Istanbul: the Dark side

Despite its rich history, Istanbul is a city experiencing problems associated mainly with a weak upgrade, uncontrolled growth, and ethnic conflicts.

(10 photos)

1. Istanbul is famous because it is located on the territory of Europe and Asia. But the uncontrolled growth of the city, and conflicts on political and ethnic grounds could hinder the transformation of Istanbul into one of the greatest metropolises in the world. (BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images)

2. Stability in Istanbul and throughout Turkey, is under threat because of the growing tension between the government and residing in the territory of Turkey's Kurdish minority. Last year, the representatives of the Kurdish separatist group "PKK" has claimed responsibility for the explosion of a roadside bomb in the Istanbul district of halkalı. The blast damaged a bus carrying Turkish troops, killing two soldiers and girl. (BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images)

3. January 16, Kurdish fighters throw bottles with Molotov cocktail during clashes with the military and police. Photo: firefighters, some of them wearing the l-1 suit, trying to extinguish the fire truck, set on fire by demonstrators. (BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images)

4. Kurdish demonstrators throw bottles with Molotov cocktail during clashes with Turkish police in April 2011. The demonstrators marked the 11th anniversary of the arrest of Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan. (BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images)

5. In December 2009, when the court declared the main part of the Kurds outside the law, Turkish nationalists have clashed in a skirmish with Kurdish activists after the Kurds organized demonstrations. (BULENT KILIC /AFP/Getty Images)

6. Extreme Turkish nationalism also had an influence on the aggravation of relations between different national communities of Istanbul, fuelling an atmosphere of hostility and violating freedom of speech. Hrant Dink, editor of Turkish-Armenian newspaper who was not afraid to speak directly to regarding the refusal of Turkey to recognize the Armenian genocide, was accused of "insulting Turkish identity" and 19 January 2007 was killed by a 17-year-old Turkish nationalist. The funeral of the journalist came tens of thousands of people. (Getty Images)

7. But death can lead not only affecting the national identity. Under blockages of a 6-storey building in Istanbul killed two, once in February 2007 there was a collapse. Investigators say that the reason was the dilapidated state of the structure. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)

8. Despite the fact that the Turks came to Istanbul in search of economic opportunities, the pace of development in some areas is poor. This picture was taken in the Istanbul district of Balat. (MUSTAFA OZER/AFP/Getty Images)

9. Prostitute-tranny Nedim Uzun works in one of the institutions in Istanbul's Taksim district. Before Nedim worked in education, but she was fired because she came on a school holiday in costume in the style of Madonna. (MUSTAFA OZER/AFP/Getty Images)

10. Babes-prostitutes stand in Taksim square waiting for customers. (MUSTAFA OZER/AFP/Getty Images)