Turkey’s largest culture and convention center, Istanbul Convention Center, is located in Istanbul’s most central area, Harbiye.
The construction of Istanbul Convention Center was completed in 2009. It first housed the annual meeting of the International Money Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. This meeting, which brought great dynamism to Istanbul, was attended by 20 thousand people.
Built on a 19.000 m2 area, the Istanbul Convention Center provides services in both national and international platforms. Within the tunnel which was built to provide ease of access by isolating it from the central traffic lie several multi-purpose exhibition areas.
The Muhsin Ertuğrul Theatre and the outdoor theatre stand out in the Istanbul Convention Center. With its 5 floors and total capacity of 600 spectators, the Muhsin Ertuğrul Theatre, and the Cemal Reşit Rey concert hall located across it bring cultural support to the area, and increase its variety and colorfulness.
The newly organized valley was one of the most dynamic culture and art centers of Istanbul in the past as well. The Cemil Topuzlu Outdoor Theatre staged some of the most acclaimed artists in the world for years, and hosted art festivals, one of the most important values of Istanbul, and will continue doing so.
