Büyükçekmece (Buyukcekmece) is a district and municipality in the suburbs of Istanbul, Turkey on the Sea of Marmara coast of the European side, west of the city. It is largely an industrial area. The mayor is Hasan Akgün (CHP).
It is bordered on the east by the Esenyurt and Beylikduzu regions, and the Arnavutkoy region from the north, while on the western side it is bordered by the Silvari region, and the Marmara Sea on the southern side, of course.
The area administered by Buyukcekmece includes a large hinterland behind the Marmara shore, some of it still rural. Lake Buyukcekmece was connected to the sea until it was separated by a dam to supply fresh water to Istanbul. The Mimar Sinan Bridge is located in this area.
Facilities and activities
Buyukcekmece has a television broadcasting station, the third-largest transmission station in the world. It also has Turkey’s largest fairground, Tuyap Fairground, many large commercial complexes, gyms and water parks.
One of the largest cultural and artistic events takes place each year in Buyukcekmece, the Culture and Arts Festival, between 1-7 July each year. It is the third-largest festival globally in size and number of visitors, with at least 35,000 people participating annually in the huge event.
Education and health
Buyukcekmece has many schools, institutes and educational establishments, with 265 schools, 2,282 classrooms, serving more than 52,000 students, and employing 2,225 teachers, three institutes, one university, and various branches of two universities.
Buyukcekmece has more than 240 health care facilities: state public hospitals, university hospitals, medical clinics, and private hospitals. The region is one of the most health-sufficient areas and has reached advanced levels in Turkey and Europe concerning medical facilities.
Nature
Buyukcekmece has a large park called Camlik Park, a destination for visitors from the region, visitors from all areas of Istanbul, and even other Turkish cities. As for coasts, there are three coasts in Buyukcekmece, namely the Mimar Sinan Coast, the Buyukcekmece Coast, and Albatros Coast.