Istanbul

Lore & Background

The city developed to become one of the most significant cities in history. Byzantium was founded on the Sarayburnu promontory by Greek colonists in the seventh century BC. Over nearly 16 centuries following its reestablishment as Constantinople in 330 AD, it served as the capital of four empires: the Roman Empire (330–395), the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire (395–1204 and 1261–1453), the Latin Empire (1204–1261), and the Ottoman Empire (1453–1922). It was instrumental in the advancement of Christianity during Roman and Byzantine times, before the Ottomans conquered the city in 1453 and transformed it into an Islamic stronghold and the seat of its caliphate. The historic centre of Istanbul is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In Their Own Story

Morning mist hangs heavy over the Golden Horn, softening the roar of ferries slicing through grey water. In Eminönü, steam rises from tulip-shaped tea glasses as gulls circle the Galata Bridge. The call to prayer from Süleymaniye layers over the city's hum, a sound unchanged for five centuries. Minarets pierce the dawn like stone sentinels, their silhouettes echoing Suleiman’s era. As sunlight strikes the Hagia Sophia’s dome, turning limestone to gold, the city feels less like a place built on history, and more like a living archive exhaling empires into the morning air.

Reader's Guide

Istanbul's strategic position along the historic Silk Road, rail networks to Europe and West Asia, and the only sea route between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean have helped foster an eclectic populace. The population of the city has increased tenfold since the 1950s. The majority of Istanbul’s Turkish citizens are of ethnic Turkish origin, whereas ethnic Kurds represent the largest ethnic minority. Considered an alpha global city, Istanbul accounts for about thirty percent of Turkey's economy. In 2025, Euromonitor International ranked Istanbul as the fifth most visited city in the world. Istanbul is home to two international airports, multiple ports, and numerous universities. It is among the top 100 science and technology clusters in the world. The city hosts clubs such as Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş. Istanbul is vulnerable to earthquakes as it is in close proximity to the North Anatolian Fault.

Did You Know?

• The first known name of the city is Byzantium, given by Megarian colonists around 657 BC.
• Constantinople comes from the Latin name after Constantine the Great, who refounded the city in 324 AD.
• The name Istanbul is commonly held to derive from the Medieval Greek phrase 'eis ten polin', literally 'to the city'.
• Hagia Sophia, built during the reign of Justinian I, remained the world's largest cathedral for a thousand years.
• Neolithic artifacts indicate the historic peninsula was settled as far back as the 6th millennium BC.