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"Tchataldja" and "Chataldja" redirect here. For the town in Greece with those names see Khoristi.
Location of Çatalca in Istanbul
Location of Çatalca in Istanbul
Çatalca is located in Turkey
Location of Çatalca in Istanbul
Coordinates: 41°08′30″N 28°27′47″E﻿ / ﻿41.14167°N 28.46306°E﻿ / 41.14167; 28.46306Coordinates: 41°08′30″N 28°27′47″E﻿ / ﻿41.14167°N 28.46306°E﻿ / 41.14167; 28.46306
Country Turkey
City Istanbul
 • Mayor Cem Kara (CHP)
 • Governor Yüksel Ayhan
 • District 1,343.70 km2 (518.81 sq mi)
Population (2012)[2]
 • Urban 36,863
 • District 63,467
 • District density 47/km2 (120/sq mi)
Time zone EET (UTC+2)
 • Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3)
Area code(s) 0-212
Website www.catalca.bel.tr www.catalca.gov.tr

Çatalca is a city and a rural district in Istanbul, Turkey. It is in East Thrace, on the ridge between the Marmara and the Black Sea. Most people living in Çatalca are either farmers or those visiting vacation homes. Many families from Istanbul come to Çatalca during weekends to hike in the forests or have picnics.


Ancient period[edit]

Çatalca's ancient Greek name was Ergískē (Ἐργίσκη). According to Suida, the name is after Ergiscus, a son of Poseidon through the naiad Aba.

Modern period[edit]

Bulgarian bayonet charge at the "Battle of Çatalca"

Çatalca was settled throughout the Ottoman period, with a typical Ottoman mixed population of Greeks and Turks. The Crimean War caused a mass exodus of Crimean Tatars towards Ottoman lands. A few Crimean Tatars settled in Çatalca.

In the First Balkan War the Bulgarian army had driven the Turkish forces back from the border, but the Turkish forces retreated to the prepared positions at Çatalca where on 16–17 November 1912 they defeated the Bulgarians at the "First Battle of Çatalca".[3][4] The Çatalca fortifications formed a line across the peninsula, the "Chataldja line", which became the armistice line of 3 December 1912,[3] after Bulgaria decided not to attack Adrianople at that time.[3][4]

Before 1930, Çatalca also covered present districts of Arnavutköy, Beylikdüzü, Büyükçekmece, western parts of Başakşehir, rural parts of Eyüp and Sarıyer. In 1930 county (bucak) of Kilyos was part of district of Sarıyer, formerly was part of Beyoğlu. At same time, villages of Odayeri, Ağaçlı, İhsaniye and Kısırmandıra (Işıklar after 1987) were passed to Kemerburgaz county (formerly part of Beyoğlu district) of Sarıyer. In 1963, villages as Arnavutköy, Bolluca, Hacımaşlı, Haraççı and İmrahor of Boyalık (Its center was Hadımköy) county part of district of Gaziosmanpaşa, formerly part of Eyüp. In 1972 Tayakadın village of Boyalık county and Yeniköy one of it were passed to Gaziosmapaşa. In 1987 county of Büyükçekmece was separated and become district. Finally in 2009 remainder of Boyalık county was passed to Arnavutköy, was part of Gaziosmanpaşa and Muratbey village was passed to Büyükçekmece.


As of a November 22, 2000 census, the population of Çatalca district was 81,589, while the city of Çatalca had a population of 36,544 in 2009. The population growth rate was 0.66%. The literacy rate was 99%.


Çatalca has an area of 1,715 km² and 135 kilometers of coastline. Its neighbors include Çatalca to the south, and Silivri and Tekirdağ Province to the west. Avcılar, Küçükçekmece, and Arnavutköy lie to the east. Fresh water for Istanbul is provided from by lakes Durusu and Çatalca.


At Çatalca, there is a mediumwave broadcasting station with a 226 metres tall mast. It works on 702 kHz with 600 kW.

International relations[edit]

Twin towns — Sister cities[edit]

Çatalca is twinned with:


  3. ^ a b c Hall, Richard C. (2000) The Balkan Wars 1912-1913: Prelude to the First World War Routledge, London, page 69, ISBN 0-415-22946-4
  4. ^ a b Black, Jeremy (2002) Warfare in the Western World, 1882-1975 Indiana University Press, Bloomington, Indiana, page 40 ISBN 0-253-34050-0

External links[edit]