Istanbul can rightfully be considered one of the oldest cities in the world. Its history goes back more than two and a half thousand years. Istanbul has preserved the flavor and atmosphere of antiquity to this day. In almost every street of the city you can see traces of its glorious and rich history. Istanbul is an amazing combination of Muslim culture, antiquity and modern social life. Old man and modernity harmoniously merged in this city into one. Without visiting Istanbul, one cannot say that they have been to Turkey. After all, this city is the heart of the country, the cradle of culture and history.
A bit of history
Until 1930, the city was called Constantinople. Literally translated means the city of Constantine. We are talking about the Roman Emperor Constantine I, who in 330 transferred the capital of the state to modern Istanbul. Turkey is a name that the state will receive much later. Before Constantinople, the city was called Byzantium and was the heart of the Byzantine Empire. During the time of the Latin Empire, Constantinople was also elected capital. And of course, during the glorious Ottoman Empire.
The name Turkish Republic was fixed in 1923 after the victory of the national liberation movement led by Ataturk.
Geography and climate
Istanbul is a completely unique city. It is located immediately in two parts of the world, which cannot be said more about any other city in the world. It is divided into two parts by the Bosphorus Strait. Istanbul is located at the intersection of paths and worlds. The path from the Black to the Mediterranean Sea lies through the shores that are washed by the Sea of Marmara. The combination of Asian culture and European liberalism is due to the fact that the city is located on the way from Asia to Europe.
Istanbul is completely within the temperate zone. Therefore, it is warm, sometimes hot summers and cool winters. Snow is rare here, but it still happens that snow comes after the rain.
Time in Istanbul differs from time in Moscow by 1 hour. The territory of Turkey belongs to the second time zone, while Moscow - to the third.
Istanbul population
According to unofficial data, more than 25 million people live in the city. Officially, the population of Istanbul is more than 14 million people. This is due to the large flow of labor migrants from countries with low levels of economic development and zones of military conflicts. These people are usually employed in the service and construction sectors. That is, where low-skilled or hard work is needed.
The population of Istanbul consists mainly of indigenous Turks who profess Islam. However, many Turks have Greek roots, which is due historically. During the Ottoman Empire, a large number of Greeks who converted to Islam, gathered in the cultural capital of Turkey - Istanbul. The language spoken by the vast majority of the population is Turkish. However, many Turks have a good command of English and Russian. This applies especially to the shopping areas of the city.
Istanbul districts
Istanbul throughout its long and glorious history has been a very liberal city, which laid the foundation for its multiculturalism and multinationality. Representatives of various nationalities came to Istanbul, contributed to the development of the city and the creation of new areas.
The districts of Istanbul, like the city itself, are divided into European and Asian. Depending on which coast they are located. In total, the city is divided into 39 districts. Some of them can be considered industrial, some sleeping, others tourist and historical.
The most famous areas of Istanbul are as follows:
- Prince Islands. Usually the most sparsely populated area of the city, but at the same time it is a resort. The people of Istanbul spend their weekends there with pleasure.
- Besiktas. The area that occupied the coastline of the city.
- Fatih is a historical district. It is in Fatih that the main attractions of the city are located: the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and others.
- Beyoglu. No less famous area than Fatih. Tourists have chosen it thanks to Taksim Square, Galata Tower. These two areas are interconnected by the Galata bridge.
- Eyup. The best area of Istanbul to enjoy the Golden Horn.
- Laleli. The shopping district of the city is essentially a market district. A huge number of stores are concentrated here, which sell goods produced mainly in light industry factories.
Economy
In terms of economic performance, Istanbul is significantly superior to any other city in the country. An interesting fact is that 30 billionaires live in the city. Which in itself is indicative. In addition, Istanbul accounts for 27% of GDP. Turkey has given the giant city more than 20% of the workforce, but at the same time receives about 40% of all taxes from there.
The industry, concentrated mainly in the suburbs of Istanbul, is very diverse. From mechanical engineering to the food industry. Most of the exports are represented by food and light industry goods (about 80%). A special item of the city’s income is the proceeds from the passage of ships through the Bosphorus.
Education in Istanbul
Istanbul is also the country's scientific center. Students from all over the country, as well as from neighboring countries, gather in the city. The city has the largest Istanbul University in Turkey. The number of students is about 140,000. This is the oldest and most prestigious institution of higher education in the country. Istanbul Technical University (one of the oldest technical universities in the world) and the University of Marmara are also very famous.
In addition to these well-known and prestigious educational institutions, the city has many smaller and lesser-known private and state universities that train specialists in various fields. Istanbul is home to the country's largest research centers and major libraries.
City transport infrastructure
Since the 90s of the last century, Turkey and Istanbul have developed rapidly in all spheres of public life. The population grew rapidly. The city leadership decided to develop the infrastructure in order to provide the population of Istanbul with comfortable living conditions. As part of this program, special attention was paid to the development of the transport system of the city.
Within the city there are two large international airports: one in its European part, the other in Asian. They provide air traffic and passenger traffic. Sea transportation is ensured thanks to a large number of ports, moorings, various terminals for storage and other things. Most of the goods and passengers arrive and leave Istanbul by rail. For this, two stations were built.
Public transport
Special attention is paid to Istanbul city transport. Istanbul and city guests can use trams. They are comfortable, fast, modern. With their help, you can explore the whole center of Istanbul. Metrobuses provide communication with new areas of the city without traffic jams. Buses are the most popular form of public transport in the city. Dolmush is the likeness of our fixed-route taxis. There is also a taxi, funicular, subway, ferries.
The unusual thing is that not a single mode of transport covers the entire city. In the center, you can conveniently and quickly get to the right place by tram, from the airport to the center - by metro, and then cross the Asian side by cable car or ferry. What unites them is that any type of public transport in Istanbul is fast, convenient and modern.
Attractions and tourism
Churches, mosques, palaces, parks, squares, fortresses, bridges, museums and bazaars - this is a small list of what you can and should see in Istanbul. Most of the historical sights are concentrated in the Fatih area. Here are the world-famous Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. Without a tour of these cultural and historical monuments, not a single city tour takes place.
More than 10 million tourists visit the city annually, which is an indicator of its historical, cultural attractiveness. The city leadership pays great attention to the development of tourism infrastructure, which brings huge funds to the treasury.
A tourist, even with the most modest budget, will be able to spend time in Istanbul perfectly. After all, there are all conditions for this: inexpensive transport, a large number of hotels and hostels, which, due to fierce competition, offer good accommodation for a modest fee, and the unforgettable flavor of the museum city.