Skyscrapers peeking from the hills along the Bosphorus – that is Levent in a nutshell.
Levent is a major business district in Istanbul. It belongs to the area of Besiktas and is proof that Istanbul is full of reminders from the past, it does not fail to look into the future. Most of the International companies have their corporate offices here.
Levent is one of the modern faces of Istanbul. It is a considerable distance from the historic peninsula, located on the western side of the Bosphorus.
Here are some of the favorites when it comes to skyscrapers and shopping malls in Levent:
Is Bankasi Tower With 52 floors, the Is Bankasi Tower was the tallest skyscraper in the city, (and even in the entire Balkan peninsula) at the time of its completion. It makes use of technologies that help adapt to the environment and ensure stability (intelligent skyscraper technology). It’s just a few steps away from the subway station and stands at a proud height of 181.2 meters. With its flag spire, this is further increased into 194.57 meters.
Kanyon This is a combination of corporate office (30 floors), residential block (22 floors) and a shopping mall. Kanyon is chock-full of chic boutiques and retail stores selling designer clothes, as well as products from local franchises. This mall (which has 4 stories) has the distinction of winning the Cityscape Architectural Review Award in 2006, for the Commercial Built category. It sports an open-air design, which is very modern.
Metrocity Like Kanyon, this is a complex which not only offers shopping spaces, but offices and residential apartments as well. There are close to 150 stores that sell clothes, technological devices, shoes and all the things you would expect from a mall. What’s different about Metrocity is that its roof has a unique covering – fiberglass fabric covered with Teflon.
There are various plans for future developments, so Levent is the district to watch for further growth in the city.