Istanbul, historically Byzantium and later Constantinopla, is the largest city in Turkey, largest city proper and second largest metropolitan area in Europe, and fourth largest city proper in the world with a population of 12,6 million.
Istanbul is the cultural and financial center of Turkey. The city covers 27 districts of the Istanbul province. It is located on the Bosphorus Strait and encompasses the natural harbor known as the Golden Horn, in the northwest of the country. It extends both on the Europe and on the Asia side of the Bosphorus, and is thereby the only metropolis in the world that is situated on two continents.
In its long history, Istanbul served as the capital city of the Roman Empire (330–395), the East Roman (Byzantine) (395–1204 and 1261–1453), the Latin Empire (1204–1261), and the Ottoman Empire (1453–1922). The city was chosen as joint European Capital of Culture for 2010. The historic areas of Istanbul were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.
Istanbul is a city of unparalleled historical and cultural richness that is as fascinating and historical as it is dynamic and modern. Serving as the capital of three mighty empires and set squarely between two continents, Istanbul has cultures and traditions that blend East with West and Mediterranean with Anatolian. Each civilization that has made its home in Istanbul has left its mark in some way and the result we see today is a city that could only have come about after thousands of years of diverse cultures each adding a little something.
With one foot in Europe and another in Asia, and a vibrant atmosphere rooted in history while facing the future Istanbul is truly as much as crossroads of ideas and cultures today as ever. Come see it for yourself, add your footsteps to those of the millions who have walked along the Bosphorus for millennia and sampled all that Istanbul has to offer.
