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Branes, Black Holes and Symmetries

17 – 19 June, 2020

Cancelled due to Covid–19 pandemic




Venue: The workshop takes place at the IMBM (Istanbul Center for Mathematical Sciences) which is located on the south campus of Bogazici University, indicated by an X on this campus map. One can find more detailed information here. The adress of the university is

Bogazici University South Campus (Bogazici Universitesi Guney Kampus) 34342 Bebek, Istanbul, TURKIYE

Accommodation: Istanbul offers a wide variety of hotels. For those not staying on campus we suggest to choose a hotel in the Taksim/Tunel area, at walking distance of the metro stations of either Taksim square subway station or Sishane subway station (google maps). For hotels closer to the university you can search in the Levent/Etiler/Bebek area.

Arrival to South Campus:

Taxi: Tell the taxi driver to take you to Bogazici University (say: 'Boazichi'). He will take you to the main entrance, labeled as "Zincirlikuyu - Bebek St." on the campus map. From there you can either walk, or continue with the taxi, keeping right at the fork, until you end up at the main square. Note that cabs run on meter, we do not tip cab drivers in Istanbul. From the Taksim area a trip should cost around 50-60TL, from Istanbul airport around 130-170TL, from Sabiha Gokcen around 170-200TL. In general it is adviced to take taxi's from taxi stops instead of those simply passing by in the street.

Public Transport: Most convenient public transportation for reaching to the university is the metro line. This line connects the university with the Levent metro station, which itself is connected by metro with Taksim square. To use public transport you need to get an "Istanbulkart" which is sold at ticket machines at metro stations and newspaper stands where you can also charge them. The card itself is 6 TL and one ride is almost 3 TL. This card can be used at all public transportation types including boats. You can find the Istanbul metro map here. Once you leave the subway station turn right, after a few meters you will easily recognise the university gate, it is labeled as "Zincirlikuyu - Bebek St." on the campus map. The brown line (M6) that comes to the university intersects with the green line (M2) at Levent and with M2 it is easy to reach Taksim. In addition to the subway the 559C (RUMELIHISARUSTU-TAKSIM) bus leaves every 10 minutes from Taksim square to the university, this takes about 50 minutes. The stop BOGAZICI UNIVERSITESI is next to the Etiler Gate of the university.

Eating on and around campus: There will be lunch at the Faculty Club (Kennedy Lodge) every day. For people staying at the university housing we suggest Teras Kantin, building 10 on the campus map, for breakfast. For dinner there are many restaurants in the Rumelihisarustu neighborhood (which is by the Etiler Gate of the University): Hazal Ana (kebab), Dalyan Balik (fish), Yenice (home cooking), etc. The Etiler Gate is labeled as "Zincirlikuyu - Bebek St." on the campus map. Or one can walk down to the Bebek-Hisari street, at the bottom of the campus map, next to the Bosphorus and explore the Bebek and Rumeli Hisari neighbourhoud.

Electricity: Turkey operates on 220 Volts, 50 Hz, with round-prong European-style plugs that fit into recessed wall sockets/points.

Water: Most people don't drink tap water in Istanbul. You can buy 0.5-liter bottles of water for 1.5 - 2 TL.

Tipping at restaurants: It is optional. Most people tip around 5-10 %.

Exchanging money: It is very easy in Istanbul. In Taksim and Sultanahmet, you will see many exchange offices. They do not charge any commission. The spread (i.e., the difference between the buying and selling prices) is around 2%. The spread at the exchange offices at the airport will be slightly worse. You can also of course withdraw TL from ATMs which are everywhere in the city, but they will charge you an ATM fee (a few euros) and their spread will be even worse.

Credit cards: Almost every restaurant and store will accept Visa and MasterCard. American Express is not as common.

Blackboard vs. beamer: In the seminar room of IMBM, there are multiple blackboards and a projector screen. It is possible to use the projector and write on the boards at the same time.

Wireless internet: There is free wireless internet on the Bogazici University campus, including IMBM. There is no password.

Visa to Turkey: Most of the participants coming from abroad will need a visa to enter Turkey. However, this is a rather trivial matter. Recently it has become possible to obtain an e-visa online before departure and this is the recommended route. It remains an option to obtain the visa on arrival at the airport. Once you land in Istanbul, there will be a desk just before passport control. There you pay a visa fee (price depends on nationality) and get a stamp. (Note that there might be exceptions. Please double-check if you are not a US or EU citizen.)







Bogazici University                              IMBM