THE FORTUNE CITY

Known to be inhabited since 6000 B.C.E., Constantinople is today the largest city of Turkey. Located strategically on the Bosporus straight, it enjoys a unique blend of European and Asian cultures and attracts millions of eager tourists each year. The Bosporus lies on the western side of Turkey, connecting the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara, which in turn connects with the Mediterranean Sea through the straight of the Dardanelles. Its temperate climate, consisting of hot dry summers and mild wet winters, makes the area all the more attractive to tourists.

The first inhabitants of Constantinople were nomads who lived off cattle breeding and fishing. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, it survived a thousand years of instability and outbursts of revolutions and was thus known as the Fortune City. It then had a population of one million and enjoyed various industries, including luxury goods, military supplies, hardware, textiles, and jewelry.

It became the Byzantine capital Constantinople named after the emperor Constantine in 330 A.D. until it became Istanbul under the Ottoman Empire. It remained known as Istanbul after the fall of the empire in 1923 when Kemal Attaturk founded modern day Turkey. Since then, Turkey witnessed a rise in its participation in modern politics, joining the United Nations in 1945, NATO in 1952

Turkey's political and economic influence is largely due to its geographic location. It borders Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran on the east, Iraq, Syria, and the Mediterranean Sea on its southern border, Greece, Bulgaria, and the Aegean Sea to the west, and the Black Sea on its northern border. Turkey covers 780,580 km2, an area slightly larger than the state of Texas. Anatolia refers to the high central plateau in the centre of the Turkish lands. Turkey shares the famous Mount Ararat (believed to be where Noah's Ark came to rest), with Armenia on the eastern border. Its highest peak is at 5,166 m. It is an inactive volcano covered with a blanket of snow all year round. 

Currently, Turkey has a population of 70 million. 10 million are found in the province of Istanbul, and 8.8 million of these are concentrated in the city itself. A variety of natural resources including coal, iron, ore, copper, gold, and marble among others are available to Turkey. Its unique economy involves a mix of modern and traditional productions. Its private sector is rapidly growing although the state remains a significant player particularly in the banking, communications, and transportation industries. Clothing and textiles make up the largest industrial sectors, but a variety of other products including home décor items such as rugs, cushions, ceramics and tiles, art items, jewelry, glassware, toys, games, films, music, and musical instruments, all have a Turkish signature. Their competitive quality is sought after by neighboring countries.

Istanbul is indeed the economic hub of the country. It is the chief seaport of Turkey, and so shipbuilding and repairing are found here, besides other important industries such as Turkey's automobile and truck assembly, cement production, pottery, glass, food products including fruit and olive oil, textiles like cotton, silk, and leather, and more. Istanbul is furthermore the financial centre of Turkey offering banking and insurance services.

The province as a whole enjoys a blend of European and Asian cultures, and Istanbul is the only city in the world to straddle two continents. Its historical and cultural diversity is its most attractive element. It further resembles Rome in that it is surrounded by seven hills of plat tops and steep slopes.

Stamboul, one major part of Istanbul in the European side, is the main focus of tourism for its many sights of the city's far reaching history. Its most important historical attractions are concentrated in the famous Sultanahmet Square. Topkapi Palace, situated on the peak of Constantinople, was the political hub of the Ottoman Empire for 4 centuries. It was built in 6 years between 1459 and 1465. Its areas were dedicated to offices, state institutions as well as a Palace school. Only half of its space was dedicated to the Sultan and his harem.

The Hagia Sophia, now renamed Aya Sophia, was originally a church, converted into a mosque in 1453, then into a museum in 1932. It was built in twenty years during the 6th century. Its 33 m wide dome alone required 5 years, and was among the most ambitious projects of its time, remaining unchallenged until architectural weaknesses appeared during an earthquake which collapsed the central parts of the dome.

The Sultan Ahmet Camii, more commonly known as the Blue Mosque, was erected near the Aya Sophia a thousand years later as an attempt to challenge the grandeur of Christian architecture.

The Hippodrome was a horse racing track under the Byzantine Empire. Today it is called the Sultan Ahmet Meydani Square. It is a landscaped garden and holds surviving monuments including two obelisks, a serpentine column, and the German fountain donated to Istanbul in 1900 by the German Emperor Wilhelm II after his visit of the Ottoman Empire in 1898.

The Turkish and Islamic Art Museum on the Hippodrome and facing the Blue Mosque, is a treasure house of period objects from the Ottoman, Seljuk, and earlier periods dating back to the 8th century. 

The Covered Market, Kapali Carsi, comprises thousands of shops offering everything a small town would need in addition to police stations, mosques, and tea houses.

Dividing Istanbul into the areas of Stamboul and Beyoglu is the Golden Horn, an estuary that is one of the best natural harbors in the world, hosting commercial and military navies throughout Turkey's history. Wooden houses, churches, synagogues, promenades, and parks line the horn; picturesque scenery savored particularly at sunset. Between Beyoglu and Taksim, European squares dating back to the last century, lies a growing shopping area buzzing with life and entertainment, bohemian art scenes, as well as the only gay venues in the city. The Hyatt, Intercontinental, and Hilton Hotels are situated in Taksim square.

Though Beyoglu and Stamboul are the most popular attractions of Istanbul, the city has many more places of interest to offer.

An old fishing village and resort of Ottoman rulers by the name of Ortakoy has evolved into a modern day suburb consisting of bars, shops, and a large market. It has a popular tea house that is packed on weekends and holidays.

Wealthy locals favor Kadikoy, located further south toward the Sea of Marmara. It is a lively area offering fashion shopping, foreign cuisine eateries, cafes, and entertainment, along its streets. What is considered more down to earth products are sold on Gen. Azim Gunduz Caddesi Street, where the Benadam Art Gallery is also located.

To the north of Kadikoy, Haydarpasa houses the train station built in 1908 then providing the first stop along the Baghdad railway. We also find tombs and monuments dedicated to the English and French soldiers who lost their lives during the Crimean War of 1854-1856. Florence Nightingale used the north-west wing of the Selimiye barracks built in the 19th century. They remain an honour to her memory.

A community of Poles survives to this day in Polonezkoy, 25 km away from the city center and not easily reached using public transportation. Having escaped oppression in the Balkans, the Polish Prince Czartorisky, was granted exile under the Ottoman Empire, and founded this community in 1848. It was then popular for providing pork under a Muslim system that prohibited its consumption, and is now inhabited by wealthy locals. Polonezkoy 's landmark is Istanbul's first national park of vast green expanses.

Unlike Polonezkoy, Istanbul's nearest beach is easily accessible using public transportation. Kilyos lies on the Black Sea; its many hotels and few camp sites become very crowded in the summer and during weekends. 

Hour-long boat trips take us on the Marmara Sea to eight islands. Under the Byzantine Empire, these were popular summer retreats for government officials. Buyukada, the largest and most important island, was the retreat of Leon Trotsky for many years. He wrote The History of the Russian Revolution during his stays.

The largest forest area of the city, known as Sariyer, is first seen after the Bosporus river bend of Tarabia and where the Bosporus connects with the Black Sea. It offers a retreat from the city's action, into famous sea food restaurants.

The Dolmabahci Palace is among the most magnificent and lavishly ornamented Ottoman imperial palaces. It has 43 large salons, 285 rooms, and 4000 kg of bohemian glass chandeliers. Its half-kilometer façade spans the Bosporus shore.

Located on the eastern side of the Bosporus, Uskudar remains unknown to most tourists. This suburb is characterized by a conservative background and tranquil atmosphere. It has several mosques, among them the Sultan Valide Camii mosque built in 1910 and his green tomb. It also has a well known shopping area.

50 km away from Uskudar, on the Black Sea coast lies Sile, famous for its muslin fabrics, embroidered and sold on its street and all over Turkey by its Muslim women.

Those elements that foreigners seek to experience most include local cuisine and traditions. Turkey's culinary tradition is largely influenced by its Ottoman heritage. It fuses Greek, Middle Eastern, and central Asian cuisines into unique blend of tastes. Meats, rice, and bulgur are the main items on the Turkish menu. Much like in the Middle Eastern diet, olive oil is prominent in dolma foods, such stuffed grape leaves, eggplants, or green peppers. Baklava and Turkish delights are the most popular Turkish sweets. Turkish coffee is generally served after dinner. Although Turkey is an Islamic country, it produces a variety of wines and its own signature alcoholic beverage known as raki, similar to Lebanese arak, becoming white and cloudy when mixed with water. 

Jalaluddin Rumi's spirit lives on through the famous Sufi tradition of the Whirling Dervishes. These fascinating dances can be seen every week in Istanbul. The nature of Sufism as a transcendental metaphysic sets it apart from mainstream Islamic traditions. The Whirling Dervishes turn and turn, leaning their heads to one side, to music playing close by.

The Hamams, or baths, offer more than just a thorough cleansing. They involve rituals that have been interpreted differently by Romans, Byzantines, and nomadic peoples. The sweating area is the point of entry, where the bather perspires heavily under wet steam. Then, the skin is washed in warm water with soap, followed by a massage. Finally, the bather enters a pool of cold water to return the body's temperature to normal.

There is more than meets the eye in Istanbul; the curious mind will delight in wandering freely around the area, exploring its cultural wealth beyond the guided tours.

Top of the page