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History of Istanbul – All You Need to Know

December 23, 2022

Many people, including poets, authors, world leaders, politicians, and visitors, fell in love with Istanbul. The Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, and Ottoman Empire were three of the most powerful empires in history, and their capital city was the one you see today. The city has experienced several changes over the years in all areas. Technology and modernity as we now did not exist 2000 years ago.

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Istanbul city was covered in verdant hills and plains thousands of years ago, as well as clean water and modest homes, and its people led peaceful happy lives. First, you should be aware that Istanbul is regarded as one of the most significant cities in the world due to its strategic location at the crossing of Europe and Asia and its closeness to the Silk Road, the world’s most well-known trading route. As a result, numerous strong empires or rulers have found this city attractive throughout history.

According to historians and experts, the city of Istanbul was most likely populated as early as 2800 to 3000 BC. It remained so until the 7th century when Greek colonists, under the leadership of the illustrious Greek leader Byzas founded the colony of Byzantium. The oracle had been consulted regarding the city’s location that Byzas would rule over, and it had advised him to “follow the area behind the blindness.” Later, the Greek army discovered and occupied what is now known as Istanbul City. Bosphorus was the name given to Istanbul at that time. Byzas put a lot of effort into creating a civilized city where people could live happily and contribute to developing a civilized society. Bosphorus City, one of the world’s most beautiful cities, was one of the many constructions and infrastructures constructed to serve the Greek people.

In 306 AD, the emperor Justenian declared Bosphorus city the major capital of the Roman Empire and decided to change its name to Constantinople. The Roman army nearly conquered the town by 100 BC and made it formally a part of the Roman Empire. According to mythology, Justinian the Great loved the city and trusted in its strategic position for trade and natural riches. As a result, he slaved diligently to build a moral and ideal city for everyone by enhancing infrastructures to assist residents in effectively using the city’s natural resources. You can tell that when visiting the renowned great Hagia Sophia museum, which is known for its elegant architecture, knowing that it was once the largest cathedral in the world, or the Basilica Cistern, which still stands as proof of the great work of Justinian the Great had done to serve, You can imagine how helpful it was for people living in the city as this cistern was constructed underground in the centre of the town as the largest and primary source of water. It can contain up to 80 thousand cubic metres of water.

The Ottomans, instructed by the legendary conqueror Mehmet the Conqueror, were able to conquer Constantinople in 1435 after it had been weakened by numerous attacks by the Ottomans, who had defeated the Roman Empire and established the great Ottoman Empire, which lasted for more than 600 years. During the Ottoman Empire’s rule, Constantinople had a great deal of development, and more civilized structures and infrastructure were constructed there. For instance, the Blue Mosque with its complex architecture, the Topkapi Palace with its vast complex that serviced thousands of people, and the education that saw significant changes and improvements.

The father of all Turks, the great leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, built the Turkish Republic after the Independence War, specifically in 1923. He gave everything he had to the country and laid the groundwork for what you can see now in Istanbul or Turkey. The importance of Istanbul in the world increased significantly under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, particularly in terms of international trade.

Modern Istanbul was not built overnight; instead, it is the result of several civilizations’ hard work throughout the years, as shown by all the ancient monuments that still stand today.

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