ÃÂatalca () is a municipality and district of Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its area is 1142 km<sup>2</sup>, making it the largest district in Istanbul Province by area. Its population is 77,468 (2022). It is in East Thrace, on the ridge between the Marmara and the Black Sea. Most people living in ÃÂatalca are farmers or owners of vacation homes. Many families from Istanbul come to ÃÂatalca for weekend hiking or picnics.
Modern ÃÂatalca partly lies on the site of Ergisce or Ergiske (), a Greek city in Thrace, located in the region of the Propontis. According to ancient texts, it was named after Ergiscus (), a son of Poseidon through the naiad (nymph) Aba (), presumed in Greek mythology to be a daughter of the river Hebros. Under Roman rule, the city was named Metrae or Metre () and was important enough in the late Roman province of Europa to become a suffragan of its capital Heraclea's metropolitan archbishop, yet was to fade.
ÃÂatalca was settled throughout the Ottoman period and according to the Ottoman Official Statistics of 1910 the majority of the area were Greeks. The Crimean War caused a mass exodus of Crimean Tatars towards Ottoman lands. A few Crimean Tatars settled in ÃÂatalca. In the First Balkan War the Bulgarian army had driven the Turkish forces back from the border, but the Turkish forces retreated to the prepared positions at ÃÂatalca where on 16âÂÂ17 November 1912 they defeated the Bulgarians at the "First Battle of ÃÂatalca". The ÃÂatalca fortifications formed a line across the peninsula, the "Chataldja line", which became the armistice line of 3 December 1912, after Bulgaria decided not to attack Adrianople at that time. Upon expiration of the armistice, on 3 February [O.S. 21 January] 1913, hostilities recommenced and the Second Battle of ÃÂatalca began. It was a series of thrusts and counter-thrusts by both the Ottomans and the Bulgarians and lasted until 3 April 1913. There were a large number of journalists who reported on the military actions at ÃÂatalca, whose accounts provide rich details about this event. According to the Ottoman population statistics of 1914, the kaza of ÃÂatalca had a total population of 30.165, consisting of 16.984 Greeks, 13.034 Muslims, 53 Jews, 44 Armenians, 40 Bulgarians and 10 Roma people. Before 1930, ÃÂatalca also covered present districts of Arnavutköy, Beylikdüzü, Büyükçekmece, western parts of Baà Âakà Âehir, rural parts of Eyüp and Sarñyer. In 1930 county (bucak) of Kilyos was part of district of Sarñyer, used to be part of BeyoÃÂlu. At same time, villages of Odayeri, AÃÂaçlñ, ðhsaniye and Kñsñrmandñra (Ià Âñklar after 1987) were passed to Kemerburgaz county (formerly part of BeyoÃÂlu district) of Sarñyer. In 1963, villages as Arnavutköy, Bolluca, Hacñmaà Âlñ, Haraççñ and ðmrahor of Boyalñk (its center was Hadñmköy) county part of district of Gaziosmanpaà Âa, formerly part of Eyüp. In 1972 Tayakadñn village of Boyalñk county and Yeniköy one of it were passed to Gaziosmapaà Âa. In 1987 county of Büyükçekmece was separated and become district. Finally in 2009 remainder of Boyalñk county was passed to Arnavutköy, was part of Gaziosmanpaà Âa and Muratbey village was passed to Büyükçekmece.
ÃÂatalca has 135 kilometers of coastline. Its neighbors include TekirdaàProvince to the west, Silivri to the southwest, Büyükçekmece to the south, and Arnavutköy to the east.
Fresh water for Istanbul is provided from by lakes Durusu and ÃÂatalca. Yalñköy is a seaside resort of ÃÂatalca. The ÃÂilingoz Nature Park west of Yalñköy offers camping and outdoor recreation activities.
There are 39 neighbourhoods in ÃÂatalca District:
At ÃÂatalca, there is a mediumwave broadcasting station with a 226 metres tall mast. It works on 702 kHz with 600 kW.
ÃÂatalca cooperates with: