Istanbul, The City
With a stunning history lasting for more than 2,500 years, during which time the city was home to some of the greatest rulers and witnessed turbulent events as empires and leaders were rising and falling, it comes as no surprise that Istanbul is such a magnet for many travelers from all around the world.
A transcontinental city located in north-western Turkey, it lies on both Europen and Asian continents with Bosphorus strait dividing it into European (Thracian side) and Asian (Anatolian side). The climate represents a mixture of Mediterranean climate, humid subtropical and oceanic climate, and the city rarely gets extreme temperatures, whether in the summer or in the winter-time. Its great position was the reason the city was subject of many conquers throughout its history, and the fact that the Bosphorus is the only sea route connecting the Black Sea with the Mediterranean nowadays ensures blooming of Istanbul’s economy, making it one of world’s fastest-growing metropolitan economies.
The city that will eventually become one of the most important cities in world history was founded by the Greeks in 660 BC. The original settlement was located on the European side of the Bosphorus and bore the name of Byzantium. Several centuries later, when Constantine the Great pronounced it the new capital of the Roman Empire, the city gained a new name – Constantinople – which will remain for more than a millennium, until the Ottoman conquest of the city (and even then some would still address the city as Constantinople instead of Istanbul).
As the capital of the great Roman Empire, Constantinople was gaining more and more power, becoming the religious and cultural centre. Building was at its peak, and the blossom of the city’s architecture at that time can only be compared with Constantinople’s transition after the Ottoman conquest. Churches were built, and the greatest of them is most certainly the Hagia Sophia, completed in 537, an architectural masterpiece that would be known as the world’s largest cathedral for a thousand years.
However, after being the capital of three Christian empires (the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire and the Latin Empire), Constantinople fell under Ottoman rein in 1453. The siege lasted for two months, and in the end the Ottoman Turks finally gained entrance into the former Christian capital, declared by Sultan Mehmed II as a new Ottoman Empire capital within hours from the conquest. In the century to come started the transition of Constantinople, the Roman capital, to Istanbul, the new Ottoman capital; churches and cathedrals were converted to mosques – the first of them being the famous Hagia Sophia, converted to an imperial mosque by Sultan Mehmed II on the day the Ottoman Turks entered the city.
Istanbul started to develop grandiosely for the second time in its history; striving to create a capital equivalent to the European ones, the Sultan commissioned building of numerous new objects. During that time the Topkapı Palace was built and it became the official residence of the Imperial family, remaining so until the construction of Dolmabahçe Palace.
Further modernization of the city took its place in the 19th century when Istanbul gained connection to the European railway network in the 1880s, ensuring faster development of the city and the entire Empire. Other features were introduced to the citizens of Istanbul at the time, including water network, electricity, telephones and trams. Although the majority of these facilities came to Istanbul later than in European countries, it is interesting to mention that the first film screening in the Empire took its place in 1896 in Istanbul, only one year after the technology premiere in Paris.
Istanbul ended its 1,500 year long history of being a capital city after the end of the World War I, when Republic of Turkey was founded and the capital of the newborn state was moved to Ankara.
However, although not a capital for almost a century now, Istanbul still remains Turkish largest city and one of Europe’s largest urban agglomerations. The city’s population started growing at fast pace in the second half of the 20th century, when Turkish citizens from all over country came to Istanbul in search for work and better life conditions. That trend continues to this day, and it is due to that phenomenon that nowadays only 28 percent of city’s population was actually born in Istanbul. With a population surpassing 14 million, Turkey’s largest city ranks as the 6th largest in the world.
With that many people living and working in Istanbul and more than 10 million tourists arriving to this exciting metropolis each year, a city does have to have what to offer for them all, and Istanbul surely does. But even though the city is a cultural center with many events taking place throughout the year, the biggest attraction for world travelers is most certainly the city’s history, resembled in its historic neighborhoods and architectural works of art, with many of them listed as UNESCO World Heritage.
Due to the turbulent history and clashes of very different cultures and religions, Istanbul is now home of mainly Byzantine and Ottoman architecture, but not just those two, for a little of every nation that has passed through the city has remained in Istanbul, even after the creators left. Istanbul is like an aggregate of contrasts; along its streets you can admire beauties of Roman architecture by visiting the Column of Constantine, Basilica Cistern, or the widely popular Hagia Sophia, first a church, then a mosque and now a museum, or you can spend your day visiting pearls of Ottoman architecture – the Topkapı Palace for instance, or the Blue Mosque and Süleymaniye Mosque. The choices are endless, and it depends only on your preferences whether you’ll spend the day admiring the many palaces of Istanbul, visiting ancient churches or exploring lavish mosques – either way, you’ll enjoy a great visit if you choose to visit Turkey’s largest city.
If that is still not enough for you, worry not – Istanbul has much more to offer. Go to the Grand Bazaar, and enjoy a wonderful shopping experience going through loads of genuine Turkish artifacts while bargaining with local traders; or go and check out the open-air Mahmutpasha Bazaar, located between the Grand Bazaar and Istanbul’s major spice market, the Egyptian Bazaar. If you wish to grab a bite after a day full of sightseeing, try the traditional Turkish kebab or visit some of the many seafood restaurants located along the shores of the Bosphorus.
However, should you prefer taking a break on a bench in the shade of some tree, try out some of the parks Istanbul has to offer – Gülhane Park, Yıldız Park, Fethi Paşa Korusu, Emirgan Park and many more. Also an option is Istanbul’s popular day-trip site, the Belgrad Forest. Spread over 47 hectares, it is widely popular among citizens of Istanbul for picnics and outdoor activities, and it can surely offer you some cozy place for a minor break and a moment of enjoyment before you continue exploring the magical city of Istanbul.