Christmas for Turkey: Istanbul World’s Best-Performing City

How the world’s cities have fared since the financial crisis hit in 2007

Cities are the great engines of growth in the world economy. Istanbul, with income growth of 5.5% & employment growth of 7.3% over the past year, is currently the world’s best-performing city, according to a new report by the Brookings Institution & the London School of Economics.

The report ranks 150 cities from across the globe according to growth in gross value added per person (a proxy for income) & employment. The 150 metropolitan areas represented just 12% of the world’s population but accounted for 46% of the world’s GDP in 2007.

Some cities have plunged in the rankings since the “Great Recession”. Dubai & Dublin, the second & sixth best-performing cities respectively between 1993 & 2007, now rank as the most stagnant.

Source: The Economist

Redesign For Notorious Torba Junction Bodrum

A junction named after a famous Turkish singer who died in a traffic accident at the same location three years ago will be reconstructed to prevent future accidents. Torba junction, located approximately 5 kilometres from Bodrum town centre, is now named Barış junction, after Barış Akarsu, who died there on June 29, 2007. In the last 3 years, 10 people have died there & 38 have been injured in traffic accidents.

“The construction of the new project prepared by the municipality will start tomorrow,” Bodrum Mayor told reporters at the municipal building.

“The project includes two underground tunnels for cars travelling to Torba, Gündoğan, Yalıkavak & Göltürkbükü. The project was already approved by local state authorities,” he said.

The goal is to create a project that will prevent traffic accidents involving both tourists & locals. “The project will be finished at the end of May,” he said. “I believe the reconstruction will put an end to traffic accidents at the junction.”

For more information visit: http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com

Bodrum: Cultural Heart of Eastern Europe

Turkey, a country rich with exquisite cultural heritage, houses one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the magnificent Mausoleum of Mausolus. The monument, situated in the stunning coastal city of Bodrum in southwest Turkey was impressively constructed to house the tomb of Mausolus, ancient ruler of Caria.

The name “Mausoleum”, describing the monument enclosing a burial chamber, actually originated from the original edifice in Bodrum. Its majestic, temple-like structure, decorated with reliefs and statuary on a massive base, stood resiliently for 1700 years until it was eventually devastated by earthquakes. Today, you can still visit the foundations and several pieces of sculpture that remain from the immense memorial.

Crusaders, arriving in Bodrum in the 15^th Century, transformed the remains of the Mausoleum into the remarkable Bodrum Castle. Still standing today, the stunning castle overlooks the harbour and the International Marina and visitors flock to the Museum of Underwater Archaeology that is accommodated in its grounds. As one of the finest examples of Crusader architecture in Eastern Europe, the stunning fortress hosts many cultural festivals throughout the year.

The Bodrum peninsula features a notably prevalent artistic and intellectual recent history, providing secondary residence to many artists, poets and singers. A variety of European expats have been attracted to the area due to its ideal climate, luxurious yet relaxed lifestyle and extremely high investment potential. As well as foreign investment, Turkish nationals are also eager to acquire holiday villas in the region and take part in the ever-popular leisure activities that Bodrum’s supreme location offers, including yachting, water sports and golf. The immense and heavenly coastline, with miles of beaches, bays and coves to discover, make every voyage peaceful and enjoyable.

Accessing the area is progressively easier since Bodrum boasts both an international and a domestic airport that receive daily flights from across Europe.

Bodrum, Turkey Map

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