Eminönü

As people want to buy New Year's Eve national lottery tickets before they are sold out, long lines are being seen in front of the famous lottery booth in Istanbul's Eminönü district.

Istanbul Chamber of Commerce building in the district of Eminönü.

Forty-five electrical panels two-meters-long have been placed on the outer walls of Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı or Egyptian Bazaar) located near the iconic Hagia Sophia Museum and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul’s Eminönü neighborhood.

A comprehensive restoration of Istanbul's historic Spice Bazaar, located near the iconic Hagia Sophia Museum and Blue Mosque, has been completed. 

Istanbul's old Galata Bridge, which connected two important centers of the city for eight decades before it was taken to a rear point on the Golden Horn for restoration following damage from a major fire, has been entirely removed.

Thousands of people ran in the Vodafone Istanbul Marathon from the Asian continent to the European, commemorating people killed by putschist soldiers during the failed July 15 coup attempt. 

The marathon hosted 90 elite athletes, including 28 top Turkish runners, as well as thousands of people who just want to challenge themselves by running 42 kilometers (26 miles).        

One of Istanbul's iconic names, the 115-year-old famous Pandeli Restaurant situated in the Spice Bazaar has been closed for the last three months. 

Restoration works that have been going on for a long time in the Spice Bazaar and the crisis which hit the tourism sector negatively, have removed the oxygen from this famous turquoise-tiled restaurant. 

A tramline that will run on the coast between Istanbul's Eminönü and Eyüp neighborhoods is set to be laid as its environmental impact assessment has begun. 

The line, which will carry 10,500 passengers in an hour, will offer a traffic-free sightseeing tour for those who want to see the age-old buildings in Istanbul's historical peninsula and Haliç area.  

Istanbul has fallen into silence after the deadly suicide attack in one of the city's most lively spots, Istiklal Avenue, on March 19, which killed five and left at least 39 wounded. Police closed Taksim and its environs to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic after the attack.

Heavy snowfall ahead of New Year's has paralyzed life across Turkey, as some flights and ferries were canceled, schools were closed and snow-covered roads inhibited access to thousands of villages in the eastern parts of the country. 

Turkish Airlines and low-cost Turkish carrier Pegasus canceled 221 flights scheduled for Dec. 31, 2015, and Jan. 1, 2016, due to the snow storm.