"Ankara or Istanbul is the capital of Turkey?" - Many foreign tourists wonder. And they are very surprised when they hear that the main city is located somewhere in the north-west of the country. What makes people think that the capital is Istanbul? Probably the sensational series "The Magnificent Century," an epic in which he described the ups and downs in the family of the Ottoman Empire Sultan Suleiman Kanuni (Just). Yes, the city on the Golden Horn was the capital. And by the way, not only during the sultans. What about Ankara? Is it a “new building”, like, say, the Kazakh capital Astana? Read about the ups and downs of the fate of the two cities in this article.
The foundation of Istanbul
The honor of laying the "first stone" in the city belongs to the Greek colonists. In 658 BC e. they arrived from Megara and founded a settlement on a small island that was located between the Sea of Marmara and the Golden Horn Bay. They named their city in honor of their leader Byzant. The favorable geographical position, which made it possible to control the passage of ships from the Sea of Marmara to the Black Sea and vice versa, contributed to the enrichment of residents, the development of crafts and trade. The city of Byzantium - the future capital of Turkey, Istanbul - quickly became one of the main Greek policies. In 74 BC e. Asia Minor conquered Rome. The city, whose territory had long stretched far beyond the original islet, continued to flourish. But the invasion of the barbarians, which was the beginning of the end of the Roman Empire, shook the well-being of the inhabitants of Byzant. By the third century AD, the city fell into decay.
Antique Ankara
If you ask which city is ancient - Byzantium or Angira (this is the former name of the capital of Turkey), then it should be recognized that both modern megalopolises arose at about the same time, in the 7th century before Christ, but Ankara has something to plug Istanbul . Not far from it is the unique Neolithic city of Chatal-Hyuk. And in the territory of modern Ankara in the XI century (long before the arrival of the Greek colonists) there was a fortress, which was one of the links in the defensive chain of the Hittite civilization. Interestingly, the Greek name “Angira” translates as “anchor”. Where does such a ship symbol come from in a city remote from the seas? Angira lay at the crossroads of many roads connecting Asia Minor with Europe and Africa. Due to its favorable position, the city was constantly becoming the target of attacks. It was owned by the Persians, Phrygians, Celts. A special impetus for economic development was given by the Roman conquest. Emperor Augustus built his summer residence here. In Angir, as in ancient Byzantium, there were such benefits of civilization as sewage, water supply, street lighting, the fire service and the police monitored the order.
Times of decline
The eastern part of the vast Roman Empire was less affected by the invasion of the barbarians than the western. Therefore, the native of Trier (modern Germany) Constantine the Great decided in 324 to move the capital of his state to Byzantium. In order for the city to fall into a certain decline in line with metropolitan standards, the emperor started large-scale construction. He introduced tax holidays for potential migrants - artisans and merchants. For six years, the area of the city has increased several times. He, of course, was smaller than modern Ankara or Istanbul. The capital of Turkey at that time was a small city. But Byzantium, which Constantine renamed New Rome, flourished. The emperor really wanted his capital to overshadow the Eternal City with his luxury. In addition to benefits for entrepreneurs, he handed out bread, olive oil and fuel to the needy from the treasury. From Athens, Ephesus, Rome and Corinth, sculptors and artists, architects and clergy were invited to New Rome.
The times of Byzantium
The name did not take root, and after the death of the emperor, the city was renamed to Constantinople. It was a real metropolis from the early Middle Ages. The relics of the main saints were brought here, magnificent temples, baths, tanks, a hippodrome were built. The city, given under the patronage of the Virgin, had several commercial and military ports. After the final collapse of the Roman Empire, Constantinople became the capital of a new state - Byzantium. This mighty power, led by the basileus, extended much further than today's Turkey. The capital (a map of the Byzantine Empire demonstrates this clearly) was then almost in the center of the country. The spiritual influence of Byzantium extended even further. Religion of the Slavic peoples came to us from there. And also the alphabet - Cyrillic. But Tsargrad (as the Slavs called Constantinople) was the object of military campaigns. Kings of the West, crusaders, Slavs, Huns, Persians, Avars, Arabs and Pechenegs dreamed of mastering it.
Ankara during the time of Byzantium
The luxury and splendor of the great empire, albeit indirectly, also affected the eastern neighbor of Constantinople - the modest Angira. A major highway to the East, to Asia passed through this city. Arabs and crusaders fought for control of the Silk Road. With the weakening of the Byzantine Empire, Ankara - the capital of Turkey in the future - became the property of the Seljuks. This happened after the Battle of Malaysia in 1073. Under the Seljuks, the city did not decline. But here the Ottomans appeared in the historical arena. At the beginning of the 15th century, their troops led by Sultan Bayazid I fought in the Angora battle with the army of Timur. The city and its surroundings were severely destroyed. True, the troops of the Sultan in this battle were defeated, and he himself was captured.
Magnificent century
561 years ago, on May 29, 1453, Constantinople was taken by the army of Mehmed II Fatih (Conqueror). Konstantin XI Paleolog, the last basileus, died in battle. Thus ended the more than 1,100-year-old history of the Byzantine Empire. Constantinople was renamed Istanbul. The “Brilliant Porta” (as contemporaries called the Ottoman Empire of the Turks), having inherited such an economic potential, has become one of the prominent players in the political arena of the world. Mehmed Fatih did not have a question - Ankara or Istanbul. The Ottoman capital of Turkey was supposed to conquer the imagination of foreign ambassadors with luxury and unprecedented scope. It is here that grand mosques and, naturally, the Topkapi Sultan's Palace are built.
Ankara during the Ottoman Empire
The current capital of Turkey, even before the fall of Constantinople, first went to the Seljuks, and then to the Ottomans. This city on the Anatolian Highlands has long been accustomed to the life of a border outpost. From the 6th to the 9th centuries (even under the Byzantine basileus) a citadel with a double ring of defensive walls was built in the city. The capital of Turkey, Istanbul, was linked to Ankara by a trade route. Consequently, the provincial city was still not a backwater. Mosques are built here - some directly on the basis of Christian churches, which, in turn, were erected on the site of pagan temples. The oldest Muslim building in Ankara is the Hadzhibayram mosque, built in the 15th century on the ruins of the Temple of Augustine and Rum. This religious building still performs its functions. Inside is the tomb of Haji Bayram, the saint and founder of the monastic order, who died in 1430.
Ankara - the capital of Turkey
In the 18–19th centuries, the Ottoman Empire, weakened by constant wars, fell into decay. Even in World War I, Turkey decided to support Germany - and as a result shared the bitterness of defeat with it. Therefore, in 1918, Istanbul was occupied by the armies of France, Great Britain and Greece. But soon, after the struggle for independence, the world recognized the sovereignty of Turkey. In 1923, leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk proclaimed the overthrow of the monarchy and the formation of the Republic. He wanted to distance himself as much as possible from the "Sultan" of Istanbul, especially since there were many supporters of the old regime. In addition, Atatürk wanted to move the capital away from the "line of war." Ankara was not chosen by chance. This city was in relative proximity to Istanbul, moreover, it was connected with it by a railway line. But the new capital of Turkey (the photo of those years is eloquent evidence) was a complete backwater. In the city there was no water supply, lighting, sewage. Ambassadors sarcastically mentioned that donkeys are tied to the lattice window of the country's Foreign Ministry.
The capital of Turkey is now
Ataturk invested a lot in the arrangement and development of the city. Now it is a multi-million megalopolis. The main attraction of Ankara is the mausoleum of the national leader Ataturk. Next to the latest buildings, narrow medieval streets and ancient mosques adjoin here. But numerous embassies and government buildings dispel any doubt about which city - Ankara or Istanbul - is the capital of Turkey.