VENUES
The AESOP 2025 Congress will primarily be held at Davutpaşa Campus of the Yıldız Technical University, offering modern facilities for sessions and events. Easily accessible via public transport, the campus provides a dynamic academic environment, fostering discussions on urban planning, sustainability, and transformative action in an era of planetary crisis.
The Opening Session and Welcome Reception, however, will take place in the Cemal Reşit Rey (CRR) Concert Hall, located in the Harbiye district of Şişli, close to the Taksim Area.
The AESOP PhD Workshop will take place in Istanbul Planning Agency’s (IPA) Florya Campus, which is located to the west of the YTU Davutpaşa Campus.
Cemal Resit Rey Concert Hall [CRR Hall ] Opening Session and Welcome Reception
Cemal Reşit Rey (CRR) Concert Hall, located in the Harbiye district of Şişli, Istanbul, is one of Turkey's leading concert halls. Opened in 1989, the hall has a seating capacity of 860 and is named after Cemal Reşit Rey, a renowned Turkish composer. It hosts a variety of events, including classical music concerts, jazz performances, traditional Turkish music recitals, and international musical acts. With its state-of-the-art acoustics and modern technical infrastructure, CRR provides a high-quality experience for audiences. Situated near Taksim Square, it is easily accessible by metro, bus, and other public transportation options.
Location:
Harbiye, Dar'ül Bedayi Cad No:6, 34371 Şişli/İstanbul
How to get to CRR
From Taksim:
Metro: Take the M2 metro line in Hacıosman direction, get off at Osmanbey Metro Station (1 stop later). Use the Pangaltı-Harbiye exit, then walk 800mt to CRR
Bus: Take one of the following buses: 54HT, 50N, 46T, or 70FN from Taksim Tunnel towards Harbiye. Get off at Harbiye Askeri Müze (3 stops), then walk 500 meters to CRR.
Taxi: From Taksim Square to CRR about takes about 5 minutes
Walk from Taksim Square to CRR about 27 minutes
Fig. 2 from Osmanbey Metro station to CRR. Fig. 3 Buses from Taksim Tunnel Fig. 4 On foot from Taksim Square
YTU Davutpaşa Campus (Congress Tracks & Sessions)
Our main campus, YTU Davutpaşa Campus, has a rich history that dates to the Byzantine period, serving as a military settlement and a location for palace ceremonies. During the Ottoman era, it continued to function as a barracks and a venue for military and palace events. The Davutpaşa Barracks for the army, designed by architect Krikor Balyan was built in the 19th century. The barracks were used as a shelter for immigrants during the Balkan War, and a military hospital was established during World War I. In 1999, the barracks were given to YTU and transformed into an institution of higher education.
Founded in 1911, Yıldız Technical University (YTU) is one of Turkey’s oldest technical universities. Originally the "Kondüktör Mekteb-i Âlisi," it became Istanbul Technical School in 1937 and gained university status in 1982.
Davutpaşa Campus, located in Esenler, Istanbul, is YTU’s main campus, featuring modern educational facilities, research centers, a technopark, and social spaces. Well-connected by public transport, it offers easy access across the city.
Location: Çifte Havuzlar, YTÜ-Davutpaşa Kampüsü, 34220 Esenler/İstanbul
Campus Map
How to get to YTU Davutpaşa Campus
Yenikapı Station is the main hub connecting various metro lines as well Marmaray, which goes underneath the Bosphorus and connects the east and west ends of the city.
Connecting at Yenikapı Station, you will be mainly using two metro lines to get to the YTÜ Davutpaşa Campus. These are M2 Yenikapı-Hacıosman metro line connecting Taksim and beyond to YENIKAPI and M1A Yenikapı – Atatürk Havalimanı metro line connecting to the YTU Davutpaşa Campus from Yenikapı Station.
Metrobus also provides another alternative. You can take Metrobus to from Zincirlikuyu or Mecidiyeköy Stops, get off at Cevizlibağ Stop, cross the pedestrian bridge and take taxi to YTU Davutpaşa Campus. For more information about Metrobus line and its stops: https://iett.istanbul/icerik/metrobus-hatlari
Here are the routes from central locations in Istanbul to Yıldız Technical University’s Davutpaşa Campus:
From Taksim or from Mecidiyeköy to YTU-Davutpaşa Campus:
Take the M2 Hacıosman-Yenikapı metro line in the direction of Yenikapı. At the Yenikapı metro station, transfer to M1A Yenikapı-Havalimanı metro line in the direction of Atatürk Havalimanı, and get off at YTÜ Davutpaşa station (9 stops), then walk across the skybridge to Campus Entrance A.
Important: Do not take the M1B line, as it heads in a different direction.
From Sultanahmet to YTU-Davutpaşa Campus:
From Sultanahmet, take the T6 Sirkeci-Kazlıçeşme Tram Line towards Kazlıçeşme and get off at Yenikapı.
At Yenikapı, transfer to the M1A Yenikapı-Havalimanı metro line heading towards Atatürk Havalimanı and get off at Davutpaşa-YTÜ station.
From Kadıköy on the Anatolian side to YTU-Davutpaşa Campus:
Take the M4 metro line (Kadıköy – Sabiha Gökçen Havalimanı (Airport) in the direction of Sabiha Gökçen and get off at Ayrılık Çeşmesi (1 stop). From Ayrılık Çeşmesi, take the MARMARAY line heading towards Yenikapı. At Yenikapı station transfer to M1A Yenikapı-Havalimanı metro line in Atatürk Havalimanı direction and get off at Davutpaşa-YTÜ station.
You can find detailed information about Istanbul METRO Lines at: https://www.metro.istanbul/Home
M2 Line: https://www.metro.istanbul/Hatlarimiz/HatDetay?hat=M2
M1A Line: https://www.metro.istanbul/Hatlarimiz/HatDetay?hat=M1A
MARMARAY: https://istanbul.com/about-city/marmaray
