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ContentsArticlesIstanbul Istanbul Archaeology Museums Ankara Museum of Anatolian Civilizations Hattusa Cappadocia Konya Antalya Aspendos Perga Aphrodisias Pamukkale Hierapolis Ephesus Kuadas Patmos Rhodes Heraklion Santorini Piraeus Athens Corinth Canal Mycenae Epidaurus Olympia Patras Delphi Kalambaka Meteora Thermopylae 1 37 41 63 70 75 82 88 98 101 104 110 114 130 139 144 148 160 169 181 194 219 222 232 234 237 255 268 270 275

ReferencesArticle Sources and Contributors Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors 278 283

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Istanbul

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IstanbulIstanbul

Top: Topkap Palace Hagia Sophia Blue Mosque Center: Beyolu; Galata Tower; Maiden's Tower Bottom: Bosphorus Bridge connecting Europe and Asia, with the skyline of Levent financial district.

IstanbulLocation of Istanbul on the Bosphorus, Turkey Coordinates: 4101N 2858E Country Region Province Established -Byzantium -Constantinople -Istanbul c. 660 BC 330 AD 1453 (Ottoman Turkish) 1923 (Modern Turkish) 1930 (internationally) 27 [1] Turkey Marmara Istanbul

Districts Government -Mayor Area -Total Elevation Population (2009) [2] [3] [4]

Kadir Topba

1830.92km2(706.9sqmi) 100m (328ft)

Istanbul

2-Total -Density - Demonym Time zone -Summer(DST) Postal code 12,782,960 (4th) 6211/km2(16086.4/sqmi) Istanbulite EET (UTC+2) EEST (UTC+3) 34010 to 34850 and 80000 to 81800 (+90) 212 (European side) (+90) 216 (Asian side) 34 Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality [6] Governorship of Istanbul [5]

Area code(s)

Licenceplate Website

Istanbul (Turkish: stanbul, historically also known as Byzantium and Constantinople;[7] see the names of Istanbul) is the largest city in Turkey and fifth largest city proper in the world with a population of 12.8 million.[2] Istanbul is also a megacity, as well as the cultural, economic, and financial centre of Turkey. The city covers 39 districts of the Istanbul province.[8] It is located on the Bosphorus Strait and encompasses the natural harbour known as the Golden Horn, in the northwest of the country. It extends both on the European (Thrace) and on the Asian (Anatolia) sides of the Bosphorus, and is thereby the only metropolis in the world that is situated on two continents. In its long history, Istanbul has served as the capital city of the Roman Empire (330395), the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire (3951204 and 12611453), the Latin Empire (12041261), and the Ottoman Empire (14531922). 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.[9]

ToponymyByzantium (Greek: , Byzntion) is the first known name of the city. Around 660 BC,[] Greek settlers from the city-state of Megara founded a Doric colony on the present-day Istanbul, and named the new colony after their king, Byzas.[10] [11] After Constantine I (Constantine the Great) made the city the new eastern capital of the Roman Empire in 330 AD, the city became widely known as Constantinopolis or Constantinople, which, as the Latinised form of "" (Knstantinopolis), means the "City of Constantine".[12] He also attempted to promote the name Nea Roma ("New Rome"), but this never caught on.[13] Constantinople remained the official name of the city throughout the Byzantine period, and the most common name used for it in the West until the establishment of the Republic of Turkey.Constantine I is the source of the By the 19th century, the city had acquired a number of names used by either long-standing name Constantinople, foreigners or Turks. Europeans often used Stamboul alongside Constantinople to which means "City of Constantine" refer to the whole of the city, but Turks used the former name only to describe the historic peninsula between the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara. Pera was used to describe the area between the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus, but Turks also used the name Beyolu, which is still in use today.[14] However, with the Turkish Postal Service Law of 28 March 1930, the Turkish authorities formally requested foreigners to adopt stanbul, a name in existence since the 10th century,[15] as the sole name of the city within their own languages.[16]

Istanbul Etymologically, stanbul (Turkish pronunciation:[istanbu], colloquially Turkish pronunciation:[stambu]) derives from the Medieval Greek phrase " " [is tin polin] or, in the Aegean dialect, " " [is tan polin] (Modern Greek " " Greek pronunciation:[stin poli]), which means "in the city" or "to the city".[12] [15] In modern Turkish, the name is written "stanbul", with a dotted , as the Turkish alphabet distinguishes between a dotted and dotless I. Also, while in English the stress is on the first syllable ("Is"), in Turkish it is on the second syllable ("tan"). Like Rome, Istanbul has been called "The City of Seven Hills" because the oldest part of the city is supposedly built on seven hills, each of which bears a historic mosque.[17]

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HistoryFirst settlementsRecent construction of the Marmaray tunnel unearthed a Neolithic settlement underneath Yenikap on Istanbul's historic peninsula. Dating back to the 7th millennium BC, before the Bosphorus was even formed, the discovery indicated that the peninsula was settled thousands of years earlier than previously thought.[18] Thracian tribes established two settlementsLygos and Semistraon the Sarayburnu, near where Topkap Palace now stands, between the 13th and 11th centuries BC. On the Asian side, artifacts have been found in Fikirtepe (present-day Kadky) that date back to the Chalcolithic period.[19] The same location was the site of a Phoenician trading post at the beginning of the 1st millennium BC as well as the town of Chalcedon, which was established by Greek settlers from Megara in 685 BC.[]

Remains of a column from Byzantium's acropolis, which now reside within the Topkap Palace complex

However, the history of Istanbul generally begins around 660 BC,[] when the settlers from Megara, under the command of King Byzas, established Byzantion (Latinised as Byzantium) on the European side of the Bosphorus. By the end of the century, an acropolis was established at the former locations of Lygos and Semistra, on the Sarayburnu.[10] The city experienced a brief period under Persian rule at the turn of the 5th century BC, but the Greeks recaptured it during the Greco-Persian Wars.[20] Byzantium then continued as part of the Athenian League and its successor, the Second Athenian Empire, before ultimately gaining independence in 355 BC.[21] Long protected by the Roman Republic, Byzantium officially became a part of the Roman Empire in 73 AD. Byzantium's decision to side with the usurper Pescennius Niger against Roman Emperor Severus of Antioch cost it dearly; by the time it surrendered at the end of 195, two years of siege had left the city devastated.[22] Still, five years later, Severus began to rebuild Byzantium, and the city regainedand, by some accounts, surpassedits previous prosperity.[23]

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Rise and fall of ConstantinopleWhen Constantine I defeated Licinius at the Battle of Chrysopolis in September 324, he effectively became the emperor of the whole of the Roman Empire.[24] Just two months later, Constantine laid out the plans for a new, Christian city to replace Byzantium. Intended to replace Nicomedia as the eastern capital of the empire, the city was named Nea Roma (New Rome); however, most simply called it Constantinople ("the city of Constantine"), a name that persisted into the 20th century.[25] Six years later, on 11 May 330, Constantinople was proclaimed the capital of an empire that eventually became known as the Byzantine Empire or Eastern Roman Empire.[26] The establishment of Constantinople served as one of Constantine's most lasting accomplishments, shifting Roman power eastward and becoming a center of Greek culture and Christianity.[26] [27] Numerous churches were Created in 1422, this is the oldest surviving built across the city, including the Hagia Sofia, which remained the world's map of Constantinople and the only one that predates the Ottoman conquest. largest cathedral for a thousand years.[28] The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople developed in the city, and its leader is still one of the foremost figures in the Greek Orthodox Church. Constantinople's location also ensured its existence would stand the test of time; for many centuries, its walls and seafront protected Europe against invaders from the east as well as from the advance of Islam.[27] [29] During most of the Middle Ages and the latter part of the Byzantine period, Constantinople was the largest and wealthiest city in the western world.[30] Constantinople began to decline after the Fourth Crusade, during which it was sacked and pillaged.[32] The city subsequently became the center of the Latin Empire, created by Catholic crusaders to replace the Orthodox Byzantine Empire, which was divided into splinter states.[33] However, the Latin Empire was short-lived, and the Byzantine Empire was restored, weakened, in 1261.[34] Constantinople's churches, defenses, and basic services were in disrepair,[35] and its population had dwindled to forty thousand from nearly half a million during the 9th century.[36][37]

Various economic and military policies instituted by Andronikos II, such as the reduction of forces, weakened the empire and left it more vulnerable to attack.[38] In the mid-14th century, the Ottoman Turks began a strategy by which they took smaller towns and cities over time, cutting off Constantinople's supply routes and strangling it slowly.[39] Finally, on 29 May 1453, after an eight-week siege (during which the last Byzantine emperor, Constantine XI, was killed), Sultan Mehmed II "the Conqueror" captured Constantinople and declared it the new capital of the Ottoman Empire.[40] [41] Hours later, the sultan rode to the Hagia Sofia and summoned an imam to proclaim the Islamic creed, converting the grand cathedral into a mosque.[42]The Fall of Constantinople in 1453 signaled [31] the end of the Byzantine Empire

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Turkish ruleFollowing the fall of Constantinople, Mehmed II immediately set out to revitalize the city, now named Istanbul. He invited and forcibly resettled many Muslims, Jews, and Christians from other parts of Anatolia into the city, creating a cosmopolitan society that persisted through much of the Ottoman period.[43] By the end of the century, Istanbul had returned to a population of two hundred thousand, making it the second-largest city in Europe.[44] Meanwhile, Mehmed II repaired the city's damaged infrastructure and began to build the Grand Bazaar. Also constructed during this period was Topkap Palace, which served as the official residence of the sultan for four hundred years.[45] The Ottomans quickly transformed Istanbul from a bastion of Christianity to a symbol of Islamic culture. Religious foundations were established to fund the construction of grand imperial mosques, often adjoined by schools, hospitals, and The Sleymaniye Mosque (depicted [45] in a late-19th century photochrom public baths. Suleiman the Magnificent's reign from 1520 to 1566 was a print) was designed by Mimar Sinan, period of especially great artistic and architectural achievements; chief architect chief architect for three sultans. Mimar Sinan designed the Sleymaniye Mosque and other grand buildings in the city, while Ottoman arts of ceramics, calligraphy and miniature flourished. The total population, including suburbs, amounted to about 600,000 in the late 18th century.[46] Demonstrations at the start of the 19th century led to the rise of the progressive Sultan Mahmud II and the Tanzimat period, which produced reforms that aligned the empire along Western European standards. Bridges across the Golden Horn were constructed during this period, and Istanbul was connected to the rest of the European railway network in the 1870s. The Tnel, one of the world's oldest subterranean urban rail lines, opened in 1875, and other modern facilities, such a stable water network, street lamps, telephones, and trams, were gradually introduced to Istanbul over the following decades. Still, the modernization efforts were not enough to forestall the decline of the Ottoman regime. The early 20th century saw the Young Turk Revolution, which disposed of Sultan Abdul Hamid II, and a series of wars that plagued the ailing empire's capital. The last of these, World War I, resulted in the British, French, and Italian occupation of Istanbul. The final Ottoman sultan, Mehmed VI, was exiled in November 1922; the following year, the occupation of Istanbul ended with the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne and the recognition of the Republic of Turkey, which was declared by Mustafa Kemal Atatrk on 29 October 1923.

The final Ottoman sultan, Mehmed VI, departing the backdoor of Dolmabahe Palace a year before the declaration of the Republic of Turkey

In the early years of the republic, Istanbul was overlooked in favor of the country's new capital, Ankara. However, starting from the late 1940s and early 1950s, Istanbul underwent great structural change, as new public squares (such as Taksim Square), boulevards, and avenues were constructed throughout the city, sometimes at the expense of historical buildings. The population of Istanbul began to rapidly increase in the 1970s, as people from Anatolia migrated to the city in order to find employment in the many new factories that were built on the outskirts of the sprawling metropolis. This sudden, sharp rise in the city's population caused a large demand for housing development, and many previously outlying villages and forests became engulfed into the greater metropolitan area of Istanbul.

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GeographyLocationIstanbul is located in the north-west Marmara Region of Turkey. It encloses the southern Bosporus which places the city on two continentsthe western portion of Istanbul is in Europe, while the eastern portion is in Asia. The city boundaries cover a surface area of 1830.93square kilometres (707sqmi), while the metropolitan region, or the Province of Istanbul, covers 6220square kilometres (2402sqmi).

GeologyIstanbul is situated near the North Anatolian fault, which runs from northern Anatolia to the Marmara Sea. Two tectonic plates, the African and the Eurasian, Satellite view of Istanbul and the push against each other here. This fault zone has been responsible for several Bosporus strait which connects the Black Sea at north with the Sea of deadly earthquakes in the region throughout history. In 1509 a catastrophic Marmara at south. earthquake caused a tsunami which broke over the sea-walls of the city, destroying over 100mosques and killing 10,000people. In 1766 the Eyp Sultan Mosque was largely destroyed. The 1894 earthquake caused the collapse of many parts of the Grand Bazaar. A devastating earthquake on 17 August 1999, with its epicentre in nearby zmit, left 18,000 dead and many more homeless.[47] In all of these earthquakes, the devastating effects are a result of the building density and poor construction of buildings. Seismologists predict another earthquake, possibly measuring magnitude 7.0, occurring before 2025.[48]

FloraIstanbul like the Marmara region it is situated in has a temperate climate. But due to Istanbul's geographical location and longitude, it has a "transitional climate", midway between that of the oceanic climate of the Black Sea, the humid continental climate of the Balkan peninsula and the mediterranean climate of the southwest. This is also reflected in its plant geography since flora of these three climate types flourish here. Istanbul is one of the provinces that best illustrates this aspect of the Marmara region. Thanks to the constantly very humid climate of Istanbul, plants of the Euro-Siberian ecoregion are concentrated here, especially in the northern areas near the Black Sea coast. An increase in mediterranean flora is observed in the warmer areas to the south of the city especially on the Princes' Islands, the only place in Istanbul with a predominantly mediterranean vegetation. Istanbuls true and dominant biome is the humid temperate broadleaf and mixed forest and constitute the Balkan mixed forests which belongs to the Euro-Siberian ecoregion of the Palearctic ecozone. According to the Turkish General Directorate of Forestry, 44% of the Province of Istanbul is covered with forests. The Alemda forest on the Asian side and the Belgrade forest on the European side, which are regarded as the city's lungs, are large virgin, humid mixed-leaf forests. It is also possible to see examples of virgin forest in the heart of Istanbul, on both shores of the Bosphorus today. The dominant tree species is the oak, three species of which are the English Oak, Sessile Oak or Durmast Oak, and Hungarian Oak are spread over a broad area. Oriental Beech is observed in the northern areas near the Black Sea coast. Other common tree species living in these humid mixed-leaf forests include Oriental Hornbeam, Horse Chestnut, Sweet Chestnut, White Poplar, Oriental Plane, Black Alder, Grey Alder, Common Hazel, Sycamore Maple, Norway Maple, Field Maple, English Elm, European White Elm, Smooth-leaved Elm, Field Elm, Silver Linden, Goat Willow and Grey Willow. With around 2500 different natural plant species, Istanbul alone puts entire European countries, such as the United Kingdom in the shade. Even more importantly, this means that Istanbul is home to approximately one-fourth of the

Istanbul more than ten thousand documented species of plants that grow naturally in Turkey. Some of these plants are endemic; in other words, they live only in Istanbul and nowhere else in the whole world.[49]

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FaunaIstanbul has a relatively rich fauna. The forests harbour 18 mammal species and over 71 bird species, and since a ban on hunting exists, the fauna is out of danger. In the forests the most common mammals are wild boar, grey wolf, golden jackal, red fox, red deer, fallow deer, and roe deer. The red squirrel only inhabits the European part of Istanbul and Turkey, and the Bosphorus marks the border of their habitat range.[50] The dominant bird species in the city are the common gull and the hooded crow, and both practically form a part of the cityscape. Other common bird species are the city pigeon, Eurasian collared dove and sparrow. Istanbul has a particularly large population of stray cats and stray dogs.

ClimateIstanbul has a temperate climate but is located within a climatic transition zone [51] between oceanic and mediterranean climates. Summer is generally hot and humid, the temperature between July and August averaging 28C (82F). Winter is cold, wet and often snowy, averaging 5C (41F). Spring and autumn are usually mild and wet but are erratic, and the weather can range from chilly to warm, though the nights are chilly. The humidity of the city is constantly high which makes the air feel Snow is common in winter. much harsher than the actual temperatures. The city being located in the second most humid region of the country, has an average annual humidity of 72%.[52] [53] Average annual precipitation is 843.9mm (33in).[54] Istanbul has an average annual of 152 days of precipitation.[53] Summer is the driest season, but precipitation does occur during that season and is irregular and often torrential. Snowfall which occurs almost annually is common between the months of December and March, with an annual total snow cover of 19 days, but average winter snowfall often varies considerably from year to year, and snow cover usually remains only for a few days after each snowfall.[53] Fog is prevalent, throughout the year, particularly during the mornings, but it quickly dissipates before noon. However fog cover during the whole day is rare, and it usually occurs in winter, spring and autumn.[53] Thunderstorms, which are not common, usually occur in late spring, summer and early autumn, with an annual total of 22 days, and are particularly rare during the rest of the year and almost unheard of in winter.[53] The city is also quite windy, having an average wind speed of 18km/h (11mph).[53] [55] The highest recorded temperature was 40.5C (105F) on 12 July 2000, and the lowest recorded temperature was 16.1C (3F) on 15 February 1927.[56] Due to its size, topography and maritime influences, Istanbul exhibits a multitude of distinct microclimates.

Istanbul Weather statistics for Istanbul Total number of days with snow: 19 [53] Total number of days with lows (nights) below freezing: 21 [53] Total number of days with precipitation: 152 [53] Total number of days with thunderstorms: 22 [53] Total number of days with fog: 228 [53] Total number of days above 32.2C (90F): 5 [53]Climate data for Istanbul Month Record high C (F) Average high C (F) Daily mean C (F) Average low C (F) Record low C (F) Precipitation mm (inches) %Humidity Avg. snowy days Avg. precipitation days Jan18.3 (65) 8.7 (48) 5.8 (42) 2.9 (37) -9.0 (16)

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Feb24.0 (75) 9.1 (48) 5.9 (43) 2.8 (37) -16.1 (3)

Mar26.2 (79) 11.2 (52) 7.55 (46) 3.9 (39) -7.0 (19)

Apr32.9 (91) 16.5 (62) 12.1 (54) 7.7 (46) -0.6 (31)

May33.0 (91) 21.4 (71) 16.7 (62) 12.0 (54) 3.6 (38)

Jun40.2 (104) 26.0 (79) 21.0 (70) 16.0 (61) 8.0 (46)

Jul40.5 (105) 28.4 (83) 23.4 (74) 18.5 (65) 10.5 (51)

Aug38.8 (102) 28.5 (83) 23.6 (74) 18.7 (66) 8.2 (47)

Sep33.6 (92) 25.0 (77) 20.2 (68) 15.5 (60) 5.2 (41)

Oct34.2 (94) 20.1 (68) 16.0 (61) 12.0 (54) 2.0 (36)

Nov27.2 (81) 15.3 (60) 11.9 (53) 8.5 (47) -2.0 (28)

Dec21.2 (70) 11.1 (52) 8.2 (47) 5.3 (42) -3.4 (26)

Year40.5 (105) 18.4 (65) 14.3 (58) 10.3 (51) -16.1 (3)

98.4 80.2 69.9 45.8 (3.87) (3.16) (2.75) (1.8) 77 6 20 75 6 17 74 3 16 71 0 14

36.1 34 38.8 47.8 61.4 96.9 110.7 123.9 843.9 (1.42) (1.34) (1.53) (1.88) (2.42) (3.81) (4.36) (4.88) (33.22) 72 0 12[57]

70 0 8

67 0 5

68 0 6

68 0 7[58]

72 0 12

74 0 16

76 4 19

72 19 152

Source: World Meteorological Organisation (UN)

and BBC Weather Centre

16 October 2009

CityscapeIstanbul Province has 39 districts (2009), of which 27 form the city proper of Istanbul, also called Greater Istanbul, administered by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (or Municipality of Metropolitan Istanbul) (Turkish: stanbul Bykehir Belediyesi). Istanbul's districts are divided into three main areas: The historic peninsula of old Istanbul corresponds approximately to the extent of Constantinople in the 15th century; it comprises the districts of Eminn and Fatih. This area lies on the southern shores of the Golden Horn, which separates the old city centre from the northern and younger parts of the European side. The historic peninsula ends with the

City limits in 1922.

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Theodosian Land Walls in the west. The peninsula is surrounded by the Sea of Marmara on the south and the entrance of the Bosphorus on the east. North of the Golden Horn are the historical Beyolu and Beikta districts, where the last Sultan's palace is located, followed by a chain of former villages such as Ortaky and Bebek along the shores of the Bosphorus. On both the European and Asian sides of the Bosphorus, wealthy Istanbulites built luxurious chalet mansions, called yal, which were used as summer residences.

Three historic quarters of Istanbul, looking south from Beyolu to the "historic peninsula" separated by the Golden Horn to the farther right and Kadky on the Asian side separated by the entrance of the Bosphorus to the left.

The districts of skdar (ancient Chrysopolis) and Kadky (ancient Chalcedon) which are located on the Asian side were originally separate cities (like the district of Beyolu (medieval Pera) on the European side also used to be.) These cities have eventually been absorbed by Istanbul and have become its districts. Today, the Asian side of the city has numerous modern residential areas and business districts, and is home to around one-third of Istanbul's population.

Asia Europe Black Sea Marmara SeaAdalar Avclar Baclar Bahelievler Bakrky Bayrampaa Beikta

IstanbulBeyolu Bykekmece Beykoz atalca Eminn Eyp Esenler Fatih Gaziosmanpaa Gngren Kadky Kathane Kartal Kkekmece Maltepe Pendik Saryer Silivri Sultanbeyli ile ili Tuzla mraniye skdar Zeytinburnu

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To the west, to the east and to the north, Istanbul extends far beyond its historical quarters. The tallest office and residential towers rise particularly in the quarters of Levent, Etiler and Maslak on the European side, and in the quarter of Kozyata on the Asian side.

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UrbanismThe urban landscape of Istanbul is constantly changing. In the Greek, Roman and Byzantine periods, the city was largely made up of the historic peninsula of Constantinople; with the citadel of Galata (also called Sykae or Pera, present-day Beyolu) at north; and Chrysopolis (skdar) and Chalcedon (Kadky) at east, across the Bosphorus. These were all independent cities in antiquity. The present-day City of Istanbul can be considered the metropolitan area of old Constantinople, encompassing every single settlement around the original city, and expanding even further with the establishment of new neighbourhoods and districts since the 19th century. Until the early 19th century, the city walls of Galata, the medieval Genoese citadel, used to stand. These Genoese fortifications, of which only the Galata Tower and a small portion of the citadel walls around it stand today, were largely demolished in the early 1800s to give way for a northwards expansion of the city, towards the neighbourhoods of Beikta, ili, Nianta, and beyond.

Barbaros Boulevard in the Beikta district.

In the recent decades, numerous tall structures were built around the city to accommodate a rapid growth in population. Surrounding towns were absorbed into Istanbul as the city rapidly expanded outwards. The tallest highrise office and residential buildings are mostly located in the northern areas of the European side, especially in the business and shopping districts of Levent, Maslak, and Mecidiyeky which are situated between the Bosphorus Bridge and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge. Levent and Etiler also have numerous upmarket shopping malls, like Kanyon, Metrocity, Akmerkez, Mayadrom and Mayadrom Uptown. The headquarters of Turkey's largest companies and banks are also located in this area. Starting from the second half of the 20th century, the Anatolian (Asian) side of Istanbul, which was originally a tranquil place full of seaside summer residences and elegant chalet mansions surrounded by lush and vast umbrella pine gardens, experienced a massive urban growth. The construction of the long, wide and elegant Badat Avenue, with its rows of upscale shops and restaurants, contributed much to the initial urban expansion in the area. The fact that these areas were largely empty until the 1960s also provided the chance for developing better infrastructure and a tidier urban planning when compared with most other residential areas in the city. But the real expansion of the Asian side came with the opening of the Ankara Asfalt, the Asian extension of the E5 highway, which is located to the north of Badat Avenue, parallel to the railway line. Another important factor in the recent growth of the Asian side of the city was migration from Anatolia. Today, more than 1/3 of the city's residents live in the Asian side of Istanbul. As a result of Istanbul's exponential growth during the second half of the 20th century, a significant portion of the city's outskirts consist of gecekondus, a Turkish word created in the 1940s meaning built overnight and referring to the illegally constructed squatter buildings that comprise entire neighbourhoods and run rampant outside the historic centers of Turkey's largest cities, especially Istanbul, Ankara, zmir, and Bursa. At present, some gecekondu areas are being gradually demolished and replaced by modern mass-housing compounds.

Istanbul Bosphorus Bridge and the skyline of Istanbul as seen from amlca Hill, with Levent financial district in the center, and Maslak financial district at right.

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ArchitectureThroughout its long history, Istanbul has acquired a reputation for being a cultural and ethnic melting pot. As a result, there are many historical mosques, churches, synagogues, palaces, castles and towers to visit in the city. Some of these historical structures, which draw millions to the city every year, reflect the heart and soul of Istanbul.[59]

Panoramic view of the Golden Horn in Istanbul, as seen from the Galata Tower. The Galata Bridge can be seen in the centre of the picture. The Seraglio Point where the Topkap Palace is located is seen at the left tip of the historic peninsula; followed by (left to right) the Hagia Sophia, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, the Yeni Mosque near the Galata Bridge, the Beyazt Tower rising high in the background, and the Sleymaniye Mosque at far right, among others. The Sea of Marmara and the Princes' Islands are seen in the background, on the horizon. At the extreme left of the picture, the district of Kadky (ancient Chalcedon) on the Asian side of the city can be seen. Behind the Galata Bridge, towards the horizon, the Column of Constantine (which was surrounded by iron bars for restoration) rises. Ancient Greek and Roman The famous Maiden's (Leander's) Tower, one of the symbols of Istanbul, was originally built by the ancient Athenian general Alcibiades in 408 BC to monitor the movements of the Persian ships in the Bosphorus strait.[60]

Maiden's (Leander's) Tower.

One of the most important monuments of Roman architecture in the city is the Column of Constantine (Turkish: emberlita), which was erected in 330 by Constantine the Great for marking the declaration of the new capital city of the Roman Empire.[61] The other Roman era structures in the city include the Mazulkemer Aqueduct, the Valens Aqueduct, the Column of the Goths at the Seraglio Point, the Milion which served for calculating the distances between Constantinople and the other cities of the Roman Empire, the Great Palace of Constantinople originally built by Constantine as the primary residence of the Roman emperors, and the Hippodrome of Constantinople that was built following the model of the Circus

Hippodrome of Constantinople.

Maximus in Rome. Construction of the Walls of Constantinople began under Constantine the Great,[62] who enlarged the previously existing walls of Byzantium in order to defend the new Roman capital city which quickly grew following its

Istanbul proclamation as Nova Roma. A new set of walls was built further west during the reign of Theodosius II, and rebuilt after an earthquake in 447 in their current shape. The Column of Marcian (Turkish: Kzta) erected by Marcianus (reigned 450457) dates from the same period as the triple land walls of Theodosius II. Byzantine The early Byzantine architecture followed the classical Roman model of domes and arches, but further improved these architectural concepts, as evidenced with the 4th century Hagia Irene built by Constantine as the first church in the new Roman capital city; and the 6th century churches of Saints Sergius and Bacchus and Hagia Sophia built by Justinian, the latter being the largest structure on Sultanahmet Square in the Eminn district, and the most important surviving example of Byzantine architecture in the world. Excavations at the substructures of the Great Palace of Constantinople, which is located right next to the Hagia Sophia, are still continuing; while its floor mosaics and wall decorations are displayed at the Great Palace Mosaic Museum. In a nearby location, the Magnaura Tower of the Great Palace still stands and is another site of continuing archaeological excavations.[63] The Great Palace was originally built by Constantine, but it was continuously enlarged by the following Byzantine emperors, in particular by Justinian. The Boukoleon Palace, alternatively known as the Palace of Hormisdas, was built by Theodosius II in the 5th century, enlarged by Theophilos in the 9th century, and incorporated into the new walls of the Great Palace by Nikephoros II Phokas in the 10th century.[64] The eastern tribune of the Hippodrome of Constantinople, where the Kathisma (emperor's loge) was located, could also be directly accessed by the Byzantine emperors and members of the imperial family through a passage which connected it with the Great Palace.[65] [66]

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The 4th century Hagia Irene was the first church built by Constantine in the new Roman capital city.

The Hagia Sophia was designed by Isidorus and Anthemius as the third church to rise on this location, between 532 and 537, following the Nika riots (532) during which the second church was destroyed (the first church, known as the Megala Ekklessia ("Great Church") was inaugurated by Constantius II in 360; the second church was inaugurated by Theodosius II in 405, while the third and current one was inaugurated Justinian in 537). The Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus (commonly known as the Little Hagia Sophia), which was the first church built by Justinian in Constantinople and edificed between 527 and 536, had earlier signaled such an improvement in the design of domed buildings, which require complex solutions for carrying the structure. The present-day Hagia Irene (which was originally built by Constantine in the 4th century, but was later enlarged by Justinian in the 6th century) and the Basilica Cistern are also from this period. The oldest surviving Byzantine church in Istanbul that has preserved its original form through the centuries, though partially in ruins, is the Stoudios (mrahor) Monastery, which was built in 462. The most extant Byzantine structures that have survived from the reign of Heraclius (610641) are the Prisons of Anemas,[67] which were incorporated into the city walls at the western suburb of Blachernae. They form a huge castle-like structure with several towers and a network of underground Byzantine dungeons. The Palace of the Porphyrogenitus (Turkish: Tekfur Saray), which is the only surviving part of the Blachernae Palace, dates from the

Originally a church, later a mosque, and now a museum, the 6th century Hagia Sophia built by Justinian was the largest ever cathedral building in the world for a thousand years, until the completion of the Seville Cathedral in Spain.

Istanbul period of the Fourth Crusade. The Boukoleon Palace facing the Sea of Marmara was the primary residence of the Latin emperors of Constantinople between 1204 and 1261. In these years, on the northern side of the Golden Horn, the Dominican priests of the Catholic Church built the Church of Saint Paul in 1233. Genoese Following the reconquest of Constantinople from the Latin Crusaders in 1261, the Byzantine emperors almost completely abandoned the Great Palace and Boukoleon Palace, and moved to the Blachernae Palace in the west of the city, near the triple land walls. The most important churches that were built after the Byzantines recovered Constantinople in 1261 include the Pammakaristos Church and Chora Church. Also in this period, the Genoese Podest of Galata, Montano de Marinis, built the Palazzo del Comune (1316),[68] an identical copy of the San Giorgio Palace in Genoa, which still stands in ruins on Banker Soka (the historic Rue Camondo), a parallel side street to the north of Bankalar (Voyvoda) Caddesi in Galata, together with its adjacent buildings and numerous Genoese houses from the early 1300s. The Genoese also built the Galata Tower, which they named as Christea Turris (Tower of Christ), at the highest point of the citadel of Galata, in 1348. The Genoese Castle at the Black Sea entrance of the Bosporus was originally built by the Byzantines. Ottoman

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Historic Areas of Istanbul*UNESCO World Heritage SiteStateParty Type Criteria Reference Region**Turkey

Cultural I, II, III, IV 356[69]

Europe and North America

Inscription historyInscription 1985 (9th Session)[70]

* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. [71] ** Region as classified by UNESCO.

The Ottoman Turks built the Anadoluhisar on the Asian side of the Bosphorus in 1394, and the Rumelihisar at the opposite (European) shore, in 1452, a year before the conquest of Constantinople. The main purpose of these castles, armed with the long range Balyemez (Faule Metze) cannons, was to block the sea traffic of the Bosphorus and prevent the support ships from the Genoese colonies on the Black Sea ports, such as Caffa, Sinop, and Amasra, from reaching Constantinople and helping the Byzantines during the Turkish siege of the city.[72] The first mosque on the European side of Istanbul was built inside the Rumeli Castle in 1452. Following the Ottoman conquest of the city, Sultan Mehmed II initiated a wide scale reconstruction plan, which included the construction of grand buildings such as the Topkap Palace, Grand Bazaar and the Yedikule (Seven Towers) Castle which guarded the main entrance gate of the city, the Porta Aurea (Golden Gate).Topkap Palace was the home of the Ottoman emperors.

The first grand mosque which was built in the city proper was the Eyp Sultan Mosque in around 1459. The mosque was built on the site of the

Istanbul grave of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad who had died outside the land walls of Constantinople (walls of Theodosius II) in 669,[73] during the early skirmishes which preluded the Arab siege (674678) to take the city. The first imperial mosque inside the city walls was the Fatih Mosque (1470) which was built on the site of the Church of the Holy Apostles, an important Byzantine church originally edificed in the time of Constantine the Great. Many other imperial mosques were built in the following centuries, such as the famous Sleymaniye Mosque (1557) which was ordered by Suleiman the Magnificent and designed by the great Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, and the famous Sultan Ahmet Mosque (1616) which is also known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles that adorn its interior. In the centuries following Mehmed II, many new important buildings, such as the Sleymaniye Mosque, Sultanahmet Mosque, Yeni Mosque and numerous others were constructed. In the 18th and 19th centuries, traditional Ottoman architectural styles were gradually replaced by European styles, such as the Baroque style interiors of the Aynalkavak Palace (16771679) and Nuruosmaniye Mosque (17481755, the first Baroque style mosque in the city, also famous for its Baroque fountain), and the 18th century Baroque additions to the Harem section of the Topkap Palace. Following the Tanzimat reforms which effectively started Turkey's europeanisation process in 1839, new palaces and mosques were built in Neoclassical, Traditional waterfront houses on the Bosphorus. Baroque and Rococo styles, or an eclectic mix of all three, such as the Dolmabahe Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace and Ortaky (Mecidiye) Mosque.[74] Starting from the early 19th century, the areas around stiklal Avenue were filled with grandiose embassy buildings belonging to prominent European states, and rows of European (mostly Neoclassical and later Art Nouveau) style buildings started to appear on both flanks of the avenue. Istanbul was one of the major centers of the Art Nouveau (Liberty) movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with famous architects of this style such as Alexander Vallaury and Raimondo D'Aronco building many palaces and mansions in the city proper and on the Princes' Islands. D'Aronco's most important works in the city include several buildings of the Yldz Palace complex, and the Botter House on stiklal Avenue. The famous Camondo Stairs on Bankalar Caddesi (Banks Street) in Karaky (Galata) is also a beautiful example of Art Nouveau architecture. Other important examples are the Khedive Palace[75] (Hdiv Kasr) on the Asian side of the Bosphorus, Flora Han in Sirkeci, and Frej Apartman[76] in the ihane quarter of Beyolu.[77]

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AdministrationThe mayor of Istanbul, currently Kadir Topba, serves as the prefect of the city.[78] The governor of Istanbul province is Muammer Gler.[79] Istanbul is a home rule city and municipal elections are mainly partisan. The metropolitan model of governance has been used with the establishment of metropolitan administration in 1930. The metropolitan council is responsible for all authority when it comes to making city decisions.[80] The metropolitan government structure consists of three main organs: Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality City Hall (1) The Metropolitan Mayor (elected every five years), (2) The (1960) in the Fatih district. Metropolitan Council (decision making body with the mayor, district Mayors, and one fifth of the district municipal councillors), (3) The metropolitan executive committee. There are three types of local authorities: (1) municipalities, (2) special provincial administrations, (3) village administrations. Among the local authorities, municipalities are gaining greater importance with the rise in urbanisation.

Istanbul The current Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality City Hall building in the Sarahane quarter of the Fatih district, the construction of which began on 17 December 1953 and was completed and inaugurated on 26 May 1960, will soon be demolished and replaced by a new building, designed by Istanbul-based Arolat Architects.[81]

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DemographicsThe population of the metropolis more than tripled during the 25 years between 1980 and 2005. Roughly 70% of all Istanbulites live in the European section and around 30% in the Asian section. Due to high unemployment in the southeast of Turkey, many people from that region migrated to Istanbul, where they established themselves in the outskirts of the city. Migrants, predominantly from eastern Anatolia arrive in Istanbul expecting improved living conditions and employment, which usually end with little success. This results each year with new gecekondus at the outskirts of the city, which are later developed into neighbourhoods and integrated into the greater metropolis. The city has a population of 11,372,613residents according to the latest count as of 2007,[3] and is one of the largest cities in the world today. The rate of population growth in the city is currently at 3.45% a year on average, mainly due to the influx of people from the surrounding rural areas. Istanbul's population density of 2,742people per square mile (1,700 per square km) far exceeds Turkey's 130people per square mile (81people per square km).[82] Most of the citys population are ethnic Turks. Kurds now constitute the largest ethnic minority in the city. There are several million Kurdish migrants from the countryside in Istanbul.[83] During the early Middle Ages, Istanbul was the largest city in the world, and has been one of the world's largest and most important cities during much of its history (excepting the period of collapse of the Eastern Roman, or Byzantine, Empire before the Ottomans). Its geopolitical significance since ancient times brought representatives of ethnic groups from all over Europe, Asia, and Africa. Throughout its history the ethnic Greek and then Turkish populations have assimilated these groups throughout the city's history. The following overview shows the numbers of inhabitants by year. Population tallies up to 1914 are estimated with variations of up to 50% depending upon researcher. The numbers from 1927 to 2000 are results of censuses. The numbers of 2005 and 2006 are based on computer simulation forecasts. The doubling of the population of Istanbul between 1980 and 1985 is due to a natural increase in population as well as the expansion of municipal limits.

Historic populationYear Population 330 400 530 545 715 950 1200 1453 40,000 400,000 550,000 350,000 300,000 400,000 150,000 36,000

Istanbul

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Year Population 1477 1566 1817 1860 1885 1890 1897 1901 70,000 [84]

600,000 500,000 715,000 873,570 874,000 1,059,000 942,900

Year Population 1914 1927 1935 1940 1945 1950 1955 1960 909,978 680,857 741,148 793,949 860,558 983,041 1,268,771 1,466,535

Year Population 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 2000 2007 1,742,978 2,132,407 2,547,364 2,772,708 5,475,982 6,629,431 8,803,468 11,372,613

Istanbul |

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ReligionThe urban landscape of Istanbul is shaped by many communities. The religion with the largest community of followers is Islam. Religious minorities include Greek Orthodox Christians, Armenian Christians, Catholic Levantines and Sephardic Jews. According to the 2000 census, there were 2,691 active mosques, 123 active churches and 26 active synagogues in Istanbul; as well as 109 Muslim cemeteries and View of the Ottoman Neo-Baroque style Ortaky 57 non-Muslim cemeteries. Some districts used to have sizeable Mosque. populations of these ethnic groups, such as the Kumkap district which had a sizeable Armenian population, the Balat district which had a sizeable Jewish population, the Fener district which had a sizeable Greek population, and some neighbourhoods in the Nianta and Beyolu districts which had sizeable Levantine populations. Very few remain in these aforementioned districts as they either emigrated or moved to other districts. In some quarters, such as Kuzguncuk, an Armenian church sits next to a synagogue, and on the other side of the road a Greek Orthodox church is found beside a mosque. The seat of the Patriarch of Constantinople, spiritual leader of the Greek Orthodox Church and first patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox communion, is located in the Fener (Phanar) district. Also based in Istanbul are the archbishop of the Turkish-Orthodox community, an Armenian archbishop, and the Turkish Grand-Rabbi. A number of places reflect past movements of different communities into Istanbul, most notably Arnavutky (Albanian village), Polonezky (Polish village) and Yenibosna (New Bosnia). The Muslims are by far the largest religious group in Istanbul. Among them, the Sunnis form the most populous sect, while a number of the local Muslims are Alevis. In 2007 there were 2,944 active mosques in Istanbul.[85] Istanbul was the final seat of the Islamic Caliphate, between 1517 and 1924, when the Caliphate was dissolved and its powers were handed over to the Turkish Parliament. On 2 September 1925, the tekkes and tarikats were banned, as their activities were deemed incompatible with the characteristics of the secular democratic Republic of Turkey;

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque.

Istanbul particularly with the secular education system and the laicist state's control over religious affairs through the Religious Affairs Directorate. Most followers of Sufism and other forms of Islamic mysticism practiced clandestinely afterwards, and some of these sects still boast numerous followers. In order to avoid the still valid prohibition, these organisations represent themselves as "cultural associations." The city has been the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate since the 4th century AD, and continues to serve as the seat of some other Orthodox churches, such as the Turkish Orthodox Church and the Armenian Patriarchate. The city was formerly also the seat of the Bulgarian Exarchate, before its autocephaly was recognised by other Orthodox churches. The everyday life of the Christians, particularly the Greeks and Armenians living in Istanbul changed significantly following the bitter conflicts between these ethnic groups and the Turks during the fall of Inside the Church of St. George in the Fener the Ottoman Empire, which began in the 1820s and continued for a (Phanar) quarter. century. The conflicts reached their culmination in the decade between 1912 and 1922; during the Balkan Wars, the First World War and the Turkish War of Independence. The Christian population declined from 450,000 to 240,000 between 1914 and 1927.[86] Today, most of Turkey's remaining Greek and Armenian minorities live in or near Istanbul. The number of the local Turkish Armenians in Istanbul today amount to approximately 45,000[87] (not including the nearly 40,000 Armenian workers in Turkey who came from Armenia after 1991 and mostly live and work in Istanbul);[88] while the Greek community, which amounted to 150,000 citizens in 1924,[89] currently amounts to approximately 4,000 citizens.[87] There are also 60,000 Istanbulite Greeks who currently live in Greece but continue to retain their Turkish citizenship.[87] The Sephardic Jews have lived in the city for over 500 years. They fled the Iberian Peninsula during the Spanish Inquisition of 1492, when they were forced to convert to Christianity after the fall of the Moorish Kingdom of Andalucia. The Ottoman Sultan Bayezid II (14811512) sent a sizable fleet to Spain under the command of Kemal Reis in order to save the Sephardic Jews, as at that point in the Caliphate's history it was a beacon of tolerance compared to much of Christendom. More than 200,000 fled first to Tangier, Algiers, Genova and Marseille, later to Salonica and finally to Istanbul. The Sultan granted over 93,000 of these Spanish Jews to take refuge in the Ottoman Empire. Another large group of Sephardic Jews came from southern Italy which was under Spanish control. The talyan Sinagogu (Italian Synagogue) in Galata is mostly frequented by the descendants of these Italian Jews in Istanbul, where more than 20,000 Sephardic Jews still remain today. There are about 20 synagogues, the most important of them being the Neve Shalom Synagogue inaugurated in 1951, in the Beyolu quarter.

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EconomyApart from being the largest city and former political capital of the country, Istanbul has always been the centre of Turkey's economic life because of its location as a junction of international land and sea trade routes. Istanbul is also Turkey's largest industrial centre. It employs approximately 20% of Turkey's industrial labour and contributes 38% of Turkey's industrial workspace. Istanbul and its surrounding province produce cotton, fruit, olive oil, silk, and tobacco. Food processing, textile production, oil products, rubber, metal ware, leather, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, electronics, glass, machinery, automotive, transportLevent financial district.

Istanbul vehicles, paper and paper products, and alcoholic drinks are among the city's major industrial products. According to Forbes magazine, Istanbul had a total of 35 billionaires as of March 2008, ranking fourth in the world.[90] Originally established as the Ottoman Stock Exchange (Dersaadet Tahvilat Borsas) in 1866, and reorganised to its current structure at the beginning of 1986, the Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE) is the sole securities market of Turkey.[91] During the 19th and early 20th centuries, Bankalar Caddesi (Banks Street) in Galata was the financial centre of the Ottoman Empire, where the headquarters of the Ottoman Central Bank (established as the Bank- Osman in 1856, and later reorganised as the Bank- Osman-i ahane in 1863)[92] and the Ottoman Stock Exchange (1866) were located.[93] Bankalar Caddesi continued to be Istanbul's main financial district until the 1990s, when most Turkish banks began moving their headquarters to the modern central business districts of Levent and Maslak.[93] In 1995, the Istanbul Stock Exchange moved to its current building in the Istinye quarter.[94] Today, the city generates 55% of Turkey's trade and 45% of the country's wholesale trade, and generates 21.2% of Turkey's gross national product. Istanbul contributes 40% of all taxes collected in Turkey and produces 27.5% of Turkey's national product. In 2005 the City of Istanbul had a GDP of $133 billion.[95] In 2005 companies based in Istanbul made exports worth $41,397,000,000 and imports worth $69,883,000,000; which corresponded to 56.6% and 60.2% of Turkey's exports and imports, respectively, in that year.[96]

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Maslak financial district.

Istanbul is one of the most important tourism spots of Turkey. There are thousands of hotels and other tourist oriented industries in the city, catering to both vacationers and visiting professionals. In 2006 a total of 23,148,669 tourists visited Turkey, most of whom entered the country through the airports and seaports of Istanbul and Antalya.[97] The total number of tourists who entered Turkey through Atatrk International Airport and Sabiha Gken International Airport in Istanbul reached 5,346,658, rising from 4,849,353 in 2005.[98] Istanbul is also one of the world's major conference destinations and is an increasingly popular choice for the world's leading international associations.[99]

Public servicesEducationIstanbul holds some of the finest institutions of higher education in Turkey, including more than 20 public and private universities. Most of the reputable universities are public, but in recent years there has also been an upsurge in the number of private universities. Istanbul University, founded in 1453, is the oldest Turkish educational institution in the city,[100] while Istanbul Technical University (1773) is the world's third-oldest technical university dedicated entirely to engineering sciences.[101] Other prominent state universities in Istanbul include Boazii University, Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts, Yildiz Technical University and Marmara University. The major private universities in the city include Ko University, Sabanc University, Fatih University, Istanbul Commerce University, Baheehir University, Yeditepe University, Kadir Has University, Dou University and Bilgi University.

Main entrance gate of Istanbul University on Beyazt Square, which was known as the Forum Tauri in the Roman period. Beyazt Tower, located within the campus, is seen in the background.

Almost all Turkish private high schools and universities in Istanbul teach in English, German or French as the primary foreign language, usually accompanied by a secondary foreign language. Galatasaray Lisesi, established in

Istanbul 1481 as Galata Saray Enderun-u Hmayunu (Galata Palace Imperial School) and later known as Galatasaray Mekteb-i Sultanisi (Galatasaray School of the Sultans) is the oldest Turkish high school in Istanbul and the second oldest Turkish educational institution in the city. stanbul Lisesi, also commonly known as stanbul Erkek Lisesi (established in 1884), abbreviated EL, is one of the oldest and internationally renowned high schools of Turkey located in stanbul. Kuleli Military High School is the only military high school in Istanbul, located in engelky district. Anadolu Liseleri (Anatolian High Schools) were originally furnished for the Turkish children who returned home from foreign countries, such as the skdar Anadolu Lisesi with German as the primary foreign language and technical instruction in German. Kadky Anadolu Lisesi is one of the first six special Ministry of Education Colleges established in 1950s in big cities across Turkey. Those English-medium colleges were renamed as "Anadolu Lisesi" in subsequent decades. There are also many foreign high schools in Istanbul, most of which were established in the 19th century in order to give education to the foreigners residing in Istanbul. Following the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, most of these schools went under the administration of the Turkish Ministry of Education, but some of them still have considerable foreign administration, such as the Liceo Italiano Statale I.M.I. (zel talyan Lisesi) which is still regarded as an Italian state school by the government of Italy and continues to receive funding and teachers from Rome.[102] Robert College, established in 1863, is another foreign school in the city, among numerous others. Istanbul has numerous libraries, many of which contain vast collections of historic documents from the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman periods, as well as from other civilisations of the past. The most important libraries in terms of historic document collections include the Topkap Palace Library, Library of the Archaeological Museum, Library of the Naval Museum, Beyazt State Library, Nuruosmaniye Library, Sleymaniye Library, Istanbul University Library, Kprlzade Fazl Ahmed Paa Library, Atatrk Library and elik Glersoy Library.

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HealthcareThe city has many public and private hospitals, clinics and laboratories within its bounds and numerous medical research centers. Many of these facilities have high technology equipment, which has contributed to the recent upsurge in "medical tourism" to Istanbul,[103] particularly from West European countries like the United Kingdom and Germany where governments send patients with lower income to the city for the inexpensive service of high-tech medical treatment and operations.[104] Istanbul has particularly become a global destination for laser eye surgery and plastic surgery.[103] The city also has an Army Veterans Hospital in the military medical centre. Pollution-related health problems increase especially in the winter, when the combustion of heating fuels increase. The rising number of new cars in the city and the slow development of public transportation often cause urban smog conditions. Mandatory use of unleaded gas was scheduled to begin only in January 2006.[105]

UtilitiesThe first water supply systems which were built in Istanbul date back to the foundation of the city. Two of the greatest aqueducts built in the Roman period are the Mazulkemer Aqueduct and the Valens Aqueduct. These aqueducts were built in order to channel water from the Halkal area in the western edge of the city to the Beyazt district in the city centre, which was known as the Forum Tauri in the Roman period.[106] After reaching the city centre, the water was later collected in the city's numerous cisterns, such as the famous Philoxenos (Binbirdirek) Cistern and the Basilica (Yerebatan) Cistern. Sultan

Valens Aqueduct.

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Suleiman the Magnificent commissioned Mimar Sinan, his engineer and architect-in-chief, to improve the water needs of the city. Sinan constructed the Krkeme Water Supply System in 1555.[106] In later years, with the aim of responding to the ever-increasing public demand, water from various springs was channeled to the public fountains by means of small supply lines; see German Fountain. Today, Istanbul has a chlorinated and filtered water supply and a sewage disposal system managed by the government agency SK.[107] There are also several private sector organisations distributing clean Basilica Cistern. water. Electricity distribution services are covered by the state-owned TEK. The first electricity production plant in the city, Silahtaraa Termik Santrali, was established in 1914 and continued to supply electricity until 1983.[108] The Ottoman Ministry of Post and Telegraph was established in the city on 23 October 1840.[109] The first post office was the Postahane-i Amire near the courtyard of Yeni Mosque.[109] In 1876 the first international mailing network between Istanbul and the lands beyond the vast Ottoman Empire was established.[109] In 1901 the first money transfers were made through the post offices and the first cargo services became operational.[109] Samuel Morse received his first ever patent for the telegraph in 1847, at the old Beylerbeyi Palace (the present Beylerbeyi Palace was built in 18611865 on the same location) in Istanbul, which was issued by Sultan Abdlmecid who personally tested the new invention.[110] Following this successful test, installation works of the first telegraph line between Istanbul and Edirne began on 9 August 1847.[111] In 1855 the Telegraph Administration was established.[109] In July 1881 the first telephone circuit in Istanbul was established between the Ministry of Post and Telegraph in Soukeme and the Postahane-i Amire in Yenicami.[111] On 23 May 1909, the first manual telephone exchange with a 50 line capacity was established in the Byk Postane (Grand Post Office) of Sirkeci.[111]

TransportationAirportsIstanbul has two international airports: The larger one is the Atatrk International Airport located in the Yeilky district on the European side, about 24kilometres (15mi) west from the city centre. When it was first built, the airport was situated at the western edge of the metropolitan area but now lies within the city bounds. The smaller one is the Sabiha Gken International Airport located in the Kurtky district on the Asian side, close to the Istanbul Park GP Racing Circuit. It is situated approximately 20kilometres (12mi) east of the Asian side and 45kilometres (28mi) east of the European city centre.

Atatrk International Airport on the European side is the main airport of the city and one of the largest international hubs in the region.

Istanbul

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NavigationSea transport is vital for Istanbul, as the city is practically surrounded by sea on all sides: the Sea of Marmara, the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus and the Black Sea. Many Istanbulites live on the Asian side of the city but work on the European side (or vice-versa) and the city's famous commuter ferries form the backbone of the daily transition between the two parts of the city even more so than the two suspension bridges which span the Bosphorus. The commuter ferries, along with the high speed catamaran Seabus (Deniz Otobs), also form the main connection between the city and the Princes' Islands.[112]

Commuter ferries have operated on the Bosphorus since 1837.

The first steam ferries appeared on the Bosphorus in 1837 and were operated by private sector companies. On 1 January 1851, the irket-i Hayriye (literally the Goodwill Company, as the Istanbul Ferry Company was originally called) was established by the Ottoman state.[112] The irket-i Hayriye continued to operate the city's landmark commuter ferries until the early years of the Republican period, when they went under the direction of Trkiye Denizcilik letmeleri (Turkish State Maritime Lines).[112] Since March 2006, Istanbul's traditional commuter ferries are being operated by stanbul Deniz Otobsleri (Istanbul Sea Buses) which also operates the high speed catamaran Seabus.[112] DO (stanbul Deniz Otobsleri Istanbul Sea Buses) was established in 1987 and operates the high speed catamaran Seabus which run between the European and Asian parts of Istanbul, also connecting the city with the Princes' Islands and other destinations in the Sea of Marmara. The Yenikap High Speed Car Ferry Port on the European side, and the Pendik High Speed Car Ferry Port on the Asian side, are where the high speed catamaran "car ferries" are based. The car ferries which operate between Yenikap (on the European side of Istanbul) and Bandrma reduce the driving time between Istanbul and zmir and other major destinations on Turkey's Aegean coast by several hours; while those which operate between Yenikap or Pendik (on the Asian side of Istanbul) and Yalova significantly reduce the driving time between Istanbul and Bursa or Antalya. The port of Istanbul is the most important one in the country. The old port on the Golden Horn serves primarily for personal navigation, while Karaky port in Galata is used by the large cruise liners. Regular services as well as cruises from both Karaky and Eminn exist to several port cities in the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea. Istanbul's main cargo port is located in the Harem district on the Asian side of the city. Istanbul also has several marinas of varying size for personal navigation, the largest of which are the Ataky Marina on the European side and Kalam Marina on the Asian side.

MotorwaysThe State Road D.100 and the European route E80, the Trans European Motorway (TEM) O-3 are the two main motorway connections between Europe and Turkey. The motorway network around Istanbul is well developed and is constantly being extended. Motorways lead east to Ankara and west to Edirne. There are also two express highways circling the city. The older one, the O-1, is mostly used for inner city traffic; while the more recent one, the O-2, is mostly used by intercity or intercontinental traffic.

Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge.

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The Bosphorus Bridge on the O-1 and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge on theO-2 establish the motorway connection between the European and the Asian sides of the Bosphorus. The southern and northern shores of the Golden Horn, an inlet of the Bosphorus on the European side of the city, are connected through the Galata Bridge, the Atatrk Bridge and the Hali Bridge; the latter also being a part of the O-1 motorway network. Bykdere Avenue is the main artery that runs through the central business districts of Levent and Maslak on the European side, and is Bykdere Avenue runs through the heart of also accessible through a number of subway stations. At the point Levent and Maslak. where the O-1 motorway junctions and tunnels between the quarters of Gayrettepe and Zincirlikuyu come together, Bykdere Avenue connects with Barbaros Boulevard, which descends towards the ferry port of Beikta. There it connects with the coastal highway that runs along the European shore of the Bosphorus, from Eminn in the south to Saryer in the north.

RailwaysIn 1883, a Belgian entrepreneur, Georges Nagelmackers, began a rail service between Paris and Constantinople, using a steamship to ferry passengers from Varna to Constantinople. In 1889, a rail line was completed going through Bucharest to Constantinople, making the whole journey via land possible. The route was known as the Orient Express, made even more famous by the works of Agatha Christie and Graham Greene.[113]

Sirkeci Terminal was opened in 1890 as the final destination terminus of the Orient Express.

Today, the Sirkeci Terminal of the Turkish State Railways (TCDD), which was originally opened in 1890 as the terminus of the Orient Express, is the terminus of all the lines on the European side and the main connection node of the Turkish railway network with the rest of Europe. Currently, international connections are provided by the line running between Istanbul and Thessaloniki, Greece, and the Bosphorus Express serving daily between Sirkeci and Bucharest, Romania. Lines to Sofia, Belgrade, Budapest are established over the Bosphorus Express connection to Bucharest. Beyond the Bosphorus, the Haydarpaa Terminal on the Asian side serves lines running several times daily to Ankara, and less frequently to other destinations in Anatolia. The railway networks on the European and Asian sides are currently connected by the train ferry across the Bosphorus, which will be replaced by an underwater tunnel connection with the completion of the Marmaray project, scheduled for 2012. Marmaray (Bosphorus Rail Tunnel) will also connect the metro lines on the European and Asian parts of the city. Inaugurated in 1908, the Haydarpaa Terminal was originally opened as the terminus of the Istanbul-Konya-Baghdad and Istanbul-Damascus-Medina railways. A railway line runs between the main train station of the European part, the Sirkeci Terminal, and the Halkal district towards the west of the city centre, with 18 stations along its 30km length. A single trip takes 48 minutes. Another suburban line runs on the Anatolian part from the main train station, the Haydarpaa Terminal, to Gebze at the eastern end of the city. The 44km long line has 28 stations and the trip takes 65 minutes. 720,000 passengers use the urban rail lines on the European side of the city every day.[114]

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TramsTrams first entered service in Istanbul on 3 September 1869, at the Tophane Ortaky line.[115] In 1871 the Azapkap Galata; Aksaray Yedikule; Aksaray Topkap; and Eminn Aksaray lines entered service.[115] Other lines which entered service in the late 19th century included the Voyvoda Caddesi Kabristan Soka Tepeba Taksim Pangalt ili line; the Bayezid ehzadeba line; the Fatih Edirnekap Galatasaray Tnel line; and the Eminn Bahekap line.[115] Since 1939 the trams of the city are operated by the ETT.[115] On 12 August 1961, the historic red trams of Istanbul A modern tram running in the Galata quarter of were removed from the city's European side; and on 14 November Istanbul. 1966, they were removed from the city's Asian side.[115] Towards the end of 1990, replicas of these historic red trams were put in service along the stiklal Avenue between Taksim and Tnel, which is a single 1.6km-long (1640 m) line.[115] On 1 November 2003, another nostalgic tram line (T3) was reopened on the Anatolian part of Istanbul between Kadky and Moda.[116] It has 10 stations on a 2.6km long route.[116] The trip takes 21 minutes.[116] A fast tram (T1) was put in service in 1992 on standard gauge track with modern cars, connecting Sirkeci with Topkap. The line was extended on one end from Topkap to Zeytinburnu in March 1994, and on the other end from Sirkeci to Eminn in April 1996. On 30 January 2005 it was extended from Eminn to Fndkl, crossing the Golden Horn through the Galata Bridge for the first time after 44 years. A final extension to Kabata was opened in June 2006. The line has 24 stations on a length of 14km. Service was initially operated with 22 LRT vehicles built by ABB, now reassigned to other lines; while stations were provided with temporary high platforms. These vehicles were replaced by 55 low-floor Bombardier Flexity Swift trams in 2003. An entire trip takes 42 minutes. The daily transport capacity is 155,000 passengers. The amount of investment totaled US$110 million. In September 2006, a second tram line (T2) was added, running west from Zeytinburnu to Baclar. Service on this line is operated with 14 ABB LRT cars. Stations have high platforms at the level of the car floor.

FunicularsIstanbul is served by two underground funicular railways, of very different ages and styles. The older of these lines is the Tnel (1875). Inaugurated on 17 January 1875,[117] the Tnel is the second-oldest subterranean urban rail line in the world after the London Underground (1863) (arguably third in the world, if one counts Brooklyn, New York's abandoned Atlantic Avenue Tunnel) and the first subterranean urban rail line in continental Europe; though the first full subway line with multiple underground stations in continental Europe was the Line 1 of the Budapest Metro (1896). The Tnel is 573m (1879.92ft) long The modern funicular line running between with an altitude difference of 60m and no intermediate stations Kabata and Taksim. between Karaky and Tnel Square.[117] It has been continuously in service since 1875.[117] Two trains run on a single rail every 3.5 minutes, and a trip takes 1.5 minutes.[117] Making 64,800 trips, totaling 37,066 kilometres a year, the Tnel carries 15,000 passengers per day.[117] A second funicular line, the Kabata-Taksim Funicular, entered service on 29 June 2006, connecting Kabata and Taksim.[118] This system connects the Seabus station and the tram stop in Kabata to the metro station at Taksim Square.[118] It is about 600meters long and climbs approximately 60meters in 110 seconds, carrying 9,000

Istanbul passengers per day.[118]

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Light railThe Istanbul LRT is a light rail transit system consisting of 2 lines. The first line (M1) began service on 3 September 1989 between Aksaray and Kartaltepe. The line was further developed step-by-step and reached Atatrk Airport on 20 December 2002. The other line (T4) was opened in 2007 between Edirnekap and Mescid-i Selam. There are 36 stations, including 12 underground and 3 viaduct stations, on the line's 32km length. The lines are totally segregated from other traffic, without level crossings, and run underground for 10.4km. Service is operated with LRT vehicles built by ABB in 1988.

MetroConstruction works of the Istanbul Metro (M2) began in 1992 and the first completed section between Taksim and 4. Levent entered service on 16 September 2000.[119] This section of the line is 8.5km (5.3mi) long and has 6 stations.[119] In 2000, there were 8 Alstom-built 4-car train sets in service, which ran every 5 minutes on average and transported 130,000 passengers daily. On 30 January 2009, the first train sets built by Eurotem entered service.[120] Eurotem will build a total of 92 new wagons for the M2 line.[120] [121] As of 30 January 2009, a total of 34 train sets, each with 4 cars, were being used on the M2 line.[121]

Levent subway station.

A northern extension from 4. Levent to Maslak was opened on 30 January 2009.[122] The southern extension of the M2 line from Taksim to Yenikap, across the Golden Horn on a bridge and underground through the historic peninsula, has thus far been completed up to the ihane station in Beyolu, which also entered service on 30 January 2009.[122] At Yenikap the M2 network will intersect with the extended light metro and suburban train lines, and with the Marmaray tunnel. At present, the M2 line has 10 stations in service on the European side of the city; while 6 new stations on the European side and 16 new stations on the Asian side are currently under construction. The trip between the ihane station in Beyolu and the Atatrk Oto Sanayi station in Maslak is 15.65km (9.7mi) long and takes 21 minutes.[123] [124] The total length of the European side of the M2 line will reach 18.36km (11.4mi) when all 16 stations from Hacosman to Yenikap will be completed;[119] [120] [125] not including the 936 metres long Golden Horn metro bridge,[126] the 0.6km long Taksim-Kabata tunnel connection with the Seabus port,[118] the 0.6km long Yenikap-Aksaray tunnel connection with the LRT network,[120] and the 13.6km long Marmaray tunnel.[127] On the Asian side, construction of the 21.66km (13.5mi) long M2 line from Kadky to Kartal continues, which will have a total of 16 stations.[128] The Marmaray tunnel (Bosporus undersea railway tunnel) will connect the metro lines of the Asian and European parts of the city. According to the scheduled construction timeline, the tunnel will enter service in 2013.

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Culture and contemporary lifeFine and performing artsIstanbul is becoming increasingly colourful in terms of its rich social, cultural, and commercial activities. While world famous pop stars fill stadiums, activities like opera, ballet and theatre continue throughout the year. During seasonal festivals, world famous orchestras, chorale ensembles, concerts and jazz legends can be found often playing to a full house. The Istanbul International Film Festival is one of the most important film festivals in Europe,[129] while the Istanbul Biennial is another major event of fine arts.Istanbul Archaeology Museum is adjacent to the Istanbul Modern frequently hosts the exhibitions of renowned Turkish Topkap Palace. and foreign artists. Pera Museum and Sakp Sabanc Museum have hosted the exhibitions of world famous artists and are among the most important private museums in the city. The Doanay Museum Turkeys first contemporary art museum is dedicated almost exclusively to the work of its founder Burhan Doanay. The Rahmi M. Ko Museum on the Golden Horn is an industrial museum that exhibits historic industrial equipment such as cars and locomotives from the 1800s and early 1900s, as well as boats, submarines, aircraft, and other similar vintage machines from past epochs.

Istanbul Archaeology Museum, established in 1881, is one of the largest museums of its kind in the world. The museum contains more than 1,000,000 archaeological pieces from the Mediterranean basin, the Balkans, Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia. Istanbul Mosaic Museum contains the late Roman and early Byzantine floor mosaics and wall ornaments of the Great Palace of Constantinople. The nearby Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum displays a vast collection of items from various Islamic civilisations. Sadberk Hanm Museum contains a wide variety of artifacts, dating from the earliest Anatolian civilisations to the Ottomans.[130] Occasionally, in November, the Silahhane (Armory Hall) of Yldz Palace hosts the Istanbul Antiques Fair, which brings together rare pieces of antiques from the Orient and Occident.[131] The multi-storey Mecidiyeky Antikaclar ars (Mecidiyeky Antiques Bazaar) in the Mecidiyeky quarter of ili is the largest antiques market in the city, while the ukurcuma neighbourhood of Beyolu has rows of antiques shops in its streets. The Grand Bazaar, edificed between 14551461 by the order of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror also has numerous antiques shops, along with shops selling jewels, carpets and other items of art and artisanship. Historic and rare books are found in the Sahaflar ars near Beyazt Square, and it is one of the oldest book markets in the world, and has continuously been active in the same location since the late Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman periods. Live shows and concerts are hosted at a number of locations including historical sites such as the Hagia Irene, Rumeli Fortress, Yedikule Castle, the courtyard of Topkap Palace, and Glhane Park; as well as the Atatrk Cultural Center, Cemal Reit Rey Concert Hall and other open air and modern theatre halls. A significant culture has been developed around what is known as a Turkish Bath. It was a culture of leisure during the Ottoman period, the finest example being the emberlita Hamam (1584) in Istanbul, located on the emberlita (Column of Constantine) Square.[132]

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RecreationTraditional beach resorts had gradually disappeared due to water pollution. Recently, however, old places have reopened in the city. The most popular places for swimming in the city are in Bakrky, Kkekmece, Saryer and the Bosphorus. Outside the city are the Marmara Sea's Princes' Islands, Silivri and Tuzla; as well as Kilyos and ile on the Black Sea. The Princes' Islands (Prens Adalar) are a group of islands in the Marmara Sea, south of the quarters Kartal and Pendik. Pine and The Princes' Islands are located to the southeast stone-pine wooden neoclassical and art nouveau-style Ottoman era of Istanbul in the Sea of Marmara. summer mansions from the 19th and early 20th centuries, horse-drawn carriages (motor vehicles are not permitted) and seafood restaurants make them a popular destination. They can be reached by ferry boats or high-speed catamaran Seabus (Deniz otobs) from Eminn and Bostanc. Of the nine islands, only five are settled. ile is a distant and well-known Turkish seaside resort on the Black Sea, 50kilometres (31mi) from Istanbul, where unspoiled white sand beaches can be found. Kilyos is a small calm seaside resort not far from the northern European entrance of the Bosphorus at the Black Sea. The place has good swimming possibilities and has become popular in the recent years among the inhabitants of Istanbul as a place for excursions. Kilyos offers a beach park with seafood restaurants and night clubs, being particularly active in the summer with many night parties and live concerts on the beach. Shopping Istanbul has numerous historic shopping centers, such as the Grand Bazaar (1461), Mahmutpaa Bazaar (1462) and the Egyptian Bazaar (1660). The first modern shopping mall was Galleria Ataky (1987), which was followed by dozens of others in the later decades, such as Akmerkez (1993) which is the only mall to win both "Europe's Best" and "World's Best" awards by the ICSC; Metrocity (2003); Cevahir Mall (2005) which is the largest mall in Europe; and Kanyon Mall (2006) which won the 2006 Cityscape Architectural Review Award for its interesting design. stinye Park (2007) and City's Nianta (2008) are two new malls which target high-end consumers and are almost exclusively dedicated to world-famous fashion brands. Restaurants Along with the traditional Turkish restaurants, many European and Far Eastern The Grand Bazaar is one of the largest covered markets in the world. restaurants and numerous other cuisines are also thriving in the city. Most of the city's historic winehouses (meyhane in Turkish) and pubs are located in the areas around stiklal Avenue in Beyolu. The 19th century iek Pasaj (literally Flower Passage in Turkish, or Cit de Pra in French) on stiklal Avenue, which has many historic meyhanes, pubs and restaurants, was built by Hristaki Zorafos Efendi at the former site of the Naum Theatre and was inaugurated in 1876. The famous Nevizde Street, which has rows of historic meyhanes next to each other, is also in this area. Other historic pubs are found in the areas around Tnel Pasaj and the nearby Asmalmescit Soka. Some historic neighbourhoods around stiklal Avenue have recently been recreated, with differing levels of success; such as Cezayir Soka near Galatasaray Lisesi, which became unofficially known as La Rue Franaise[133] and has rows of francophone pubs, cafs and restaurants playing live music.[134]

Istanbul Istanbul is also famous for its historic seafood restaurants. The most popular seafood restaurants are generally found along the shores of the Bosphorus and by the Marmara Sea shore towards the south of the city.[135] [136] The largest of the Princes' Islands in the Sea of Marmara (namely Bykada, Heybeliada, Burgazada and Knalada) and Anadolu Kava near the northern entrance of the Bosphorus towards the Black Sea (close to Yoros Castle, which was also known as the Genoese Castle due to Genoa's possession of it in the mid-15th century) also have many historic seafood restaurants. Night life There are many night clubs, pubs, restaurants and taverns with live music in the city. The night clubs, restaurants and bars increase in number and move to open air spaces in the summer. The areas around Istiklal Avenue, Nianta, Bebek and Kadky offer all sorts of cafs, restaurants, pubs and clubs as well as art galleries, theaters and cinemas. Babylon[137] and Nu Pera in Beyolu are popular night clubs both in the summer and in the winter. The most popular open air summer time seaside night clubs are found on the Bosporus, such as Sortie,[138] [139] Reina[140] [141] and Anjelique[142] in the Ortaky district. Q Jazz Bar in Ortaky offers live jazz music in a stylish environment.

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stiklal Avenue in Istanbul's cosmopolitan Beyolu district.

Venues such as Istanbul Arena in Maslak and Kurueme Arena[143] on the Bosporus frequently host the live concerts of famous singers and bands from all corners of the world. Parkorman[144] in Maslak hosted the Isle of MTV Party in 2002 and is a popular venue for live concerts and rave parties in the summer.

MediaThe first Turkish newspaper, Takvim-i Vekayi, was printed on 1 August 1831 in the Bbli (Bb- li, meaning The Sublime Porte) district. Bbli became the main centre for print media. Istanbul is also the printing capital of Turkey with a wide variety of domestic and foreign periodicals expressing diverse views, and domestic newspapers are extremely competitive. Most nationwide newspapers are based in Istanbul, with simultaneous Ankara and zmir editions.[105] Major newspapers with their headquarters in Istanbul include Hrriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Radikal, Cumhuriyet, Zaman, Trkiye, Akam, Bugn, Star, Dnya, Tercman, Gne, Vatan, Posta, Takvim, Vakit, Yeni afak, Fanatik and Turkish Daily News. There are also numerous local and national TV and radio stations located in Istanbul, such as CNBC-e, CNN Trk, MTV Trkiye, Fox Trkiye, Fox Sports Trkiye, NTV,Samanyolu TV, Kanal D, ATV, Show TV, Star TV, Cine5, SKY Trk, TGRT Haber, Kanal 7, Kanal Trk, Flash TV and many others. In the city of Istanbul, there are over a hundred FM-radio stations.[145]

SportsDuring the Roman and Byzantine periods, the most important sporting events were the quadriga chariot races that were held at the Hippodrome of Constantinople, which had a capacity to accommodate more than 100,000 spectators.[146] Today, sports like football, basketball and volleyball are very popular in the city. In addition to Beikta, Galatasaray and Fenerbahe, which field teams in multiple sports, several other clubs have also excelled in particular team sports; such as Efes Pilsen, Fenerbahe lker, Galatasaray Cafe Crown and Beikta Cola Turka in basketball; or Eczacba, Vakfbank and Fenerbahe in volleyball. The Atatrk Olympic Stadium, the largest multi-purpose stadium in Turkey, is a 5-star UEFA stadium and a first-class venue for track and field; having reached the highest required standards set by the International Olympic Committee and sports federations such as the IAAF, FIFA and UEFA. The stadium hosted the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final. The kr Saracolu Stadium, home of Fenerbahe, which is also a 5-star UEFA stadium,

Istanbul hosted the 2009 UEFA Cup Final that went down to history as the last Final of the UEFA Cup football tournament. The UEFA Cup will be replaced by the UEFA Europa League starting from the 2009-2010 season.[147] [148] The Sinan Erdem Dome, the largest multi-purpose indoor arena in Turkey, will host the Final of the 2010 FIBA World Basketball Championship, and will also be the venue for the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships and the 2012 FINA Short Course World Championships. The Abdi peki Arena hosted the Final of EuroBasket 2001, and was also the venue for the 1992 Euroleague Final Four. Istanbul hosts several annual motorsports events, such as the Formula One Turkish Grand Prix, the MotoGP Grand Prix of Turkey, the FIA World Touring Car Championship, the GP2 and the Le Mans Series 1000km (621mi) races at the Istanbul Park GP Racing Circuit. From time to time Istanbul also hosts the Turkish leg of the F1 Powerboat Racing on the Bosphorus. Several annual sailing and yacht races take place on the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara. The Golden Horn is Istanbul Park GP racing circuit. where the rowing races take place. Major clubs like Galatasaray, Fenerbahe and Beikta, and major universities such as the Bosphorus University have rowing teams. Air racing is new to the city. On 29 July 2006, Istanbul hosted the 5th leg of the spectacular Red Bull Air Race World Series, as well as the 4th leg on 2 June 2007, in both cases above the Golden Horn. Personal sports like golf, horse riding and tennis are gaining popularity as the city hosts international tournaments such as the WTA Istanbul Cup. For aerobics and bodybuilding, numerous fitness clubs are available. Paintball is a sport which has recently gained popularity and is practiced by two large clubs in the proximity of Istanbul. Martial arts and other Eastern disciplines and practices such as Aikido and Yoga can be exercised in several centers across the city. Istanbul also hosts the annual MTB races in the nearby Belgrad Forest and Bykada Island. Two of the most prominent cycling teams of Turkey, namely the Scott/Marintek MTB Team and the Kron/Sektor Bikes/Efor Bisiklet MTB Team, are from Istanbul.

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See also Istanbul (Not Constantinople), a song about the name of the city Large Cities Climate Leadership Group List of architectural structures in Istanbul List of columns and towers in Istanbul List of Istanbulites List of tallest buildings in Istanbul List of twin towns and sister cities in Turkey Metropolitan centers in Turkey

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Further reading Gul, Murat. The Emergence of Modern Istanbul: Transformation and Modernisation of a City (I.B. Tauris, distributed by Palgrave Macmillan; 242 pages; 2010). Pays particular attention to modernization under the Democratic Party government (195060) of Prime Minister Adnan Menderes.

References[1] The foundation of Byzantion (Byzantium) is sometimes, especially in encyclopedic or other tertiary sources, placed firmly in 667 BC. However, the precise year in which the city was founded has been disputed by historians since antiquity. Commonly cited is the work of [149] 5th-century-BC historian Herodotus, which says the city was founded seventeen years after Chalcedon, which came into existence around 685 BC. However, Eusebius of Caesarea, while concurring with 685 BC as the year in which Chalcedon was founded, places [150] [151] Byzantion's establishment in 659 BC. Among more modern historians, Carl Roebuck proposed the 640s BC while others have [152] suggested even later. Further, the foundation date of Chalcedon is itself subject to some debate; while many sources place it in 685 BC, [153] [150] others put it in 675 BC or even 639 BC (with Byzantion's establishment placed in 619 BC). As such, some sources have opted to refer to Byzantium's foundation as simply located in the 7th century BC. [2] "llere gre merkez ve belde/ky nfus toplamlar" (http:/ / report. tuik. gov. tr/ reports/ rwservlet?adnksdb2=& report=buyukbelediye. RDF& p_il1=34& p_kod=2& p_yil=2009& p_dil=1& desformat=html& ENVID=nufus2000db2Env). Trkiye statistik Kurumu. 2008. . Retrieved 16 July 2009. [3] Trkiye istatistik kurumu (http:/ / www. tuik. gov. tr/ jsp/ duyuru/ upload/ adnks_Harita_TR/ HaritaTR. html) Address-based population survey 2007. Retrieved on 19 March 2008. [4] "Province Population" (http:/ / report. tuik. gov. tr/ reports/ rwservlet?adnksdb2=& report=turkiye_il_koy_sehir. RDF& p_il1=34& p_kod=2&