**The First Settlement in Zeytinburnu** The first settlement in Zeytinburnu began in the years following Istanbul’s capture by the Turks, when a community known as the “Jerusalem Priests” started to settle in the Kazlıçeşme area. When Istanbul came under Turkish control, a disagreement arose among the Greeks who had settled in the city long before. As a result of this disagreement, the “Jerusalem Priests” settled along the coastline, now known as “Zeytinburnu.” It is said that the priests who settled here were more devout than those who remained in their old places within Istanbul, and that the former were unable to overlook the violations of Christian religious rules committed by the latter, which is why they settled in these lands that were vacant at the time. After a while, Zeytinburnu and the surrounding Kazlıçeşme area became a charming region where the Jerusalem Priests cultivated various agricultural products, olives, and many fruits, leading a life to their satisfaction.
When examining the title deeds of Bakırköy, it appears that three-quarters of the land in what is now the Zeytinburnu district was registered under the name “Jerusalem Sharif Farm,” indicating that it was the titled land of the Jerusalem priests. According to recent research, it has been revealed that before the reign of Sultan Bayezid II, these lands were owned by the Turks. For this reason, many sections of the title registration of the Zeytinburnu lands, which appeared as the property of the Jerusalem Priests, were transferred to the administration of foundations (vakıflar). During the time when the Jerusalem priests lived, this area became a beautiful region adorned with the myriad colors of nature. In those days, when the climate was suitable for the cultivation of olives, the Zeytinburnu region was a place for strolls. For many years, it influenced the lives of the people of Istanbul as a place for entertainment, rest, and wandering along the coast. There was a promenade known as “İskender Çelebi” between Bakırköy and Kazlıçeşme, which featured a very beautiful garden, pavilions within the garden, and waterfront mansions in front of the pavilions. This was a place where the Ottoman sultans lived to their heart’s content.
**The Beginning of Leather Crafting in the District**
The second significant event affecting settlement on the lands of the Zeytinburnu District is the establishment of the leather industry in Kazlıçeşme. The history of the leather industry in Turkey can be said to have begun in Kazlıçeşme over 150 years ago. Kazlıçeşme was a vacant area located outside the city. The leather industry found an environment by the seaside that provided all the necessary resources such as water and sunlight. As the leather industry developed in this environment, the number of people settling in the surrounding area gradually increased. The leather industry was followed by the textile industry. In 1927, when the Bezmen family established the textile industry in Kazlıçeşme, workers began to settle in the surrounding area.
**Beginning of Settlement through Shantytown Development:** In the 1940s, the lands of the Zeytinburnu district began to overflow with people. Shantytowns were spreading like an avalanche. Poor people built hundreds of shanties every night, thus adding thousands of people to the community each day. In this way, the construction of shantytowns was tolerated. Those who built and those who demolished became intertwined. A multitude of intermediaries emerged, dealing in the buying and selling of shantytowns. A huge shantytown city, without roads, schools, irregular, and unplanned, covered the lands of Zeytinburnu. This trend continued in its own phases until the year 1966. Social laws and natural rules that governed the impoverished masses were applied as best as they could. To prevent this haphazard development, Law No. 775 on Shantytowns came into effect on July 30, 1966. This law aimed to prevent the construction of further shantytowns. However, this law was not expanded. Problems began to stack up. Although the rate of shantytown construction was no longer as rapid, it continued on. The constructed and repaired shantytowns followed one another.
**Formation of Bucak:** Until 1953, the lands of Zeytinburnu district were managed as an area bordered to the east by the Fatih district and to the west by the Bakırköy district. By the 1950s, it had become clear that this area could no longer be managed from either Fatih or Bakırköy, and thoughts began to emerge about establishing an administrative organization for it. On July 30, 1953, it was organized as “ZEYTİNBURNU BUCAĞI” (Zeytinburnu Sub-District) under the Fatih district. The western part remained attached to the Bakırköy district.
**Formation of the District:** As a region whose population increased daily, it grew with increasingly complex social, economic, and cultural problems. From the 1940s to the 1960s, it became a place adorned with myriad issues of settlement and colored by various social wounds. In the 1955 census, the population was 17,585, which increased fivefold to 88,343 in the 1960 census, just five years later.
GEOGRAPHICAL STRUCTURE: Zeytinburnu is located in the southeastern part of Thrace, on the slopes of the Çatalca peninsula overlooking the Sea of Marmara, at the point where this sea meets. It is separated from the historic peninsula by walls, borders the E-5 highway, and is about 15-20 minutes away from the airport. For this reason, it serves as an important window opening to the outside of Istanbul. It is surrounded by Fatih to the east, Bayrampaşa to the north, Güngören and Bakırköy to the west, and the Sea of Marmara to the south.