During the late Ottoman Period, the European tradesmen, followed by the embassies community left the confines of Galata Walls surrounding the Galata port area, and created a new cosmopolitan development at Beyoğlu (Pera) along the lines of European cities, where diverse nationalities come together. The area of the settlement was referred to as Pera by seafarers and embassies community. The term means ‘the other side’ and refers to the area outside the old city. It is interesting to note that such a bustling part of today’s İstanbul was previously viewed as a distant corner. The name Beyoğlu (meaning a lord's son) was associated with the son of a Byzantine emperor or an ambassador of Venice who once settled in the area.

The European-style mansion houses that can be found in Beyoğlu were built by European tradesmen and ambassadors who settled in İstanbul. As there used to be frequent fires devastating the region, it was prohibited to build wooden buildings; and the beautiful buildings that have survived to the present day generally date to the time after that ban.

Beyoğlu once used to be outside the Galata Walls. It was connected with other areas through new roads following the demolition of the walls, and its importance increased significantly. It is known that even in the early Ottoman Period there were entertainment venues in the vicinity, where seamen could enjoy the facilities before their long sea journeys. At present, entertainment venues, art galleries, cinemas, theatres and concert and live music performance halls make it a cultural hub. Many cafés with street tables, as well as street performers mix in with the din of the crowds to create a street orchestra. Sometimes the streets become a veritable open-air exhibition.

İstiklal Avenue

İstiklal Avenue is one of the liveliest streets of İstanbul. Every day thousands walk through it. The only vehicular movement breaking the flood of human activity is the nostalgic thread of tramlines. Both sides of the street are lined with art galleries, famous shops selling accessories and jewellery, cafés where lively talk goes on and passages where drinking dens are situated. Most of the buildings identified with the avenue as well as the passages were built at the turn of the 20th century under the influence of the art nouveau movement, which was at the height of fashion then. Beyoğlu together with Galata is closely associated with Europe and any new trend or fashion was quickly adopted there. The pilaster sculpture and some self-standing statues decorating the façades of the period buildings are worth close examination. At the mid-section of İstiklal Street the crowd thickens. The place where seafarers from diverse lands met during the Byzantine and Ottoman periods is today one of the most popular areas.

An interesting route from the terminus of Tünel (funicular) first leads you to Galata Mevlevihanesi (House of Mevlevi Sufi Order), in other words the Museum of Divan Literature situated at Galip Dede Street. The Mevlevihane was built in 1491 by Mehmet Dede, the grandson of Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi who had a particular place in history on account of his teaching and philosophy. Despite being devastated in firestorm and other disasters the building, with repairs and renovation, has survived to our own day. On the first and last Saturday of every month, the Sema ritual (of whirling dervishes) is performed at the Semahane (ritual hall) section which is also used as a museum. In the Mevlevihane are also the cells of the dervishes who devoted themselves to the Mevlevi Order as well as a library. The tombs of masters and dervishes are in the courtyard. For those who wish to learn more about Mevlevi Order, a visit to the museum is a must, with its exhibits of artefacts relating to Mevlevi culture, classical Turkish musical instruments and illuminated manuscripts. The Tomb of Galip Dede is in front of the Mevlevihane.

As in Ottoman times, the Consulates are lined up along the Beyoğlu. They were all built during the late Ottoman Period. When the capital moved from İstanbul to Ankara the embassies too moved; however, the buildings of embassies still stand and they are used for different purposes today. Some of the Consulates have churches or chapels in their courtyards for their religious rituals.

One spot famous for its cafés and bars of the İstiklal Street is Asmalımescit Road. One of the oldest hotels of İstanbul, the Pera Palas, is next to the never-sleeping entertainment hub. Next to the hotel is the Museum of Pera which houses paintings of famous Ottoman artists.

One of the most famous meeting points in İstiklal Street is the Çiçek Pasajı (Flower Passage), opposite the Galatasaray Lycée. The tables are always full, with customers of all ages busily chatting. To reach Cezayir Street you walk down the slope following the walls of Galatasaray Lycée and turn left.

The passage buildings illustrate the special atmosphere of the İstiklal Street. Most of them were built in the late 19th century or early 20th century, and each one has its own surprises. One of the most interesting buildings is Halep Pasajı where a pilaster sculpture of a clown adorns the façade. The clown is actually a clue as to the original use of the building: it was formerly a circus. The famous Beyoğlu Cinema can also be found in that building.

In İstanbul the overwhelming Christian community is Orthodox. One of the grandest churches in İstanbul, Aya Triada (Holy Trinity) near Taksim Square is a Greek Orthodox Church.

Taksim Meydanı (Taksim Square) is at the end of İstiklal Street. The square was the water distribution centre of İstanbul in the past and so it took the name Taksim which means distribution in Turkish. It is one of the busiest places in İstanbul, and never sleeps.

If you walk from one end of İstiklal Avenue to the other you will not have savoured it fully. So go back, walk slowly, visit the passages, sit in its cafés, bars and drinking dens and enjoy Turkish meze (starters) with your drink. After sunset walk the street once more. The crowd will be moredense and the taste of the street different as the oriental music pouring out of the bars will take you to other worlds.

Information Text on the Use of Your Personal Data

This Consent and Information Document (“Information Document”) regulates terms and conditions for use of the data notified by Users of services (“Patients”) and/or gained from Patients during delivery of Oba Tourism Organization Adversiment  and Publishing Limited Company (“Medithrace”) with headquarter at Ertuğrul Mah. Orduevi Cad. No 2 Süleymanpaşa -  Tekirdağ pursuant to Personal Data Protection Law (Nr. 6698)  activities performed to deliver services, including “Free-of-charge Second Opinion and Health Counseling” (“Services”) at contract partner hospitals (“Hospitals”) with details written below.
 
How is your medical history and health information obtained?

Your personal health details are derived from “your medical reports, details about medications you take, epicrisis, imaging studies, imaging reports and pathology reports” that you submit us and they are shared with or disclosed to partner hospitals in Turkey and their relevant personnel in order to create your treatment plan.

Which data is processed?
 
This article lists the data that is regarded as personal data in Personal Data Protection Law (Nr. 6698) and processed by Medithrace for the services delivered to patients. Unless otherwise is stated, “Personal Data” and “Data with Specific Quality (Sensitive”) shall have following meanings pursuant to terms and conditions of this Information Document. 

Hospital collects following data that are notified by Patients. 
 
●    Identity - Address Details: Name surname, identity number, gender, date of birth, business or personal e-mail, phone number, home address or business address that are written on relevant forms,
●    Health Evaluation Details: Your medical history, medical reports, details of medications you take, epicrisis, imaging studies, imaging reports and pathology reports.
●    Extra data: Other health and/or personal information that is required for service delivery and not covered in above written data classes. 

Pursuant to Articles 3 and 7 of Personal Data Protection Law (Nr. 6698) and regulations to be issued by the Committee, personal data or sensitive data shall not cover the data that is anonymized by deleting your identity details in an irreversible manner and terms and conditions of this Information Document, hereby, shall not apply to such data. 

Why do we use your data?

Your data is shared with or disclosed to physicians, healthcare staff and other relevant hospital personnel to help our firm provide you with “free-of-charge second opinion” service that is rendered in relation with your probable treatment. Thus, they are used to have contract hospitals create a complete treatment plan and submit estimated cost.

Hospitals may process the personal data notified by the Patient and the new data derived by the Hospital from the personal data in order to help the Patient use the Services, deliver the Services, fulfill the intended use of the personal data specified in this Information Document, fulfill the liabilities arising out of the content of Services and meet any and all legal obligations.

In addition, the Hospital may process the personal data and disclose them to third parties without any need to consent of the Patient pursuant to Articles 5, 6 and 8 of Personal Data Protection Law (Nr. 6698) and/or in the presence of exemptions in the relevant legislation.

Allowed Disclosures
 
Medithrace shall be entitled to disclose the personal data notified by the Patient and the new data derived by the hospital from the personal data in order to render the Services, improve the patient experience, improve Services and achieve any one of the goals specified under the section “Why do we use your data?” of this Information Policy.

Your personal, clinical and genetic data collected pursuant to this Information Document, hereby, shall be processed in line with the provisions written in this document and the provisions and security measures dictated by relevant legislation of the country, where the data is stored and/or processed.

Your Right to Access Your Data and Your Correction Requests

 The patient shall have the following rights by applying to Medithrace;

●    Learning if the personal data is processed or how it is processed,
●    Requesting relevant information, if personal data is processed,
●    Learning the intent of processing personal data and whether they are used in line with the intention, 
●    Learning local and international third parties who are shared the personal data,
●    Requesting correction, if personal data is processes incompletely or incorrectly,
●    Requesting correction, deletion or disposal of the personal data in line with the provisions set by relevant legislation; requesting notification of the correction, deletion or disposal to third parties that are transferred the personal data,
●    Raising an objection to a negative outcome arising out of analyzing the data exclusively with automated systems,
●    Requesting compensation of loss and damage that arises out of illegal processing of personal data. 

The patient may post the request in writing to Ertuğrul Mah. Orduevi Cad. No: 2 Süleymanpaşa -  Tekirdağ or e-mail the request letter to info@medithrace.com. Medithrace shall issue and transfer the positive or negative response in writing or electronically pursuant to the above mentioned requests, provided the grounds of negative response are notified. The Patient undertakes that the details subject to this Information Policy are complete, correct and up-to-date and that they will be immediately updated in case of any change Medithrace shall assume no responsibility, if up-to-date information is not notified by the Patient.

Duration of Storage for Personal Data


Medithrace shall store the personal data notified by the Patient for the interval that the Services are actually delivered in order to fulfill liabilities set in this Information Policy, hereby, and arise out of the content of Services to help the Patient use the Services.

Our Measures and Commitments for Data Security

Pursuant to provisions set by relevant legislation or mentioned in this Information Policy, Medithrace commits to take necessary technical and administrative measures to ensure appropriate level of security in order to prevent illegal access to the personal data and/or illegal data processing.
Possible Changes in Information Policy
Medithrace shall be entitled to amend provisions of this Information Policy at any time, provided the amended policy is accessible at the Web Site, www.medithrace.com. The amendments made in the Information Policy by Medithrace shall be put into force immediately after the amended provisions are publicized.

By signing the declaration and consent document, I agree and state that I received the information and consent document, I read and understood the content and my personal data is processed, used and disclosed to third parties if necessary for my potential treatment.

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