Başakşehir

Başakşehir is a municipality and district of Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its area is 107 km2, and its population is 514,900 (2022). It is in the European part of Istanbul. The district is home to İstanbul Başakşehir F.K., a football team competing in the Süper Lig. It also includes Ibn Haldun University and Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital. Additionally, the district features Bahçeşehir, one of Turkey's early suburban residential development projects. Notable sports venues in the district include Atatürk Olympic Stadium and Başakşehir Fatih Terim Stadium. BBC News has referred to Başakşehir as a primary hub for the middle and upper-class conservative demographic in Turkey. This description is based on the concept of the WASP model, emphasizing the district's representation of a particular sociocultural identity and lifestyle associated with conservative values in urban spaces.

== History == Archaeological evidence suggests that the earliest traces of human activity in Istanbul can be found in the Yarımburgaz Cave, located in Başakşehir. Excavations in the area have revealed that the region has a deep historical significance, dating back to prehistoric times. Artifacts discovered within the cave and its surroundings have been identified as belonging to the Paleolithic period, highlighting Başakşehir's role as one of the earliest known human settlements in the area. Başakşehir, located around the historical Via Egnatia that connected the Byzantine Empire’s western territories to Europe, has historically been of strategic importance. Its southern region, in particular, was a key passageway during incursions into Istanbul, making it a transit point for various invasions.