Istanbul is just one of the most well known cities in the world. This guide gives some of the annals of the town as well as outlines some of its most exciting features.
History
The first known name of Istanbul is Byzantium since it was founded in 660 BC by King Byzas and his colony. In 330 AD it was made the capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great and he gave it the name Constantinople. Since this time the city was given numerous names and a few believe the name Istanbul came from the word 'Islambol' which means 'city of Islam', however the name Istanbul comes from the Medieval Greek phrase which translates to 'in the town' and this reflects the reality that Istanbul was the only major city within a considerable region of Turkey. This name became the official name of the town in 1930.
Geography
Istanbul could be the largest city in Turkey with a total area of 5,343 square kilometers, and with a population of just under 14 million it's regarded as one of many largest cities in the world with regard to population to area.
The city lies over both sides of the Bosphorus that is a river connecting the Sea of Marmara to the Black Sea, and it is this river which divides the European side and the Asian side of Istanbul.
Météo Istanbul
As a generalisation, Istanbul has cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers and frequently has fog mainly because of the high humidity. Nevertheless due to the vast size of the city the Météo Istanbul changes between different areas. Istanbul Meteo.
Things to do
This is undoubtedly the biggest element of this article. There are numerous things to view and do in Istanbul that it could likely take an entire book to mention everything in more detail, and it could take a great few weeks holiday in order to cover everything in the city. However we will briefly summarize the most famous tourist spots so that you won't lose out on whatever is a mustsee or even a must-do.
The blue mosque is just one of essentially the very most memorable pieces of architecture in Istanbul and is observed on most books, leaflets, brochures, ads and pictures of Istanbul. Although it still runs like a mosque it truly is open for your public to view it truly is astounding interior.
After this in stunning architecture is the Hagia Sophia (in Turkish Ayasofya) is a former church, and later mosque, which now runs as a museum.
Topkapi Palace is actually another major tourist feature and is really a museum of what used to be the residence of the Ottoman Sultans. Out of the 624 reigning years, they resided there for 400 years.
Moving forward in the incredible historic attractions of Istanbul, there is of course a range of shopping experiences. From your renowned Grand Bazaar, where shopping meets real Turkish fashion as well as culture, to the ultra modern malls including the Istanbul Cevahir Mall that is among the largest malls in Europe.
These two extremes of shopping web sites represent the overall attraction of Istanbul, that could be the combination of old and brand new, traditional Turkish past-times as well as experiences of nationalities all across the world including the small Parisian town. Wherever you go in Istanbul you are guaranteed to find a big number of restaurants and cafes offering delicious cuisine, all in different styles and again where the conventional meets the modern Find Out More.
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