Esenler is a district of Istanbul, Turkey, on its European side. Esenler is mainly densely packed, working class residential in the midst of its industrial neighbouring districts of Gaziosmanpaşa, Güngören and Bağcılar.

In the Ottoman times this area, well outside the city walls, was the villages of Litros and Avas, populated by Greek farmers. During the 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey, these villagers were deported and the area was then settled by Turks who had themselves been deported from Macedonia. Christian Orthodox Romani people from Esenler settled in Amaliada four decades after population exchange. It was part of Bakırköy district till 1992 and Güngören between 1992 and 1994.

Many of the large numbers of people that migrated to Istanbul in the 60s to 90s ended up in districts like this and with a population of over half a million Esenler has desperately insufficient infrastructure, leading to over-crowded schoolrooms and many other problems.

Esenler has the largest inter-city bus terminal of the European side.

Litros was the Greek name of the village before it was named as Esenler. Interchange between Greece and Turkey in 1924 changed a lot about district. After Greek residents left for Greece, it became a new home for Turks moving from Macedonia. Population was around 800 during 1940s. After 1970s it raised more as Esenler became a home for migrants from Anatolia. After a huge migration wave, population increased to 150,000 in 1985 and continued to raise till today up to 450,000. This rapidly increasing population caused many problems to evolve within district.

Unfortunately Esenler grown up so unplanned, without taking any urbanization and cultural development issues into mind. Migrants who try to survive were forced find their own ways in this high speed evolution. Still today crime rate is pretty high in this district even though it’s located very close to the city centre. Not hard to guess, you better not expect any social life or cultural activity in this part of the city. Esenler is the other face of Istanbul which is not mentioned in commercials.