Polonezkoy Nature Park

Polonezköy Nature Park is one of the places frequently visited by Istanbulites for a weekend getaway. It was declared a nature park by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry in 1994 and taken under protection. Polonezköy Nature Park, the city's first and largest nature park in terms of area, is located on an area of ​​approximately 3,004 hectares.

The region is home to several national parks and gardens, as well as the Black Tree Farm, the Pheasant-Partridge Production Farm and the Deer-Roe Production Farm. The park, which hosts many plant and animal species, provides opportunities for many outdoor recreational activities such as picnicking, camping, trekking and orienteering. There are 5 km long walking, cycling and running tracks and observation towers. There are also many restaurants. There are many guesthouses and hotel accommodation options in the village.

Polonezköy, which we can call the lungs of Istanbul, is actually a Polish village. The Polish people, who lost their independence as a result of the Polish uprising, were forced to leave their country and took refuge in the Ottoman Empire. In the face of this situation, Sultan Abdülmecit Han allowed settlement in this village, where around 85 Polish citizens still live today and whose name was Adamköy at the time. Polonezköy is actually a symbol of Polish-Turkish friendship…

Photo Source: https://www.gezilesiyer.com/polonezkoy-tabiat-parki.html