Historic and modern, European and Asian — that's Istanbul. The city at the junction of two continents is home to ancient structures like the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque in the Old City, as well as modern businesses, hotels, restaurants and nightlife in the New City. The sight of mosques and bustling bazaars and the smell of incense and spices are common in Istanbul. Across the Bosporus Strait, the Asian side of Istanbul offers a glimpse into everyday, residential life.
What is now called Asian Istanbul was probably inhabited by people as early as 3000 BC. Eventually, in the 7th century, Greek colonists led by King Byzas established the colony of Byzantium, the Greek name for a city on the Bosphorus. In the early 100's BC, it became part of the Roman Empire and in 306 AD, Emperor Constantine the Great made Byzantium capital of the entire Roman Empire. From that point on, the city was known as Constantinople. Finally, weakened by almost constant battle, the Ottoman Turks lead by Sultan Mehmet II conquered Constantinople in 1453. Renamed Istanbul, it became the third and last capital of the Ottoman Empire. It was the nerve center for military campaigns that were to enlarge the Ottoman Empire dramatically. By the mid 1500's, Istanbul, with a population of almost half a million, was a major cultural, political, and commercial center.
In summer the weather in Istanbul is hot and humid; the temperature between June and September averaging 28°C (82°F). Summers are relatively dry, but rain does occur all year round. During winter it is cold, wet and often snowy. Snowfalls tend to be heavy, but temperatures rarely drop as low as freezing point. Istanbul also tends to be a windy city.
Istanbul remains one of the most important commercial centers in the country. About 36 percent of exports and 40 percent of imports pass through Istanbul. It is an industrial city, accounting for 45 percent of national production and about the same percentage of jobs. Its factories produce textiles, oil products, rubber, metals, leather, chemicals, glass, electronics, and automobiles. The city is a banking and insurance center. Another important source of income for the city is tourism. Economic activity is linked to trade and commerce. The Grand Bazaar, or Covered Bazaar, features more than 4,000 shops that sell gold jewelry, carpets, and ceramic, copper, and brass ware. Istanbul is Turkey's largest port and center of wholesale commerce and transportation. The excellent natural harbor it maintained for centuries in the Golden Horn.
The national literacy rate is about 70 percent, with a much higher percentage in the city. Theodosius II (401–450) founded the first University of Istanbul in 425 AD. It was succeeded by Istanbul University in 1453. There are many foreign high schools in Istanbul, most of which were established in the 19th century in order to give education to the foreigners residing in Istanbul, or to locals with European roots.
The best and easiest way to explore the old city is on foot, but to get to other areas, there is a cheap public transport network consisting of buses, taxis or dolmuses (shared minibus taxis), tramways and a new metro system that has relieved some of the pressure of Istanbul's endless traffic. A useful underground metro line runs from Aksaray to the main city bus station at Esenler and the Ataturk Airport, and another runs north from Taksim Square, passing the Levent districts. Buses are slow and crowded. Dolmuses and private yellow taxis are more comfortable than the city buses; it is advisable for foreigners to have their hotel call a private taxi for them and check that the meter is working, as overcharging is common. Dolmuses can be hailed anywhere along their set routes. Passenger ferries are a pleasant way to see the city, and there is also a train network running along the Mamara shore. Driving or hiring a car is not recommended due to traffic congestion and poor driving standards.
Istanbul has a wide range of sights of great historical and cultural interest. There are many churches preserved in the city, many have been converted into mosques. The Hagia Sophia was originally a church, but was converted into a mosque in 1453, and in 1932 into a museum. It is now known as Aya Sophia, and lies near the Sea of Marmara in the Istanbul quarters.
Topkapi Palace, situated on the tip of old Constantinople, was the political centre of the Ottoman Empire for 4 centuries. Large parts of the palace were devoted to offices and state institutions as well as a palace school. Only about half was the residence of the sultan and his harem. The harem women counted as many as 809 during the reign of Sultan Abdlaziz in the late 19th century. The palace was built between 1459 and 1465, but was in the beginning not the residence of the sultan. He stayed in his palace where the Istanbul University now is located, together with his harem. Later on all this moved into the Topkapi, but in the middle of the 19th century, a new palace was constructed a few kilometers further up the Bosporus.
The Blue Mosque, or Sultan Ahmet mosque, was intended to challenge the grandeur of Christian Constantinopian architecture. It didn't succeed. The Blue Mosque is beautiful from the outside, but the interior tells stories about crude building engineering and the decorations are not up to the standard found elsewhere in the Muslim world.
One of the most prominent events on the city's cultural calendar and one of the foremost musical events in Europe, the International Istanbul Music Festival is a summer extravaganza of opera, ballet, and classical and traditional music. Over the years the festival has hosted world-renowned classical performers and groups from around the globe as well as local artists and traditional music groups, from international philharmonic orchestras, distinguished chamber ensembles and soloists, dance and ballet performances, and Whirling Dervishes.
Formula 1 Turkish Grand Prix: The Istanbul Racing Circuit is located on the Asian side of Istanbul, 6 km from the junction of Kurtkoy on the north side of TEM Motorway, linking Istanbul to Ankara. The Turkish Grand Prix Istanbul Racing Circuit is close to the newly constructed Sabiha Gokcen Istanbul Airport. In addition to easy access from TEM and Airport, the Formula 1 track is located within the green belt surrounded by forest and cultivated green fields.
