How about a journey back to 1497. Boğazköy İstiklal Mahallesi existed then. Let’s explore its story.
Boğazköy İstiklal Mahallesi is a neighborhood in Istanbul’s Arnavutköy district. It holds centuries of history. Its story is intertwined with empires, religious shifts and population changes.
In 1497, Boğazköy was a small village. Only four Christian Rum households resided here. There were also 86 Christian Rum prisoners. Villagers farmed and raised livestock. They grew wheat, flax and grapes. Beekeeping was common. They paid 1675 akçe in annual taxes. A single stone mill operated. It generated 25 akçe in annual tax. Boğazköy belonged to the Haslar district. This district included 163 villages. Boğazköy was one of the villages. It housed Christian war prisoners. They were called serfs.
Fatih Sultan Mehmet captured Morea and the Balkans. He brought free citizens and prisoners. He settled them in villages around Istanbul. Early records detailed these serfs. Later records omitted them. The state granted them freedom. They received free citizen status. Boğazköy had another name in records. It appeared as “İmberin” or “Emberin”. This name means “sacred town” in Albanian.
In 1553, records show Boğazköy was part of Sultan Beyazid Veli’s foundation. This foundation supported the Beyazid Mosque. The area between Bakırköy, Çatalca and Sarıyer was foundation land. Boğazköy’s population grew. The number of households increased from 4 to 8. The village paid 1390 akçe in annual taxes. Products included oats, flax, grapes, honey, barley and wheat. Boğazköy belonged to the Çatalca district. It was part of the Vize province.
Boğazköy was a crucial passage point on the Edirne road. It held “derbent” status. Sultans traveled this road to Edirne. Armies marched this way to the Balkans. In 1888, records mention water routes from Boğazköy to Istanbul. Coal mines operated here. A grain warehouse was built. Records exist about the church in Boğazköy. In 1880, the old church was dilapidated. Permission was sought to rebuild it. It was to be named Ayatıryada. The necessary permit was obtained. The church was rebuilt. The interior and exterior were drawn. Construction cost 157,000 kuruş. The money came from the old church’s revenues.
During Istanbul’s occupation, incidents occurred. Some Greeks in Arnavutköy and Boğazköy formed a gang. They were armed by the British. On June 4, 1921 they attacked Muslims returning home. The attack happened between Arnavutköy and Boğazköy. They robbed them. They killed three people. The gang attacked nearby villages. They killed five more citizens. A police station was established in Boğazköy. It had one corporal and four soldiers. Efforts disarmed the gang. Leaders were arrested. They were sent to Çatalca Prison.
Muslims and non-violent Greeks maintained friendly relations. This had lasted for centuries. In 1924-1927, Greeks were sent to Greece. This was part of a population exchange. Muslim immigrants settled here. In 1928, a map showed Boğazköy. It was connected to Hadımköy. By 1946, it was part of Rami. Today, it is part of Gaziosmanpaşa district.
Until the early 1990s, Boğazköy was small. It relied on agriculture and livestock. Internal migration caused growth. It became a town in 1994. In 2000, the population was 15,607. Today it is around 30,000. Many work in industry and construction. Some still farm.
Boğazköy İstiklal Mahallesi stands as a testament to Istanbul’s ever-changing history. It is a place where empires clashed. Populations shifted. The spirit of the community remains.