No city in the world can be said to straddle two continents, except for Istanbul. This imposing city with 15 million inhabitants, washed by the mighty Bosphorus from the east, and the Sea of Marmara from the south, represents the fearless capital of the former Eastern Roman Empire, then the Ottoman Empire, and later the state of Turkey. The city also includes groups of islands in the Sea of Marmara, which are better known as the Prince's Islands. As it spans two continents, the city itself can be divided into old Istanbul, which is located in the Asian part, and modern Istanbul, which belongs to Europe.
Although Istanbul is thought to have been inhabited as early as 3000 BC, it was not a city until Greek colonists from Megara arrived in the area in the 7th century BC. Megara was led by King Byzas and settled there because of its strategic location along the Bosporus. This is the reason why the city got its name Byzantion. In 196 there was a civil war when Byzantium was besieged by Septimus Severus. In that war, the city suffered great damage, but after coming to power, Septim completely rebuilt Byzantium. In the 300s, Byzantium became part of the Roman Empire. The Roman emperor Constantine the Great personally took over the supervision of the city's reconstruction project because it appeared to him in a dream. He wanted to create a city that would resemble Rome in its beauty and imposingness. In 330, this city was declared the capital of the entire Roman Empire, and it was named after Emperor Constantine, Constantinople. After the collapse of the Roman Empire and the division into Western and Eastern Roman Empires, Constantinople became the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire.
Thanks to its good geographical position, at the intersection of the main land and sea routes, as well as the fact that it was the capital of the most important state of that time, Constantinople or Constantinople developed very quickly and became the largest and richest city in the world. Although Constantinople advanced significantly over the decades it also became a target for conquest. For hundreds of years, troops from all over the Middle East attacked the city.
However, the Crusaders proved to be the worst when, in their fourth campaign, at the urging of the Venetian Republic (because the campaign was supposed to be against Islamic Egypt), in 1204 they destroyed and looted Constantinople. Pope Innocent III himself opposed this campaign because it was attacking a Christian city, but since the Venetians had good trade relations with Egypt, they proposed, and the latter adopted, to attack Constantinople.
How much art, gold and other valuables were stolen then are best told by the attractions that people admire today, such as the horses at St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, whose heads were even cut off to facilitate their transport from Constantinople. Crusaders burned and destroyed churches and monasteries, but also ancient priceless works of art such as the statues of the famous sculptor Phidias. Nikitas Choniates, the Byzantine chronicler, who saved himself from Constantinople by bribing a Venetian merchant, said at the time: "Even the Saracens are merciful and gentle compared to these people who carry the cross of Christ on their shoulders." One of the leaders of the campaign, Doge of Venice Enrique Dandolo, was buried in Hagia Sophia.
After the campaign, Constantinople became the center of the Catholic Latin Empire until 1261, when it was liberated by the Nicaean emperor Michael VIII Paleologus, who rebuilt it. But the empire never shone with its old glory.
The first fall of Constantinople and the looting that lasted for months, and the taking of art to the Crusader countries of origin, is considered the impulse that produced the Renaissance. The final fall of Constantinople, that is, its fall under Ottoman rule, is interpreted as the final end of antiquity and the beginning of a new age. Then the learned heads from Constantinople, who were laughed at by Westerners as "people who always carry some books with them and read", emigrated to the West, which largely caused the beginning of the new century and the age of enlightenment.
After being greatly weakened by constant invasions by the Ottoman Turks, Constantinople was officially conquered by the Ottomans, led by Sultan Mehmed II on May 29, 1453 after a 53-day siege. During the siege, the last Byzantine emperor Constantine XI died defending his city.
Istanbul was called Kostantiniyye in the Turkish language until 1923, when the current name - Istanbul - was adopted. The first mention of the word "istanbul" dates from the 10th century, and the name is derived from the Greek expression "in the city". The name Stambul (Stambul) was also used colloquially. The Greeks still call it Constantinople, i.e. Constantinople, and they never regretted its fall.
Constantinople, as the capital of the Turkish Empire, experienced a major change from a Byzantine to an Ottoman city. During the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, many artistic and architectural achievements made Istanbul a great cultural, political and commercial center. By the mid-1500s, the city's population had also grown to nearly a million. The Ottoman Empire ruled Istanbul until it was defeated and occupied by the Allies in World War I.
In the First World War, Istanbul was divided into spheres of interest. According to the Peace Agreement, by which Turkey was to be divided between the victorious powers, Istanbul would be a demilitarized zone under international control. However, a strong national movement of the Young Turks, led by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, created a republican nation-state from Turkey. Ataturk is considered the father of the nation because his reforms contributed to the development of modern Turkey.
When you visit Istanbul, you should keep in mind that you are going to a city with a history of 6500 years. With such a great cultural heritage, it is impossible not to like the city. Many sights are under the protection of UNESCO. The geographical position of the city is incredible. The Bosphorus simply appeals to everyone. In this city you will see both modern and traditional, a fusion of different cultures. This is a city that people always return to.
No city in the world can be said to straddle two continents, except for Istanbul. This imposing city with 15 million inhabitants, washed by the mighty Bosphorus from the east, and the Sea of Marmara from the south, represents the fearless capital of the former Eastern Roman Empire, then the Ottoman Empire, and later the state of Turkey. The city also includes groups of islands in the Sea of Marmara, which are better known as the Prince's Islands. As it spans two continents, the city itself can be divided into old Istanbul, which is located in the Asian part, and modern Istanbul, which belongs to Europe.
