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See Constantinople for a more detailed history before the Ottoman Turkish conquest of 1453.
 ?stanbul's Levent District
?stanbul's Levent District
It is believed that Istanbul was the largest city in the world from 340 to 570 with a population of 400,000 in 500, from 1127 to 1145, from 1153 to 1170 and from 1650 to 1710 with a population of 700,000.
Byzantium was the original name of the modern city of ?stanbul. 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 ?????????; (Demotic Modern Greek spells this ????????, pronounced IPA /vi.?za.?djo/).
After siding with Rome and suffered extensive damage in 196 AD. Byzantium was rebuilt by the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus and quickly regained its previous prosperity. The location of Byzantium attracted Constantine the Great who, in 330 AD, refounded it as Nova Roma or Constantinoupolis after himself (Constantinople, Greek: Konstantinoupolis or ?????????????????) 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 1453, has often been called the Byzantine Empire or Byzantium by modern scholars.
 Ni?anta?? is one of the most exclusive districts of Istanbul
Ni?anta?? is one of the most exclusive districts of Istanbul
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).
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.
 Yeni Camii (the New Mosque), one of the landmarks of ?stanbul
Yeni Camii (the New Mosque), one of the landmarks of ?stanbul
On May 29, 1453 the city fell to the Ottoman Turks (see the Fall of Constantinople) and was part of the Ottoman Empire until its official dissolution on November 1, 1922. The Ottoman Turks called the city Konstantiniye or ?stanbul.
During the Ottoman period the city went through a complete cultural change from an imperial Byzantine city to an Ottoman Imperial one. Aziz Mahmud Hudayi) and Fatih Mosque.
The wives and mothers of the Sultans also contibuted to the construction of Mosques and several Mosques both on the European and Asian sides of the city have the name Valide Sultan Mosque to signify that they were constructed under the orders of the Sultans mother.
Sufi orders which were so widespread in the Islamic world and who had many followers who had activly participated in the conquest of the city came to settle in the capital. During Ottoman times over 100 Tekkes were active in ?stanbul alone.
Many of these Ramazan Effendi Mevlevihane in Yahya Effendi Tekke in Besiktas, and the Bektashi Tekke in Kad?köy, which now serves Alevi Muslims as a Cem Evi.
 Istanbul 1908 - Bulgarians dancing
Istanbul 1908 - Bulgarians dancing
 Istanbul 1908 - Epirotes
Istanbul 1908 - Epirotes
 Istanbul 1908 - Greeks dancing
Istanbul 1908 - Greeks dancing
 Istanbul 1908 - Greeks, blessing the Epiphany
Istanbul 1908 - Greeks, blessing the Epiphany
When the Republic of Turkey was founded in 1923, the capital was moved from Istanbul to Ankara. ?stanbul became the official name in 1930.
In the early years of the republic, ?stanbul was overlooked in favor of the new capital Greece.
In the 1960s 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 road were built in ?stanbul but some, unfortunately, were at the expense of historical buildings within the city.
During the eathquakes that hit the city) and many previously outlying villages became engulfed into the greater metropolis of ?stanbul. Many Turks who have lived in ?stanbul 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 2005 the city enhanced its international profile by hosting Liverpool and AC Milan at the new Atatürk Stadium. It proved to be one of the most memorable finals of all time as Liverpool fought back from 3–0 down to draw 3–3 and win on a penalty shootout.
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?stanbul is situated near the North Anatolian fault, an active fault which has been responsible for several deadly earthquakes in contemporary history. Studies show that there are high risks of a devastating earthquake near ?stanbul in the coming decades.[1][2] The difficulties of imposing suitable building rules is likely to result in a large number of collapses, especially in cheap masonry dwellings.[3]
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Ahmet Ertegun, Founder of Atlantic Records
Ajda Pekkan, Singer
Daron Acemo?lu, Economist
Fatma Girik, Actress
Hedo Türko?lu, Basketball Star
Hülya Koçyi?it, Actress
Müjde Ar, Actress
Pekinel sisters, Pianists
Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, Prime Minister of Turkey
Semiha Berksoy, Opera singer
Sertab Erener, Singer
Ara Güler, Photographer
Yusuf Kar?, Portrait photographer
Orhan Pamuk, Novelist
Aziz Nesin, Novelist
See also, List of Istanbulites
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Hotels in Turkey - Istanbul >>
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