Istanbul, Turkey^

• Introduction
• Calendar

Istanbul

Straddling the strait of the Bosphorus between the continents of Europe and Asia, Istanbul is often referred to as a 'bridge between East and West'. Under the names of Constantinople and Byzantium, the city was the capital of the Byzantine Empire for 1,100 years. It is no longer a capital city, but with a population approaching 12 million it remains Turkey's largest metropolis and the centre of the country's economic and cultural life. The great monuments— like the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque of Sultan Ahmet, or the TopkapÍ Palace—are of undying attraction.