Ayvatbendi Nature Park

About

Ayvatbendi Nature Park, in the Eyüpsultan district of İstanbul, is one of nine nature parks in the Belgrad Forest and was designated in 2011. It is named after the Ayvat Bendi dam, built in 1765 under Sultan Mustafa III on the Ayvat Deresi, a tributary of the Kağıthane Deresi. The park covers about 50 hectares, and an aqueduct stands directly opposite its day-use area. Most of the forest consists of middle-aged oaks, including Quercus vulcanica, sessile oak and Turkey oak, along with hornbeam, oriental beech, sweet chestnut, alder and tree heath. Wild boar, golden jackal, red deer, roe deer, fox, wolf, marten, buzzard, sparrowhawk, woodpeckers and red squirrel live in the area. Facilities include parking, a fountain, a kiosk, toilets, a prayer room, a country restaurant, picnic units, gazebos and a children's playground. A stream runs through the day-use area, and an earth path is suitable for nature walks. The nearby Kurt Kemeri social facilities also serve visitors.