Istanbul, a meeting point of civilizations, of the East and the West and of the two continents

“If the world were a single state, Istanbul would be its capital ” (Napoleon Bonaparte)

These are just some of the hundreds of words spoken by the emperors for Istanbul over the centuries, some of the thousands of descriptions that can be made of Istanbul.

One foot of Istanbul is in Asia and the other in Europe. Istanbul straddles two continents. In the heart of the city, the Bosphorus Strait unites the Black Sea, the Sea of ​​Marmara and the Golden Horn.

Istanbul is a city where East and West, Asia and Europe and Islam and Christianity meet and create a harmonious synthesis. Istanbul, for its cultural riches and historical monuments, can be compared with Rome which has similar characteristics.

The most important reason that Istabul has become a great worldwide metropolis is its geographical position. Istanbul, which was the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, Byzantium and the Ottoman Empire, was enriched, for hundreds of years, during the reigns of these three powerful empires, with public and religious buildings, such as royal palaces, churches, mosques, bridges, aqueducts, libraries, bazaars, caravanserais, mausoleums, baths built by different governments to the most famous architects of their periods. Istanbul proudly preserves the legacy of its past while advancing towards a modern future.

If we try to get to know the city a little, Istanbul consists of three parts: On the European side, south of the Golden Horn, the Historical Peninsula (Old City), north of the Golden Horn, the district of Galata and Beyoğlu and the Asian side. While the European part of the city is a commercial and business center, the Asian part is more residential.

The Golden Horn is a sea inlet that is almost 6 km long and divides the European part in two. And due to its position between Europe and Asia, the city always had a great geopolitical importance.

Today, Istanbul is still the political and commercial center of the Balkans, the countries of the Middle East and the Turkish Republics of Central Asia and due to its strategic position which controls Asia and Europe. Over the centuries, the city always had a great geopolitical importance.

The city, in the early days was called by the name of its founder Byzantium, took the name Constantinople (the city of Constantine) during the reign of Emperor Constantine the Great.

When the city was conquered by the Ottomans, the name became Istanbul and it turned into one of the largest and most populated cities in Europe. The city is also made unique thanks to the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn and the Islands. Other attractive factors are: its mild climate, its nightlife, its hospitable people and Turkish cuisine.

Istanbul has been proclaimed as the European Capital of Culture for 2010.

Now, let’s get to know Istanbul and start our journey from the historical peninsula…Read More’…