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Istanbul is the cultural and financial center of Turkey, situated on the Bosphorus Strait, and boasts a natural harbor called the Golden Horn. Extending over both the European and the Asian sided of the strait, it’s the only city on Earth which spreads across two different continents. Over the course of its long, epic history, Istanbul has served as the capital of the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Latin Empire and the Ottoman Empire. Accordingly, this fascinating metropolis has had a variety of different names over the years, such as New Rome, Vasileousa Polis (the Queen of Cities), Constantinople and Tsarigrad. In 1930, Turkish authorities officially adopted Istanbul as the only legal name for the city.
Human settlements in the area date all the way back to circa 5000 BC, and Greek settlers colonized one side of the Bosphorus in 685 BC, then the other side in 667. In 196 AD, Istanbul was attacked by Roman forces, suffering heavy damages in the process. It was quickly reconstructed by Roman Emperor Septimius Severus, and was briefly renamed Augusta Antonina by Severus. In 330, it was declared the new capital of the Roman Empire and received another new name, Constantinople.
The advantageous location of the city at the juncture of two continents made it a natural hub of international trade and diplomacy. Many beautiful churches were constructed in the city around this time. Then, In 1204 AD, the Fourth Crusade hit Constantinople, which was looted and pillaged. Thereafter, it was the center of the Catholic Latin Empire, until it was recaptured by the Empire of Nicaea in 1261. For a couple of centuries, Constantinople faced a period of decline, finding itself surrounding by newer, more powerful empires.
In 1453, Sultan Mehmed II besieged Constantinople for almost two months, and the city shortly became the new capital of the Ottoman Empire. This rejuvenated the city in terms of its economy, and during this time the Grand Bazaar was created and many prisoners of war were released to settle here. Sultan Mehmed II enriched the city with architectural monuments such as Topkapi Palace and the Eyüp Sultan Mosque.
Towards the end of the 19th Century, the city began a modernization process, with new bridges, a proper water system, electricity and telephones appearing rapidly. Then, the Republic of Turkey was established in 1923, and Ankara became its new capital. Since that time, Istanbul has undergone many changes, with new roads and factories, along with broad modern boulevards and public squares. Today, along with being Turkey's biggest city, Istanbul is also its financial, cultural and architectural center.
Some of the highlights:
Topkapi Palace was the administrative hub of the Ottoman Empire from the 15th Century until the mid-19th Century. Its construction was ordered by Sultan Mehmed II in 1459, and it was already finished by 1465. Situated on Seraglio Point between the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara, you’ll enjoy a wonderful view of the Bosphorus Strait from here. The palace itself is composed of quite a few smaller buildings surrounded by four courtyards. Full of great examples of Ottoman architecture along with a massive collection of porcelain, weapons, shields, armor, miniatures and murals, the palace also exhibits ancient Ottoman treasure and jewels.
The Istanbul UFO Museum was founded by Haktan Akdogan's Sirius UFO Space Sciences Research Centre in 2002, and exhibits a wide selection of photographs, video footage, reports, models, and a library about UFOs and extraterrestrials. Definitely a great alternative choice in Istanbul!
The Byzantine Great Palace of Constantinople served as the main residence for Byzantine emperors from the 4th Century until the 11th Century AD, an 800-year history which is preserved to this day.
The Hagia Sophia, commonly known as the Ayasofya Museum, is widely considered to be among the greatest and most beautiful buildings on Earth. Though it’s sometimes referred to as ‘St. Sophia’ in the English language, it isn’t named after a saint at all! Rather, sophia means "wisdom" is Ancient Greek.
Construction on the Hagia Sophia began in 532 and finished in 537, and it was designed by Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles.
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