ISTANBUL

According to legend, the city was founded by Byzas the Megarian in 667 BC. But before forming this settlement, Byzas visited the Oracle of Delphi, requesting advice as to where would be a good location. The Oracle predicted that he would settle his town 'opposite blind men'. Byzas went off to find this area and presently arrived at the vacant point of the Golden Horn peninsula, where Topkapi Palace presently stands. He was soon fascinated by the beauty of the area. Hearing of a civilization living on the opposite Asian side, named Chalcadeon (Kadikoy), he felt them to be ill-sighted. How could they have not found and appreciated the wonderfully convenient location just opposite them on the European peninsula? So, the Oracle's prediction was confirmed, and he so he built his town on the peninsula.

In 512 BC, the city was conquered by the Persian Emperor Darius, until 479 BC, when it was captured by the Spartan king Pausinias. Later, it passed into the hands of Athenian rule. It wasn't long before the city came under siege again, this time by Philip of Macedon in 340 BC, but the strong fight put up by the Byzantines allowed them to defeat the Macedonians. However, not long after, the son of Philip, Alexander the Great, went on to capture the city in 334 BC. Following his death, the city came under the power of the Romans.

In the year 179 BC, the city was captured by the Rhodian, Pergamonian and Bithinian forces, followed by a brief takeover by Mithritades, the king of Pontus, before returning again to Roman domination. It was the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus who first built the city walls. In 324 AD, Constantine rose to power and during his reign the city was enhanced and new city walls were added, further beautified and enlarged by his successor, Theodosius the Great.



The year 395 saw the Roman Empire split in two - to western and eastern Rome, although the Western Roman Empire quickly declined within a hundred years. The powerful Eastern Roman Empire, or Byzantine Empire, choose Istanbul as its capital. However, it came under Arab and Bulgarian rule for a short time, although the city always remained the capital of the Byzantine Empire during these periods. It also suffered from the crusades.

Finally, in 1453, the Ottomans lead by Mehmet II conquered the city and made it their capital, from 1453 until 1922. When the Turkish Republic was established in 1923 by Ataturk, Ankara became the capital. Nevertheless, Istanbul remains the commercial and tourist center of the country today.









Art, Culture And Entertainment

Istanbul is an international art and cultural center. The International Arts and Cultural Festival is held each year in June and July with famous artists coming from all over the world. These performances are held mostly at the Atatürk Cultural Center. The Istanbul Science Center (Bilim Merkezi), founded by the Science Center Foundation and located on the campus of Istanbul Technical University (ITU), has hands-on experimental and theoretical opportunities for adults and children of various educational levels. In March and April you can take in the International Film Festival. Those who enjoy classical music can hear it at the Cemal Resit Rey (CRR) Concert Hall. Operas, operettas, ballets, films, concerts, exhibitions and conferences all contribute to the cultural palette of the city.



Istanbul also has a rich program of light entertainment. Nightclubs provide splendid entertainment throughout dinner, ranging from a selection of Turkish songs to belly-dancing. Alongside these are modern discos, cabarets, and jazz clubs in the Taksim - Harbiye district.

Flower Lane (Çiçek Pasaji) In Sultanahmet, there are a number of restaurants in restored Byzantine and Ottoman buildings, which offer a unique setting for an evening out. Kumkapi, with its many taverns, bars and fish restaurants, is another attractive district. People have been meeting for years at Çiçek Pasaji (Flower Lane), in the district of Beyoglu for snack sand seafood specialties. Also in the area near Çiçek Pasaji is the narrow Nevizade Street, which is the best place in Istanbul for eating Turkish specialities and drinking Raki.

On the Bosphorus, Ortaköy is the best place for nightlife in Istanbul, with its nightclubs, jazz clubs, fine seafood restaurants and bars.

At Eminönü don’t miss an opportunity to see fishermen dressed in traditional Ottoman clothes and their Ottoman-style boats which you may board to sample their delicious fried fish.

You may also want to visit Tatilya, a large amusement park in Beylikdüzü, past Haramidere on the road to the Atatürk International Airport.







Istanbul is situated like an open air museum on both shores of the strait which is 33 km in length and separates the continents of Asia and Europe. We know that habitations had existed in the whereabouts of Istanbul during the Neolithic age. The first habitation succeeding these ones, came into existence in Kadiköy which was named Khalkedon in the VII century B.C. The city that was founded later on the opposite shore of Khalkedon, namely Byzantium, progressed rapidly because of its importance and became an important center. This progressive city became subject to Roman sovereignty, was adorned with temples and public squares during the period of Constantinus, and was surrounded with city walls.



The city was made the capital of Rome in the year 330 and named Constantinapolis and, after Rome was divided into two parts as the Eastern Rome and Western Rome, it was made the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. Finally, when the Ottomans captured Byzantium in the year 1453, Istanbul was converted into the capital of the Ottoman Empire. Many historical works of art showing traces of these empires, have been able to survive up to date. The obelisks belonging to the Roman period, which were used as ornaments of the public square Sultanahmet, are still maintained in their places today. One of these is the obelisk which Theodosius I had ordered to be brought from Egypt in the year 390; it is 18.54 m (61 ft) in height and seems magnificent today with the hieroglyph scripture on it. Another column which is seen here is the braided column with a height of 20.68 m (68 ft), which Constantinus VII had ordered to be erected in the year 944. The third column, formed by three winding snakes, was ordered to be brought from the Temple of Apollon in Delphi in the year 360 by Constantinus I.

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