History of the city of Istanbul
Istanbul is one of the most important tourist areas in the world, and it is a tourist destination for many tourists all over the world, due to its geographical and historical importance, in addition to enjoying many monuments dating back to prehistoric times,
the ages of the Greeks, Byzantium, and the Islamic conquest.
We will learn about the history of Istanbul in this article

Brief history of the city of Istanbul

The ancient walled city is located on a triangular peninsula between Asia and Europe,
forming a bridge between the two continents and at the same time an impenetrable barrier between East and West.
The city has been known for 2,500 years as one of the most prominent centers of cultural conflict

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Byzantium is the old name of Istanbul

Going back in time, the ancient Greek state is one of the first owners of the ancient city (present-day Istanbul).
Byzantium was one of the many colonies established from the end of the eighth and seventh centuries BC along the coasts of the Bosporus and the Black Sea by Greek settlers. The ancient city fell to the Persian king Darius I in 512 BC.
Then the Athenian fleet captured the city in 478 BC.
Byzantium later became an important member of the Delian alliance as the Greek cities allied themselves under the leadership of Athens.
In succession of years, the Roman Empire took over Byzantium after the fall of the Greek Empire.

Constantinople

In the fourth century AD, Emperor Constantine the Great made Byzantium the capital of the Roman Empire,
and it was restored and renamed New Rome.
But over time its name changed to Constantinople, which became a great and great city at this time.
Then the Roman Empire was divided into the Western Roman Empire, and the Eastern Roman Empire,
which later became the Byzantine Empire and its capital was Constantinople.
Many churches were built during that period, the most famous of which is the Hagia Sophia, which was later converted into a mosque.

The Islamic conquest of Istanbul

Then came the Islamic conquest of the city of Constantinople at the hands of the Ottoman Sultan Muhammad al-Fatih in 1453 AD,
and Hagia Sophia and other Byzantine churches were converted into mosques.
Istanbul continued its role as the capital of the Ottoman Empire, as the capital of the Ottoman Empire was transferred to Constantinople in 1457 AD. Turkey and Istanbul, especially during that time, witnessed a development and prosperity in Turkish architecture and construction, where fountains, mosques and palaces such as Topkapi Palace were built until the city’s appearance was completely changed.

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Area and population in Istanbul

The Bosphorus Strait divides the city of Istanbul into two parts, east and west, the eastern one is located on the continent of Asia and the western one is on the continent of Europe.
The total area of ​​Istanbul province is 5461 square kilometers, and the land area is 5343 square kilometers.
Old Istanbul contained about 9 square miles (23 square kilometers),
but the current municipal boundaries extend much further than that.
The region, whose geography resembles a peninsula, contains seven hills, and therefore,
Istanbul has been called the City of the Seven Hills.
The population of Istanbul exceeded 16 million people, according to the 2022 census.

The most important monuments in Istanbul

Suleymaniye Mosque The Suleymaniye Mosque was built between 1551 and 1558 at the request of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent
Topkapi Palace After the end of the Ottoman Empire and the beginning of the Turkish Republic,
Topkapi Palace was converted into the largest museum in the world
Galata Tower Galata Tower is located in the Galata district of Istanbul. The tower was built in 528,
and is one of the most important symbols of the city.
Hagia Sophia Museum The Hagia Sophia Museum passed through three stages at the beginning.
It was built as a church and lasted for 916 years. After the conquest of Constantinople by Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror,
the Hagia Sophia church was converted into a mosque.
The Khedive’s Palace is a monument on the Chebok Hills in the Beykoz district of Istanbul

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