| Brief History of Istanbul |
 Istanbul is probably one of those rare places on earth blessed by its fortunate geographical location. It is not only the Bosphorus, which divides the city as a passageway between die Black Sea and the Mediterranean, that makes the city so special, but also the Golden Horn, a natural harbor at the junction of the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara that provides shelter in every season of the year. Thus Istanbul, as a site with great commercial and military advantages combined with the protection and safety offered by the natural harbor of the Golden Horn, has always formed the center of attraction for many civilizations in the course of history. However, its position as the center of attraction also turned out to be the source of many problems for the city, which suffered very gready from the attraction it exerted on various civilizations. Another calamity that constantly threatened the city was the devastation wrought by earthquakes. If it had not been for the numerous enemy attacks, invasions, earthquakes and conflagrations that wrought such havoc in the city, Istanbul, which has played host to a whole series of civilizations, would have presented us with the moist extraordinary history. But despite everything, it is still an amazing city endowed with natural beauties and historical values and, to be frank, owes its prosperity and well being to the Ottoman Empire, which paid much of its attention to taking good care of the city after the 1450s.The first setdement in the region dates back to 3000 B.C., although there is evidences drat the site was inhabited much earlier than that. The legendary town of Byzantion (Byzantium in Laun) was founded about 660 B.C. by Byzas the Megarian, with an acropolis located on the site, now occupied by Topkapi Palace. The town, starting from the mouth of the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn, was surrounded on three sides by strong walls. Perfectly protected on all sides, the town eventually flourished as an important port for trade. In 191 A.D. it remained under siege for more than two years and was finally, conquered by the Emperor Septimius Severus, who, after a few years, realized the importance of defending such a strategic site and rebuilt the city together with its defense walls. In the 4th century, due to its strategic position, Istanbul was made the capital city of the Roman Empire by Emperor Constantine A.D. from whom the city took the name Konstantinopolis. Soon afterwards, the citv was rapidly reorganized and adorned with many temples, palaces, public baths and a hippodrome. At the same time the walls were restrengthened. Finally, in 330 A.D., Istanbul was proclaimed the new capital of the Roman Empire. In the course of the following centuries the city underwent constant reconstruction and improvement under the successors of Constantine the Great. During the reign of Emperor Theodosius 11 the city walls were extended to a length of 6,492 m. The last Emperor of this glorious era was Justinian the Great. After his death, Byzantium started to disintegrate The Latin occupation in 1204 caused great damage to die capital. The whole city was burned down and suffered great destruction. The Byzantines, though they regained control in 1261, were unable to save the city. The Ottomans, when they entered Istanbul after the Conquest in 1453, were amazed to find a city in ruins. After die Conquest, the city was rapidly reconstructed. The Turks were of nomadic origin and tried to satisfy their inborn need for vegetation bv simply converting the parks into gardens for their houses. The market gardens and fields that had formerly been located beyond die city walls were now enclosed within them. The Turks preferred wood as construction material whereas the Byzantines had preferred stone. The main motivation behind this was the fear of earthquakes hut wood was also easier and more economical to use But the choice confronted the city with another calamity; namely, incessant fires! The Ottomans kept the still surviving prominent structures of the Byzantine period intact and, by simply turning them into mosques, had managed to preserve the churches. The Ottomans, particularly after the Conquest, had built a very powerful empire and thus the city, protected from the threat of attacks from outside, was kept safe and sound for centuries. The only problem that constandy afflicted the city was the inevitable earthquakes and fires. During the catastrophic earthquake of 14 September 1509, thousands of buildings were destroyed. During the reign of Bayezid II, after 1510, Istanbul was almost entirely rebuilt, with the result that most of the buildings we see today date from the 16th century and onwards. That Sınan began the erection of his works after the great earthquake was another factor that proved fortunate for the city. In the years 1522-1566, during the reign of Süleyman the Magnificent, Istanbul was endowed with many great architectural monuments. The golden age of the Empire, which began under Süleyman the Magnificent, lasted until the Tulip Period of 1718-1730,. It was only then that an otlu ui! fire department, the first printing house and some industrial enterprises were founded.The industrial revolution in the West, in the 19th century had totally changed the concept of urbanization, and this was to exert an influence on the Ottoman Empire as well. It was the time of decline and the Empire, in order to fight both against outer threats as well as internal problems, embarked upon a series of reforms. It is perhaps no coincidence that the Galata-Pera region, has always been one of the most westernized quarters of the city and still remains a typical example reflecting the features of a modern settlement. Thus, during the 19th century, the city started to develop around Pera. Besides, the removal of the palace from Topkapi to Dolmabahçe and of the army to this side of the Golden Horn during the reign of Abdulmecid is another indication of the changing face of the city. After the proclamation of the Republic, the Ottoman Government and the Sultan were left in Istanbul while the new Republic arose as the symbol of a new national government in Ankara, leaving Istanbul as the former capital of a totally cosmopolitan empire. This conflict between the two cities caused Istanbul to be neglected for a long time as efforts were focused on the construction of Ankara, the new capital. Thus, in the 1940s, little was done for die development of the city. After the 1940s, as the population of İstanbul started increasing rapidly, housing and transportation problems necessitated new measures. Nevertheless, during the reconstruction work, some of the historical buildings were severely damaged or, worse still, totally destroyed. As the city started expanding, the shanty towns, which had formerly been located outside the city, began to be located in the center. One of the reasons for this false urbanization was the rapid growth of the population, but another reason was probably the fact that those in charge, instead of remaining on the spot, preferred to live in Ankara and carry out their work from a distance. Today the population of Istanbul far exceeds 10 million. Due to the inadequacies in infrastructure, there have been ongoing problems of water supply sewage, transport and excessive construction in the city, let alone air and soil pollution. On the other hand, in spite of all this, there is also an enormous vitality. A thriving life., full of plasures and entertainment, is waiting to be exploited. Besides, in such a unique city located on both sides of the Bosphorus, pleasure exists as an indispensable part of life. And as for the historical values, they are, maybe, among the most important factors which give the city its unique character. Thus, we suggest that those of you who would like to visit the city should try to overlook, or at least, tolerate the inadequacies in everyday life and enjoy the beauties and pleasures to the full. |