The Belgrade Forest is a naturally occurring wooded area at the eastern end of the Catalca Peninsula, on the European side of Istanbul. The eastern boundaries of the Bosphorus are to the east and the Black Sea to the north. While it was the most important source of drinking water for Istanbul during the Byzantine and Ottoman periods; nowadays, since the water it supplies to the city is far below the needs of the city, its recreational function predominates.
The name of the forest comes from the village of Belgrade where the inhabitants of Belgrade brought with them the return of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent to Serbia. When it became known that the inhabitants were polluting the water resources, the village was moved by the command of the Sultan; After this date, official measures were taken for the first time to protect the forest and the water resources it contains.
Belgrad Forest, which is a region that receives heavy rainfall despite its high altitude, shows the transition between Central European and Mediterranean climates. This nature of the forest allows different plant species to grow in the same area. The plant's presence in the forest generally consists of deciduous trees and shrubs in winter. Stalkless oak is the predominant tree species in the forest.
The Belgrade Forest is also an important region in terms of its existence in and around Istanbul. It is the natural habitat of many birds, reptiles and mammals. With forest protection measures and hunting bans for animals, endangered species can easily breed here.
Belgrad Forests, which have a very rich geography in terms of the presence of water, host many rivers of various sizes. Embankments were built in front of some of these rivers during the Ottoman period. There are a total of 6 historical embankments scattered throughout the forest boundaries.
Today, Belgrade Forest, which is within the administrative boundaries of Istanbul Regional Directorate of Forestry, was organized as a promenade and picnic area in 1956 and opened to the public and offered to the use of Istanbul residents.