   #copyright

Istanbul

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: European Geography

   Coordinates: 41°00′N 29°00′E
   Istanbul, Turkey
   Front to back: Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Hippodrome of Constantinople, Hagia
   Sophia, Walls of Constantinople, Hagia Irene, Topkapi Palace
   Front to back: Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Hippodrome of Constantinople, Hagia
   Sophia, Walls of Constantinople, Hagia Irene, Topkapi Palace
   Map
   Location in Turkey
   Location in Turkey
   Overview
   Province Istanbul
   Total Population 10,034,830 (2006)
   Area 1,538,77 km²
   Population density 6521 inh./km²
   Elevation 100 m
   Coordinates 41°00′ N 29°00′ E
   Postal code 34010 to 34850 and
   80000 to 81800
   Area code (+90) 212 (European side)
   (+90) 216 (Asian side)
   Licence plate code 34
   Mayor Kadir Topbaş ( Justice and Development Party)
   Website http://www.ibb.gov.tr/

   Istanbul ( Turkish: İstanbul, Greek: Κωνσταντινούπολη Konstandinúpoli,
   historically known in English as Constantinople; see other names) is
   Turkey's most populous city, and its cultural and economic centre. The
   city is the capital of the Province of Istanbul. It is located at 41° N
   28° E, on the Bosphorus strait, and encompasses the natural harbour
   known as the Golden Horn ( Turkish: Haliç), in the northwest of the
   country. Istanbul extends both on the European ( Thrace) and on the
   Asian ( Anatolia) side of the Bosphorus, and is thereby the only
   metropolis in the world which is situated on two continents. Istanbul
   is also the only city in the world which served as the capital to three
   different Empires: The Roman Empire (330-395), Byzantine Empire
   (395-1453) and the Ottoman Empire (1453-1923). In 1923, following the
   establishment of the Republic of Turkey, the capital was moved to
   Ankara.

   According to the 2000 census, the population is 8,803,468 (city proper)
   and 10,018,735 (metro area), making it the second largest city in
   Europe. The census bureau estimate for July 20, 2005 is 11,322,000 for
   the province, which is generally considered as the metropolitan area,
   making it one of the twenty largest metropolitan areas in the world.
   The city was chosen as the European Capital of Culture for 2010 (along
   with Pécs, Hungary and Essen, Germany).

   The city has had many names through the years and according to the
   culture, language and religion of its inhabitants. Byzantium,
   Constantinople and Stamboul are examples that may still be found in
   active use. The etymology of the names and an extended list of old
   names can be found under Istanbul (etymology). It has also been
   nicknamed "The City on Seven Hills" because the historic peninsula (the
   oldest part of the city) was built on seven hills, also represented
   with seven mosques, one at the top of each hill.

   "The Historic Areas of Istanbul" were added to the UNESCO World
   Heritage list in 1985.

History

Byzantium

   Byzantium was originally settled by Greek colonists from Megara in 667
   BC and named after their king Byzas. The name "Byzantium" is a
   transliteration of the original Greek name Βυζάντιον; (Demotic Modern
   Greek spells this Βυζάντιο, pronounced IPA /vi.ˈza.ⁿdjo/).

   After siding with Pescennius Niger against the victorious Septimius
   Severus the city was besieged by Rome and suffered extensive damage in
   AD 196. Byzantium was rebuilt by the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus
   and quickly regained its previous prosperity.

Byzantine Empire

   An artist's impression of Constantinople
   Enlarge
   An artist's impression of Constantinople

   The location of Byzantium attracted Constantine the Great and in 330 he
   refounded it as Nova Roma, or Constantinoupolis after himself (
   Constantinople, Greek: Konstantinoupolis or Κωνσταντινούπολις) after a
   prophetic dream was said to have identified the location of the city.
   The name Nova Roma never came into common use. The Eastern Roman Empire
   which had its capital in Constantinople from then until the conquest of
   the empire in 1453, has often been called the Byzantine Empire or
   Byzantium by modern scholars.

   The combination of imperialism and location would play an important
   role as the crossing point between two continents (Europe and Asia),
   and later a magnet for Africa and others as well, in terms of commerce,
   culture, diplomacy, and strategy. At a strategic position,
   Constantinoupolis was able to control the route between Asia and
   Europe, as well as the passage from the Mediterranean Sea to the
   Efxinos Pontos (Black Sea).
   Istanbul- Oil on Canvas by Haydar Hatemi-2001
   Enlarge
   Istanbul- Oil on Canvas by Haydar Hatemi-2001

   Constantinople was the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, also known
   as the Byzantine Empire. In Byzantine times the Greeks called
   Constantinople i Poli ("The City"), since it was the centre of the
   Greek world and for most of the Byzantine period, the largest city in
   Europe. It was captured and sacked by the Fourth Crusade in 1204 and
   then re-captured by Nicaean forces under the command of Michael VIII
   Palaeologus in 1261.

   With the fall of Rome and the Western Roman Empire, the name of the
   city was changed to Constantinople and became the sole capital of what
   historians now call the Byzantine Empire. This empire was distinctly
   Greek in culture, and became the centre of Greek Orthodox Christianity
   after an earlier split with Rome, and was adorned with many magnificent
   churches, including Hagia Sophia, once the world's largest cathedral.
   The seat of the Patriarch of Constantinople, spiritual leader of the
   Eastern Orthodox Church, remains.

Ottoman Empire

   Panoramic view of the City, 1870s
   Enlarge
   Panoramic view of the City, 1870s

   On 29 May 1453, Sultan Mehmet II “the Conqueror”, entered
   Constantinople after a 53–day siege during which his cannon had torn a
   huge hole in the Walls of Theodosius II. Istanbul became the third
   capital of the Ottoman Empire in 1453.

   The Grand Bazaar and Topkapı Palace were erected in the years following
   the Turkish conquest. Religious foundations were endowed to fund the
   building of mosques such as the Fatih and their associated schools and
   baths. The city had to be repopulated by a mixture of force and
   encouragement. People from all over the empire moved to Istanbul, and
   Jews, Christians and Muslims lived together in a cosmopolitan society.

   Süleyman’s reign was a time of great artistic and architectural
   achievements. The architect Sinan designed many mosques and other great
   buildings in the city, while Ottoman arts of ceramics and calligraphy
   also flourished.

   A street in Eyüp in 1890s.

                              Old Galatasaray

                                             Beyoğlu (Pera)

                                                            Tophane in 1890s.

   Sufi orders which were so widespread in the Islamic world and who had
   many followers who had actively participated in the conquest of the
   city came to settle in the capital. During Ottoman times over 100
   Tekkes were active in the city alone. Many of these Tekkes survive to
   this day some in the form of mosques while others as museums such as
   the Jerrahi Tekke in Fatih, the Sunbul Effendi and Ramazan Effendi
   Mosque and Turbes also in Fatih, the Galata Mevlevihane in Beyoğlu, the
   Yahya Effendi Tekke in Besiktas, and the Bektashi Tekke in Kadıköy,
   which now serves Alevi Muslims as a Cem Evi. The city was modernized
   from the 1870s onwards with the building of bridges, the creation of a
   proper water system, the use of electric lights, and the introduction
   of streetcars and telephones.

Republic of Turkey

   When the Republic of Turkey was founded in 1923, the capital was moved
   from Istanbul to Ankara. The city's name 'Constantinople' had remained,
   in the form 'Konstantiniyye', though the Ottoman Empire. Outside the
   Empire, it was often known as Stambul or Stamboul. The Republic changed
   the name to Istanbul in 1930.

   In the early years of the republic, Istanbul was overlooked in favour
   of the new capital Ankara but, during the 1950s and 1960s, Istanbul
   underwent great structural change. The city's once numerous and
   prosperous Greek community, remnants of the city's Greek origins,
   dwindled in the aftermath of the 1955 Istanbul Pogrom with most Greeks
   in Turkey leaving their homes for Greece.

   In the 1950s the government of Adnan Menderes sought to develop the
   country as a whole and new roads and factories were constructed
   throughout the country. Wide modern roads were built in Istanbul but
   some, unfortunately, were at the expense of historical buildings within
   the city.

   During the 1970s the population of Istanbul began to rapidly increase
   as people from Anatolia migrated to the city to find employment in the
   many new factories that were constructed on the outskirts of the city.
   This sudden sharp increase in the population caused a rapid rise in
   housing development (some of poor quality resulting in great death and
   injury during the frequent earthquakes that hit the city) and many
   previously outlying villages became engulfed into the greater
   metropolis of Istanbul. Many Turks who have lived in Istanbul for over
   30 or more years can still recollect how areas such as large parts of
   Maltepe, Kartal, Pendik, and others were green fields when they were
   young. Other areas such as Tuzla were nothing more than sleepy
   villages.

   In November 2003, two bombings were carried out on two days. They have
   been blamed on the al-Qaeda terrorist network.

Geography

Location

   Satellite photo over Istanbul and the Bosporus
   Enlarge
   Satellite photo over Istanbul and the Bosporus

   Istanbul encloses the southern Bosporus which puts the city on two
   continents – the western portion of Istanbul is in Europe, while the
   eastern portion is in Asia. The city boundaries cover a surface of
   1,539 square kilometers. The Metropol region, or the province of
   Istanbul, has an area of 5,220 square kilometers.

Geology

   Istanbul is situated near the North Anatolian fault line, which runs
   from the northern Anatolia to the Marmara Sea. Two tectonic plates, the
   African and the Eurasian, push together here. This fault line has been
   responsible for several deadly earthquakes in the region in
   contemporary history. In 1509, a catastrophic quake caused a tsunami
   which broke over the sea-walls of the city destroying over 100 mosques
   and killing 10,000 people. In 1766, the Eyüp mosque was completely
   destroyed. The 1894 quake collapsed many parts of covered bazaar in
   Istanbul. A devastating quake in August 1999 in Kocaeli left 18,000
   dead and in the winter of 2001 in the province of Afyon 41 people died.
   In all of these earthquakes, the devastating effects are a result of
   the close settlement and poor construction of buildings. Earth
   scientists prognosticate another quake, possibly measuring 7.0 on the
   Richter scale, occurring before 2025.

Climate

   Temperate-Continental The city has hot and humid summers with cold,
   rainy and sometimes snowy winters. Yearly precipitation for Istanbul
   averages 870 mm. Humidity is often rather high which can make
   temperatures feel much warmer or colder than they actually are. The
   average maximum temperature during the winter months varies between 7°C
   (46° F) and 9°C (50° F). Snowfall is quite common, snowing for a week
   or two during the winter season, but it can be heavy once it snows. It
   is most likely to occur between the months of December and March. The
   summer months of June through September bring average daytime
   temperatures of 28 °C (82 °F).

   The warmest month is July with on the average 23.2 degrees Celsius,
   coldest January with 5.4 degrees Celsius on the average. The highest
   recorded temperature in Istanbul is 40.5 °C (105 °F) (August 2000),
   with the lowest being –16.1 °C (3 °F) (February 1927). The weather
   becomes slightly cooler as one moves toward eastern Istanbul.

   The city is quite windy, having an average wind speed of 17 km/h (11
   mph).

   Summer is by far the driest season, although there is no real summer
   drought such as occurs further west, and so the climate cannot be
   considered truly Mediterranean.
   Month Maximum Temperature Lowest temperature Days with Rain Sunshine
   Average Absolute Average Absolute (day.)
   January 9 19 3 − 13 18 2.6
   February 9 24 2 − 16 15 3.3
   March 11 27 3 − 11 14 4.4
   April 16 33 7 − 2 9 6.6
   May 21 34 12 2 8 8.9
   June 26 37 16 6 5 10.8
   July 29 39 18 11 4 11.7
   August 29 41 20 10 3 11.3
   September 25 38 15 6 6 8.5
   October 21 33 12 3 10 6.2
   November 15 27 9 − 7 13 4.6
   December 11 22 5 − 12 17 2.3

City arrangement

   Istanbul's districts are divided into three main areas:
     * The Historic Peninsula of old İstanbul comprises the districts of
       Eminönü and Fatih. This area lies on the southern shores of the
       Golden Horn which separates the old city centre from the northern
       and younger parts of the European side. The Historic Peninsula ends
       with the Theodosian Land Walls in the west. The peninsula is
       surrounded by the Sea of Marmara on the south and the Bosphorus on
       the east.
     * North of the Golden Horn are the historical Beyoğlu and Beşiktaş
       districts, where the last Sultan's palace is located, followed by a
       chain of former villages such as Ortaköy and Bebek along the shores
       of the Bosphorus. On both the European and Asian sides of the
       Bosphorus, wealthy Istanbulites built luxurious chalet mansions,
       called yalis, which were used as summer residences.
     * The quarters of Üsküdar and Kadıköy which are located on the Asian
       side were originally independent cities, like Pera also used to be.
       Today they are full of modern residential areas and business
       districts, and are home to around one-third of Istanbul's
       population.

   Highrise office and residential buildings are mostly located on the
   northern areas of the European side, and especially in the business and
   shopping districts of Levent, Maslak and Etiler which are located
   between the Bosphorus Bridge and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge.

   Due to Istanbul's exponential growth during the second half of the 20th
   century, a significant portion of the city consist of gecekondus, a
   Turkish word created in the 1940s meaning ‘built overnight’ and refers
   to the illegally constructed squatter buildings that comprise entire
   neighbourhoods and run rampant outside the historic centers of Turkey’s
   largest cities, especially Istanbul, Ankara, İzmir, and Bursa.
   According to the official definition stated in the Gecekondu Act of
   1966, these neighbourhoods are typically built on abandoned land or on
   lands owned by others, without the permission of the landowner, and do
   not obey building codes and regulations. At present, gecekondu areas
   are being tried to be demolished and replaced by modern mass-housing
   compounds such as My World, Incity, Uphill Court and similar projects
   developed by the state-owned TOKI.

Lifestyle

   Cultural activity, tourism and commerce will continue to be important
   to the life of the city. However, population growth, traffic,
   preventing disorganized housing, restoration of historic buildings and
   planning a 3rd motorway transition to the Bosphorus continue to be
   issues. Daily life in Istanbul is colorful and vibrant and continues
   side by side with many carefully protected Roman, Byzantine and Turkish
   monuments. Istanbul is often considered the capital of Turkey in terms
   of commerce, entertainment, culture, education, shopping, tourism and
   art. More than half of the population lives and works on the European
   side. The large number of people living in the residential areas on the
   Anatolian side use bridges and ferries to commute to work in a city
   that has been the most popular stop for voyagers throughout history.

   Istanbul is becoming increasingly colorful in terms of its rich social,
   cultural and commercial activities. Along with Turkish restaurants, Far
   eastern and other cuisines are growing in number alongside many newly
   opened restaurants. While world famous pop stars fill stadiums,
   activities like opera, ballet and theatre continue throughout the year.
   During seasonal festivals world famous orchestras, chorale ensembles,
   concerts and jazz legends can be found often playing to a full house.
   Shows are hosted at a number of locations including historical sites
   such as Hagia Irene, Rumeli Fortress, Yedikule, the courtyard of
   Topkapı Palace, and Gülhane park; as well as the Ataturk Cultural
   centre, Cemal Reşit Rey concert hall and other open air and modern
   theatre halls. For those who like night life, there are a number of
   clubs, discos, bars, pavillions and restaurants with live music. The
   clubs, restaurants and discoteques increase in number and move to open
   air spaces in the summer.

   The urban landscape is constantly changing. Traditionally Ottoman
   buildings were built of wood. In the last decades, numerous tall
   structures were built around the city to accommodate a rapid growth in
   population. Surrounding towns were absorbed into Istanbul as the city
   grew rapidly outwards. Infrastructure successes since the mid 1990s
   include the resolution of the garbage problem, improved traffic
   conditions and improved air quality due to the increased use of natural
   gas. Nevertheless, air and water pollution created by the numerous
   factories, motor vehicles and private households as well as noise
   pollution created by traffic continue to concern the population of
   Istanbul. Diseases such as bronchitis and asthma are far more common
   among the inhabitants of the city's Gecekondu areas largely because of
   these poorer, densely populated areas' proximity to industry.

Leisure and relaxation

   The most popular places for swimming in the city are in Bakırköy,
   Küçükçekmece, Sarıyer and the Bosphorus. Outside the city are the
   Marmara Sea's Princes' Islands, Silivri and Tuzla; as well as Kilyos
   and Şile on the Black Sea. The Princes' Islands (Prens Adaları) are a
   group of islands in the Marmara Sea, south of the quarters Kartal and
   Pendik. Pine and stone-pine wooden neoclassical and art nouveau-style
   Ottoman era summer mansions from the nineteenth and early twentieth
   centuries, horse-drawn carriages (motor vehicles are not permitted) and
   fish restaurants make them a popular trip destination. They can be
   reached by ferry boats and high-speed ferries (Deniz otobüsü) from
   Eminönü and Kartal. Of the nine islands, four are settled. Şile is a
   distant and well-known Turkish seaside resort on the Black Sea, 50
   kilometers from Istanbul. Unspoiled white sand beaches can be found
   outside of Şile. Kilyos is a small calm seaside resort not far from the
   northern European entrance of the Bosphorus at the Black Sea. The place
   has good swimming possibilities and has became popular in the last
   years among the inhabitants of Istanbul as a place for excursions.
   Kilyos offers a beach park with (fish) restaurants and discotheques.

   Newsweek magazine recently named Istanbul the "hippest city of Europe",
   referring to it as the " Turkish delight":


   Istanbul

   After so many decades of trying to become Western, Istanbul glories in
   the rediscovery of a modern identity. European or not, it is one of the
   coolest cities in the world. There is such richness, the city is still
      thickly atmospheric, with bazaars, Byzantine churches and Ottoman
                      mansions pretty much everywhere.


   Istanbul

Demographics

          Further reading Demographics of Turkey

Overview

   "If one had but a single glance to give the world, one should gaze on
   Istanbul."
   Alphonse de Lamartine
   Lamartine's famous poetic quote reveals his love for Istanbul,
   described as embracing two continents, with one arm reaching out to
   Asia and the other to Europe.

   The urban landscape of Istanbul is shaped by many communities. The most
   important and most populous major religion is Islam. Religious
   minorities include Greek Orthodox Christians, Armenian Christians, and
   Sephardic Jews. In Istanbul small boroughs are inhabited by ethnic
   Armenians, Jews and Greeks. In some quarters, such as Kuzguncuk, an
   Armenian Church sits next to a synagogue, and on the other side of the
   road a Greek-Orthodox church is found beside a mosque. The seat of the
   Patriarch of Constantinople, spiritual leader of the Greek Orthodox
   Church is in Istanbul. Also based here are, the archbishop of the
   Turkish-Orthodox community, an Armenian archbishop and the Turkish
   Grand- Rabbi.

   The city is traditionally the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarch, to some
   Orthodox churches and seat of an Armenian archbishop as well as the
   archbishop of the Turkish-Orthodox community. The everyday life of the
   Armenian and Greek minorities still living in Istanbul changed after
   the First World War due to discrimination and constant repression. In
   1942 came the introduction of a special wealth tax (varlik vergisi). In
   1964, all Greeks (around 100,000) without Turkish citizenship residing
   in Turkey were deported. Today, most of Turkey's Greek and Armenian
   minorities live in or near Istanbul. Beside the Levantines, who are the
   descendants of European traders who had started trading outposts in the
   Ottoman Empire, there is also a small, scattered number of Bosphorus
   Germans. A number of places reflect past movements of different peoples
   into Istanbul, most notably Arnavutköy (Albanian village), Polonezköy
   (Polish village) and Yeni Bosna (New Bosnia).

   The Sephardic Jews have lived in the city for over 500 years. They fled
   in 1492 from the Iberian Peninsula, when they were forced to convert to
   Christianity after the fall of the Moorish Kingdom of Andalucia.
   Ottoman Sultan Bayezid II ( 1481- 1512) sent a sizable fleet to Spain
   in order to save the Sephardic Jews. More than 200,000 fled first to
   Tangier, Algiers, Genova and Marseille, later to Salonica and finally
   to Istanbul. The Sultan granted over 93,000 of these Spanish Jews to
   take refuge in the Ottoman Empire. In Istanbul more than 20,000
   Sephardic Jews still remain today. Altogether 20 synagoges are to be
   found in the city, the most important of them being the Neve Shalom
   Synagogue ianugurated in 1951, in the Beyoglu quarter. The Turkish
   Grand Rabbi in Istanbul (currently Ishak Haleva) presides over
   community affairs.

Population growth

   The population of the metropolis more than tripled during the 25 years
   between 1980 and 2005. Roughly 70% of all Istanbulites live in the
   European section and around 30% in the Asian section. Due to high
   unemployment in the southeast of Turkey, many people from that region
   migrated to Istanbul, where they established themselves in the
   outskirts ( Gaziosmanpaşa, Ziya Gökalp). . Migrants, predominantly from
   eastern Anatolia arrive in Istanbul expecting improved living
   conditions and employment, which usually end with little success. This
   results each year with new Gecekondus at the outskirts of the city,
   which are later developed into neighbourhoods and integrated into the
   greater metropolis.

   The following overview shows the numbers of inhabitants by year.
   Population tallies up to 1914 are estimated with variations of up to
   50% depending upon researcher. The numbers from 1927 to 2000 are
   results of censuses. The numbers of 2005 and 2006 are based on computer
   simulation forecasts. The doubling of the population of Istanbul
   between 1980 and 1985 is due to a natural increase in population as
   well as the expansion of municipal limits.

           Year         Population
   330                      40,000
   400                     400,000
   530                     550,000
   545                     350,000
   715                     300,000
   950                     400,000
   1200                    150,000
   1453                     36,000
   1477                     75,000
   1566                    600,000
   1817                    500,000
   1860                    715,000
   1885                    873,570
   1890                    874,000
   1897                  1,059,000
   1901                    942,900
   1914                    909,978

                                      Year      Population
                                  October 1927     680,857
                                  October 1935     741,148
                                  October 1940     793,949
                                  October 1945     860,558
                                  October 1950     983,041
                                  October 1955   1,268,771
                                  October 1960   1,466,535
                                  October 1965   1,742,978
                                  October 1970   2,132,407
                                  October 1975   2,547,364
                                  October 1980   2,772,708
                                  October 1985   5,475,982
                                  October 1990   6,620,241
                                  November 1997  8,260,438
                                  October 2000   8,803,468
                                  January 2005   9,797,536
                                  January 2006  10,034,830

Places of interest

   Istanbul was a cultural and ethnic melting pot. As a result, there are
   many historical mosques, churches, synagogues, and palaces to visit in
   the city (for relevant collection of pictures try, ). Modern Istanbul
   also includes skyscrapers, malls, metros, etc.

   Dolmabahçe Palace

   Hagia Sophia Museum

   Rumeli Hisarı

   Basilica Cistern

   Galata Tower rising above the medieval Genoese citadel

   Küçüksu Summer Palace

   Obelisk of Thutmosis III at the Hippodrome of Constantinople

   Ortaköy Mosque and the Bosphorus Bridge

   Maiden's Tower is sometimes considered as the symbol of Istanbul

   Maslak

   İstiklal Avenue

   Cevahir Mall

   Istanbul Metro

   Levent

   Among İstanbul's many malls Kanyon captures the attention through its
   outstanding architecture

   Chora Church (Kariye Müzesi)

   Waterfront Houses in Arnavutköy

   Entrance of Metrocity shopping mall in Levent

   Armani Café and Gucci on Teşvikiye Avenue in Nişantaşı, the fashion
   district of Istanbul

   Bosphorus Bridge during Republic Day celebrations

Museums, Monuments and Other Buildings

   Alphabetical Order
     * Aeronautics Museum
     * Anadolu Hisarı
     * Arap Mosque
     * Archaeology Museum
     * Beylerbeyi Palace
     * Bulgarian St Stephen Church (also known as "Bulgarian Iron Church")
     * Dolmabahçe Palace
     * Fatih Mosque
     * Fethiye Museum ( Pammakaristos Church)
     * Galata Mevlevi House
     * Galata Tower
     * The Gates of Galatasaray Lisesi
     * Hagia Irene (Aya İrini)
     * Hagia Sophia
     * Hippodrome of Constantinople
     * Imrahor Monument
     * Istanbul Modern Art Museum
     * Kadırga Sokullu Cami
     * Kalenderhane
     * Kilic Ali Pasha Mosque

     * Küçüksu Palace
     * Little Hagia Sophia Museum (Ss. Sergius and Bacchus Church)
     * Museum of Classical Ottoman (Divan) Literature
     * Mosaic Museum
     * Museum of Illumination and Heating Appliances
     * Ortaköy Mosque
     * Rahmi M Koç Museum
     * Rumeli Hisarı
     * Rüstem Pasha Mosque
     * Sadberk Hanım Museum
     * St. Esprit Cathedral
     * Sakıp Sabancı Museum
     * Sultanahmet Mosque or Blue Mosque
     * Süleymaniye Mosque
     * Tekfur Palace (Palace of Porphyrogenitus) (One of the two still
       existing Byzantine palaces in Istanbul)
     * Toy Museum
     * Topkapı Palace
     * Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum
     * UFO Museum
     * Yedikulehisar Museum
     * Walls of Constantinople

Markets, neighborhoods and places

     * Anadoluhisarı
     * Arnavutköy
     * Bebek
     * Beylerbeyi
     * Beyoğlu
     * Bosphorus
     * Çengelköy
     * Eminönü
     * Emirgan
     * Eyüp
     * Fener
     * Galata
     * Golden Horn
     * Istiklal Avenue
     * Kandilli
     * Kanlıca
     * Karaköy
     * Nişantaşı
     * Ortaköy
     * Princes' Islands
     * Rumelihisarı
     * Sarıyer
     * Taksim Square
     * Tarabya
     * The Grand Bazaar
     * The Spice Bazaar
     * Üsküdar
     * Yedikule
     * Yeniköy
     * Yeşilköy

   The cross-continent European walking route E8 trail begins/ends here,
   running 4700 km to Cork, Ireland.

Education

   Istanbul holds some of the finest institutes of higher education in
   Turkey, including a number of public and private universities. Most of
   the reputable universities are public, but in recent years there has
   also been an upsurge in the number of private universities.

Universities

   Among the well-known public institutions are Istanbul Technical
   University ( Istanbul Teknik Üniversitesi (İTÜ)), Bosphorus University
   ( Boğaziçi Üniversitesi), Galatasaray University, University of
   Istanbul ( İstanbul Üniversitesi (İÜ)), University of Marmara ( Marmara
   Üniversitesi), Yildiz Technical University ( Yıldız Teknik
   Üniversitesi) and Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University (Mimar Sinan Güzel
   Sanatlar Üniversitesi).

   Some of the private institutions include Istanbul Commerce University (
   İstanbul Ticaret Üniversitesi), Bahçeşehir University ( Bahçeşehir
   Üniversitesi), Koç University ( Koç Üniversitesi), Sabanci University (
   Sabancı Üniversitesi), Bilgi University ( İstanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi),
   Istanbul Kultur University , Isik University ( Işık Üniversitesi),
   Yeditepe University ( Yeditepe Üniversitesi), Fatih University ( Fatih
   Üniversitesi), Maltepe University ( Maltepe Üniversitesi), Kadir Has
   University ( Kadir Has Üniversitesi), Haliç University (Haliç
   Üniversitesi), Dogus University (Doğuş Üniversitesi) and Beykent
   University (Beykent Üniversitesi).

High schools

     * There are many classical, national and private high schools, like
       the İstanbul Lisesi (Istanbul Highschool) in Cagaloglu, Galatasaray
       High School in Beyoğlu, and Kadikoy Anadolu Lisesi in Moda.
     * Private High Schools, e.g. Amerikan Robert Lisesi (American Robert
       College), Uskudar Amerikan Lisesi ( Uskudar American Academy),
       Deutsche Schule Istanbul (Private German school), Lycee Saint
       Michel (Private French school) and Italian High School (Liceo
       Italiano) or some private Turkish institutions, such as Koç Özel
       Lisesi ( Koç School)
     * Anadolu Liseleri ("Anatolian Highshools"), originally furnished for
       the Turkish children returned home from the foreign country, e.g.
       the Üsküdar Anadolu Lisesi with German as first foreign language
       and technical instruction on German Professional training-technical
       resuming schools.
     * Science High Schools. Science High schools were established with
       the aim of providing education to exceptionally gifted mathematics
       and science students; providing a source for the training of
       high-level scientists, in order to meet the needs of nation;
       encouraging students to engage in research activities ;providing
       facilities for students interested in working on inventions and
       discoveries; serving as labarotory for procedures to be implemented
       in the science and mathematics programs of other secondary schools.
       These schools offer a three-year program with a curriculum which
       emphasises science and mathematics. The schools have a class-size
       of 24 , and, in accordance with regulations, are boarding schools.
       The language of instruction is Turkish. Entrants to science high
       schools generally achieve the highest scores in the university
       exams.
     * Islamic aligned Imam Hatip schools, e.g. İstanbul imam Hatip Lisesi
     * Occupation specialized high schools Research institutes The Marmara
       research center (TÜBİTAK Marmara Araştırma Merkezi - TUBITAK MAM)
       in Gebze is with approximately 650 researcher inside and
       researchers the largest non-university research establishment in
       Turkey. It covers the institutes for information technologies,
       energy research, food research, chemistry and environmental
       research, material research, as well as ground connection and sea
       sciences. A technology park is attached in addition to the research
       centre.

Libraries

   There are many libraries in Istanbul, some of the most important
   libraries are;
     * Süleymaniye Library (Süleymaniye Kütüphanesi) (Beyazıt)
     * Istanbul Celik Gulersoy Library (Çelik Gülersoy Kütüphanesi)
       (Sultanahmet)
     * Library of the Topkapi Palace (Topkapı Sarayı Kütüphanesi)
       (Sultanahmet)
     * Library of the Archaeological Museum (Arkeoloji Müzesi Kütüphanesi)
       (Sultanahmet)
     * Library of Women Works (Kadin Eserleri Kütüphanesi) (Haliç)
     * Atatürk Library (Taksim)
     * Library of the Goethe Institute (Beyoğlu)
     * American Library (Amerikan Kütüphanesi) (Tepebaşı)
     * Libraries of the universities
     * Libraries of the museums
     * Libraries of public and private corporations
     * Local libraries of districts

Economy

   Istanbul has always been the centre of the country's economic life due
   to its location as an international junction of land and sea trade
   routes. It employs approximately 20% of Turkey's industrial labour and
   contributes 38% of Turkey's industrial workspace. In addition, the city
   generates 55% of Turkey's trade and 45% of the country's wholesale
   trade, and generates 21.2% of Turkey's gross national product. Istanbul
   contributes 40% of all taxes collected in Turkey and produces 27.5% of
   Turkey's national product. Since 1980, the gross domestic product (GDP)
   of Istanbul averaged a growth of 5% a year.

   In the late 1990s, the economy of Turkey, and Istanbul in particular,
   suffered two major shocks. First, the Asian financial crisis between
   July 1997 and the beginning of 1998, as well as the crisis in Russia
   between August 1998 and the middle of 1999 had negative effects in all
   areas of the economy, particularly among exports. Following this, a
   slow reorganization of the economy of Istanbul was observed in the
   beginning and middle of 1999.

   The earthquake that centered in Kocaeli on August 17th, 1999
   constituted the second large economic shock for the city from the east
   after the crisis in Russia. Apart from the capital and human losses
   caused by the disaster, a decrease in GDP of approximately two percent
   occurred.

   Despite these economic downturns, Istanbul's economy has improved in
   recent years. Today, Istanbul is the industrial centre of Turkey. Many
   of Turkey's major manufacturing plants are located in the city.
   Istanbul and its surrounding province produce cotton, fruit, olive oil,
   silk, and tobacco. Food processing, textile production, oil products,
   rubber, metal ware, leather, chemicals, electronics, glass, machinery,
   paper and paper products and alcoholic drinks are among the city's
   major industrial products. The city also has plants that assemble
   automobiles and trucks.

   Another major feature of Istanbul's economy is its tourism. There are
   thousands of hotels and other tourist oriented industries in Istanbul
   catering to both vacationers and visiting professionals.

Traffic

   Enlarge

Long-distance traffic

   The city is an important junction for national and international
   long-distance traffic.

Air traffic

   Istanbul has two international airports: The larger is Ataturk
   International, in Yeşilköy, 24 kilometers from the city centre which
   used to be at the edge of the European part but is now inside the city,
   the more modern is the airport Sabiha Gökçen Airport, 20 kilometers
   east of the Asiatic side and 45 kilometers east of the European city
   centre.

Railroad traffic

   Istanbul's Tünel (1875) was the first underground railway line in
   continental Europe, and the second line in the world after London's
   Underground (1863)
   Enlarge
   Istanbul's Tünel (1875) was the first underground railway line in
   continental Europe, and the second line in the world after London's
   Underground (1863)

   Sirkeci station is the final stop for all railways on the European
   side. Only one long-distance route runs daily (to Bucharest). Beyond
   the Bosphorus at the Haydarpasa station lines run several times daily
   to Ankara and more rarely to other destinations in Anatolia. For now
   the two stations are connected by ferry across the Bosphorus. The
   Marmaray project will eventually connect the rail system with an
   interchange station that will also connect with the metro system.

Traffic

   İstanbul rail transit map
   Enlarge
   İstanbul rail transit map

   The E5, E90 and Trans European Motorway (TEM) are the three main roads
   leading to Turkey from the European border and the innercity borders to
   the east. The motorway net around Istanbul is well developed and is
   constantly being extended. Motorways lead to Ankara and Edirne. There
   are also 2 expressways circling the city. The older one called E5 is
   mostly used for inner city traffic while the more recent TEM highway is
   mostly used by intercity or intercontinental traffic. The Bosphorus
   Bridge and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge respectively, provide the
   Bosphorus Strait passesages for these two highways.

Navigation

   The port of Istanbul is the most important in the country. The old port
   at the Golden Horn serves primarily for personal navigation. Regular
   services as well as cruises exist to several ports such as Pireaus
   (Greece) and Greek islands, Dubrovnik (Croatia), Venice, Naples
   (Italy), Marseille (France), Haifa (Israel) in the Mediterranean Sea,
   and also Odessa (Ukraine) in Black Sea.

City and suburban traffic

Modern Buildings and structures with architectural significance

   Bridges

     * Bosphorus Bridge
     * Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge
     * Galata Bridge

   Shopping malls

     * Akmerkez
     * Cevahir Mall
     * Kanyon Mall
     * Tepe Nautilus
     * Shopping malls in Istanbul

   Sports venues

     * Abdi İpekçi Arena
     * Atatürk Olimpiyat Stadyumu
     * Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadyumu
     * Istanbul Park - Formula 1 Grand Prix Circuit

   Towers

     * Camlica TV Tower
     * Endem TV Tower

   For a list of skyscrapers see List of tallest buildings in Europe.

Sports

Football

   Istanbul is the homeland of many soccer teams; among them are three
   first division teams: Fenerbahçe SK, Galatasaray SK and Beşiktaş JK.
     * Fenerbahçe (1907) have been national champions 16 times since 1959.
       The club's home games take place in the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium in
       the Kadiköy quarter. Its capacity is 52,500 spectators. Christoph
       Daum had been the Coach of the Turkish first league side from the
       summer of 2003 till the end of 2005-2006 season. Fenerbahçe is
       coached by Zico since July 2006. Fenerbahçe's most known players
       are Stephen Appiah, Mateja Kežman and the Brazilian midfielder
       Alexsandro de Souza.

     * Galatasaray (1905) have been Turkish national champions 16 times
       since 1959 and won the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup in the year
       2000. They play in the Ali Sami Yen Stadium, which has a capacity
       of 22,500 seats.

     * Beşiktaş is the oldest Turkish sports association (1903). The 12
       time national champion (The Besiktas total includes the Turkish
       Federation League, which was played for 2 seasons (1957 and 1958).
       Besiktas won this league both years.)

   plays home games in the Inonu Stadium in the Beşiktaş district. It has
   a capacity of 32,000.
     * Istanbulspor (1926) is the fourth biggest football club from
       Istanbul, now playing in the 2nd division. Despite having Istanbul
       in its name, Istanbulspor do not have many fans from Istanbul,
       unlike Galatasaray, Fenerbahce and Besiktas. The yellow-black side
       plays home games in the Güngören Stadium. Capacity of this stadium
       is 10,500.

Motor racing

   Istanbul hosts Formula One Turkish Grand Prix, MotoGP Grand Prix of
   Turkey, FIA World Touring Car Championship, GP2 and Le Mans Series 1000
   km races at the Istanbul Park.

Air racing

   On July 29, 2006, İstanbul hosted the 4th round of the spectacular Red
   Bull Air Race World Series above Golden Horn.

Other sports

   Other sports like basketball and volleyball are very popular. In
   addition to Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray and Beşiktaş, which field teams in
   multiple sports, other clubs have high profiles in those sports—among
   them Turkey's most prominent basketball clubs, Efes Pilsen and
   Fenerbahçe Ülker; and the Eczacibasi (Eczacıbaşı) and Vakifbank
   volleyball clubs. Golf, shooting, riding and tennis gain ever more
   significance. For Aerobic, bodybuilding and gymnastic equipment,
   numerous fitness clubs are available. Paintball belonges to the new
   kinds of sport and is already represented in two large clubs in the
   proximity of Istanbul. Eastern kinds of sport such as Aikido and Yoga
   have become more popular in recent years. There are several centers in
   the city where they can be exercised.

Popular Culture

   Istanbul was included in many digital media such as:
     * Strike Commander - Video Game
     * Organized jobs - Movie
     * James Bond 007: From Russia with Love - Video Game
     * DRIV3R - Video Game
     * The Net 2.0 - Movie
     * The World Is Not Enough - Movie
     * Topkapi - Movie
     * From Russia with Love - Movie
     * The Accidental Spy - Movie
     * Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul - Movie
     * Istanbul (Not Constantinople) - Song
     * Fullmetal Alchemist - Anime

Sister cities

   Istanbul has 45 sister cities:
     * Almaty, Kazakhstan
     * Amman, Jordan
     * Baku, Azerbaijan
     * Barcelona, Spain
     * Berlin, Germany
     * Budapest, Hungary
     * Buenos Aires, Argentina
     * Busan, South Korea
     * Cairo, Egypt
     * Caracas, Venezuela
     * Chittagong, Bangladesh
     * Cologne, Germany
     * Constanţa, Romania
     * Dubai, United Arab Emirates
     * Durres, Albania
     * Florence, Italy

     * Havana, Cuba
     * Houston, USA
     * Jakarta, Indonesia
     * Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
     * Johor Bahru, Malaysia
     * Kabul, Afghanistan
     * Kazan, Russia
     * Khartoum, Sudan
     * Lahore, Pakistan
     * Mary, Turkmenistan
     * Odessa, Ukraine
     * Osh, Kyrgyzstan
     * Plovdiv, Bulgaria
     * Prague, Czech Republic
     * Rabat, Morocco

     * Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
     * Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
     * Samarqand, Uzbekistan
     * Shanghai, People's Republic of China
     * Shimonoseki, Japan
     * Skopje, Republic of Macedonia
     * St. Petersburg, Russia
     * Stockholm, Sweden
     * Strasbourg, France
     * Tbilisi, Georgia
     * Venice, Italy
     * Warsaw, Poland
     * Xi'an, People's Republic of China

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istanbul"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
