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About Istanbul:
Istanbul is one of the most historically significant cities in the entire world. Indeed, the history of Istanbul extends back centuries. The city has been at the heart of some of the most significant cultural, political and religious events of the past two thousand years.
Throughout its existence, Istanbul has also been known as Byzantium and Constantinople. While it is a the cultural and the financial center of the nation of Turkey today, it has been a major capital city for some of the most significant civilizations that have existed throughout recorded history.
For a period of 65 years from 330 to 395 Istanbul actually was the capital city of the Roman Empire. This underscores how important the city was at that time and really continues to be to this very day.
Beyond being a capital of the Roman Empire, Istanbul was also the capital of the Byzantine Empire for hundreds of years (from 395 to 1204 and then again from 1261 to 1453). The extensive Ottoman Empire also based its capital city in Istanbul (from 1453 to 1922 when the Ottoman Empire came to an end).
When the Republic of Turkey was founded after the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the capital was moved out of Istanbul to Ankara.
As an aside, recent archaeological digs indicate that Istanbul actually has been inhabited since 6,500 BC, making it one of the longest populated locations in the world.
Istanbul is considered a megacity today. With a population of 12.6 million people, it is the largest city in Turkey and the fourth largest city on the planet today. The population of Istanbul actually has tripled in the past 25 years, making it by far one of the fastest growing cities in the world.
The city of Istanbul actually straddles two continents the only city in the world to do so. The city extends on both the European and the Asian sides of what is known as Bosphorus. About 75 percent of the population of Istanbul lives on the European side of the city.
Istanbul is awash in historical points of interest. For example, there are countless structures of all types that have survived from the Greek, Roman and Byzantine periods of the region. These include everything from religious shrines, temples, churches, mosques and the like to palaces and related types of buildings.
As mentioned previously in this article, Istanbul is the center of the economic and financial life of Turkey. The proximity of the city to international sea and land trade routes is one of the primary reasons that Istanbul has long been a financial and economic powerhouse. Istanbul is also the country's biggest industrial center.
In addition to being the financial center of Turkey (and actually of the world at large), Istanbul is becoming an increasingly important cultural and artistic venue as well. (Of course, throughout its history, Istanbul was a cultural and artistic mecca as well.
Museums of different types, theater, ballet and opera are all blossoming across the city drawing people from across Turkey, Europe and the world to Istanbul. The Istanbul International Film Festival has become one of the most important gatherings of its type in all of Europe today.
In many ways, throughout its history, Istanbul has been defined by religion. Today and throughout its history Istanbul has been an important center to some of the most significant religions in the world. For example, Istanbul (when known as Constantinople) was the center of the Orthodox Christian Church. Indeed, the Patriarch of Constantinople, who is the spiritual leader of the Greek Orthodox Church, is located in Istanbul.
Today Istanbul is major center for the Islamic faith. Islam represents the largest religious community by far both in Istanbul and across the nation of Turkey. There are almost 3,000 active mosques in the city today.
There are a variety of recreational opportunities in and around Istanbul. Currently, there is an effort being made to rejuvenate the beaches and shores around the city. Historically, these were some of the more magnificent beach destinations in the region. However, during the 1970s and onward, pollution became a problem along the shores of Istanbul. Significant efforts are being employed to clean up the beaches and the shores to make them more appealing to residents and visitors to the city alike.
Istanbul has a vibrant nightlife at this juncture in time. There are popular nightclubs, highly regarded live theater offerings and top notch restaurants and bistros that attract people not only from across the city but from all over Europe (and the world). During the summer months, a variety of out door venues come to life particularly along the seashore at Istanbul. This includes open air nightclubs and bistros.
Istanbul does have a subtropical climate. During the summer months from June through September Istanbul is hot and humid. During the winter months, the city experiences cold and damp weather. More moderate temperatures prevail in the spring and the fall.
Into the near future, the population of Istanbul is expected to continue to increase apace. Additionally, the city will remain a powerful financial, economic, cultural and religious center in both Turkey and throughout the world.
Istanbul Hotels: (Page 1 of 2)
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