Çatalca

Çatalca lies about 40 kilometers west of central Istanbul and just 15 kilometers north of Büyükçekmece. This small town was once home to a significant Greek community until the population exchanges of the 1920s.

Historic Streets and Old Town

Unlike many other places, Çatalca was untouched by the destruction of the Balkan Wars that came before World War I. The old quarter today is filled with historic wooden buildings and fountains, set in leafy public squares. A section of the ancient town walls still stands just north of the center, offering a glimpse into the past.

Remnants of Wars and Empires

The outskirts of Çatalca reveal more about its layered history. Here, visitors can spot bunkers from the World War II-era 'Çakmak Line,' as well as fragments of the much older Byzantine Anastasios Walls. These sites bear witness to the town's role as a strategic frontier across centuries.

The Museum and Population Exchange

One of Çatalca’s main landmarks is a museum set inside a red brick neoclassical building. Originally built as a Greek tavern, this building now tells the story of the 1922–26 population exchange between Greece and Turkey. The museum commemorates the forced migration of Greeks who lived in Turkey and Turks who lived in Greece, reflecting a profound period of change in the town’s history.