Being close to Gaziosmanpaşa, Gaziosmanpaşa Picnic Area has become one of the places where Gaziosmanpaşa residents can breathe easily. It is also possible to see Alibey Dam Lake from above thanks to the observation terrace built. The number of places in Istanbul where we can see such views is quite limited. There is not much need to write about non-special picnic areas, but this place should be known for its view.
There are picnic tables and gazebos inside, but there are not enough of them. For this reason, everyone prefers to have a picnic on the grass. There doesn’t seem to be a clear situation about barbecues yet. Since there was no sign that barbecues were forbidden, there were some people barbecuing. From time to time the place was filled with smoke. It is not a pleasant situation for those who come for a walk.
It is a nice park in terms of utilizing the area around the dam in this way and providing green space for the public, but as long as there are people throwing banana peels on the ground, leaving their garbage around, and security guards who do not control them, I feel like we will not be a man.
Where is Gaziosmanpaşa Picnic Area and how to get there?
You must have seen the Alibey Dam Lake while passing through the TEM highway. This picnic area is located on the dam side of that dam, that is, on the south side. Naturally, since the area is small, the parking area is also small and if you come at busy times, you may even need to park your car far from the entrance. We found an available space in the parking lot inside, but on the way back, there were so many cars parked on the side of the road that it was very busy.
The park, which was open for a fee when it was opened, was later transformed into a national garden and made free of charge. This must be the reason for this density. On the Sultangazi side of Gaziosmanpaşa Picnic Area is the Sultan Gazi Park, which is similar to this park, but I guess it is smaller. In this way, the Alibey Dam Lake was tried to be utilized on both sides.
