration to the cities from rural areas of Anatolia. On 17 March 1978, 5 workers were massacred by Communist militants in the district.
The growth of Ümraniye was relatively better controlled than other districts that also attracted workers on the European side (such as Esenler or Gaziosmanpaşa); there are wider roads through the district, more space between the blocks and relatively more green space. A large commercial district grew up to support this large population. The main road through the centre has public buildings, shops, shopping centres and branches of many banks.
Composition
There are 37 neighbourhoods in Ümraniye District:
Adem Yavuz
Altınşehir
Armağanevler
Aşağı Dudullu
Atakent
Atatürk
Çakmak
Çamlık
Cemil Meriç
Dumlupınar
Elmalıkent
Esenevler
Esenkent
Esenşehir
Fatih Sultan Mehmet
Finanskent
Hekimbaşı
Huzur
Ihlamurkuyu
İnkılap
İstiklal
Kazım Karabekir
Madenler
Mehmet Akif
Namık Kemal
Necip Fazıl
Parseller
Saray
Şerifali
Site
Tantavi
Tatlısu
Tepeüstü
Topağacı
Yamanevler
Yenişehir
Yukarı Dudullu
Ümraniye today
In the last few decades, Ümraniye has built a lively shopping and business district. Recent building projects include the construction of large shopping malls (including Istanbul's first branch of IKEA), and modern apartment complexes have made parts of Ümraniye attractive places buying real estate, as Ümraniye is on a main highway that leads to one of the two bridges linking the Asian and European sides of Istanbul.
Sports
The women's football club Dudullu Spor was promoted to the Women's First League for the 2020-21 League season.
The Süper Lig club Ümraniyespor is located in Ümraniye. The club plays their matches in the Ümraniye Belediyesi Şehir Stadium.
Politics
Ümraniye has seen its fair share of political violence between left and right-wingers over the years, and during the 70s and 80s law enforcement was problematic in parts of the area. In this way it was considered the Asian side's equivalent of Gaziosmanpaşa on the European side. This violence was concentrated in a small quarter of Ümraniye, a vast district. In recent times however, Ümraniye has been relatively calm. The people of Ümraniye usually vote in large numbers for conservative parties. The AK Party does well in this district.
Climate
Ümraniye experiences a relatively cool Mediterranean climate (Csa/Cs) according to both Köppen and Trewartha climate classifications, barely missing the criteria for a humid subtropical climate (Cfa/Cf), with cool winters and warm to hot summers. Because of its altitude, it is one of the colder districts of Istanbul, with plentiful snowfall and a reputation as a cold, brisk location. It falls into USDA hardiness zone 8b, and AHS heat zone 3.
Places of importance
In between Üsküdar and Ümraniye there is a 'çilehane' of the Sufi saint Aziz Mahmud Hudayi. A çilehane (lit. 'house of despair') was where Sufis would go to pray in seclusion.
The Haldun Alagaş Sports Hall is located here, which is named after the karateka Haldun Alagaş. The venue hosts both national and international basketball, volleyball, handball games and martial art competitions.
Due to its elevated altitude, the full scene of Istanbul, including Bosphorus and European Side, can be seen from Ümraniye.
International relations
Ümraniye is twinned with:
Şahinbey - Gaziantep, Turkey
Altıeylül - Balıkesir, Turkey
Susurluk - Balıkesir, Turkey
Belen - Hatay, Turkey
Mihalgazi - Eskişehir, Turkey
Geyve - Sakarya, Turkey
Of - Trabzon, Turkey
Kelkit - Gümüşhane, Turkey
Demirözü - Bayburt, Turkey
Çayeli - Rize, Turkey
Sarıcakaya - Eskişehir, Turkey
Gümüşhane - Turkey
Fojnica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Stari Grad, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Dire Dawa - Ethiopia
References
External links
Ümraniye municipality web site
Populated places in Istanbul Province
Metropolitan district municipalities in Turkey
Districts of Istanbul Province