VeloNotte™

Istanbul Velonotte has come true!

Almost 4000 cyclists met on Sultanahmet square in Istanbul last Saturday night. It was the first time in its almost 2000 year’s history, that the City has seen so many people on two wheels together.
People as far as from London, Moscow, Wien, Berlin, Tashkent, Kazan, Cairo, NYC and even Nizhnyi Tagil - joined members of the Turkish cyclist communities for this night of urban fun and education.

The nocturnal grand tour featured centerpieces of Byzantine, Ottoman and contemporary Turkish heritage – from Hagia Sophia to Pantokrator, from Blue Mosque to Sedad Hakki Eldem’s first public building, as well as hidden gems like marvelous British hospital by Holden and Pearson. It was Acik Radyo FM with its deep and precious commitment that have contributed to the iVelonotte with wonderful live all-night-long broadcasting in English and Turkish.

Thanks to all our experts and speakers – Philip Mansel (London, UK), David Abulafia (Cambridge university, UK), Andrew Saint of London Survey (English heritage, London, UK), Afife Batur (ITU, Istanbul), Nina Ergin (Koç university, Istanbul), Mikhail Meyer of Moscow state university (Russia), architect Can Elmas (Istanbul), Rustam Shukurov (Museum of Orient civilizations, Moscow, Russia), Zeynep Kuban (ITU, Istanbul), and Istanbul-based journalist and writer Owen Matthews.

A very warm thank you goes to all participants of Istanbul Velonotte. We are waiting for your stories, pictures, videos and memoirs. We do invite you to join the next events – Velonotte Albertina in London (22 June 2013) and Moscow Mayakovsky Velonotte (20 July 2013).

A special personal thanks to Marina Avdonina, Aydan Celik, Alan Vouba, Vahit Yilmaz, Ciğdem Maner, Nurdogan Senguler, Margherita Belgioioso, Gamze Sernaz, Davide & Anna, Sveta Nekrasova, Zarrina Niyazova, Alexandra Ivanoff, Esra Ertan, Bahar Turkay, Ayse Birlik, Victoria Aristova and Olya Terri for pushing the pedals of our enthusiasm through this long year of preparations. We love you!
And of course, we praise our technical partners - IBB, Istanbul Government and Istanbul police department, Bisikletliler dernegi, Advennture, Tulipe Morges Festival, Istanbul photo contest, TBD Group, My Destination and Ant Yapi. Without you, we couldn’t do it!

Bicycly yours,

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Sergey Nikitin & Velonotte team.

PS// And last but not least: the iVelonotte hopes to return in 2015!

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​Istanbul Velonotte hashtag is #iVelonotte



For iVelonotte press you can reach our Turkish partner Advennture:

+90 216 408 20 00, info@advennture.com