About Istanbul

A Short History
With origins going back over 3000 years and having been the capital of the mighty Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, Istanbul's historical and cultural legacy is unrivalled by any other city.

Founded by Byzas the Megarian, the site for Istanbul is said to have been chosen according to the prophecy of the Oracle of Delphi to build '... opposite the land of the blind'. In the 6th century BC, when Byzas and his Megarian colonists travelled to the city of Chalcedor on Istanbul's Asian shore, they thought its citizens must have been blind not to build on the more beautiful and easily defensible Golden Horn on the opposite shore of the Bosphorus.

It was in the 4th century AD, when the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great made it his capital, that Istanbul first took on world importance. As the capital of the Byzantine Empire, the successor to the Eastern Roman Empire, the city was fortified by high walls thought to be impregnable.

The legendary wealth of Constantinople inspired a series of attacks, and the city fell to pillaging European crusaders in 1204. Although the Byzantine Emperor re-conquered the city, its long, slow decline had begun. The Ottomans, led by the Sultan Mehmet, took the city in 1453 after a seven-week siege. At that time, the population of the once mighty city had fallen to just 40,000 inhabitants, and part of the Ottomans' plan to restore it to its former glory involved the encouragement of migration from the Balkans and Anatolia. The Ottomans added their culture and architecture to Istanbul's rich culture and encouraged diversity by allowing ethnic Greeks, Armenians and Jews to practice their religions. Throughout the years, Istanbul has preserved its multicultural history; Byzantine and Greek churches, ancient synagogues, mosques and dervish lodges stand side by side amid the natural, historical and architectural marvels.

Language
Turkish is the official language; English and German are also widely spoken in the shops.

Turkish belongs to a unique language group and is not related to any of the Indo-European languages, making it difficult for some Westerners to learn. Of course, any attempt to learn a few words or a simple phrase is much appreciated by the locals.

Shopping in Istanbul
People come to Istanbul from all over the world to buy Turkish carpets, and because carpets are sold at so many shops, finding a competitive deal is relatively easy although it requires time to browse in order to find just the pattern and price that appeals to you.

Istanbul's Covered Market (also known as the Grand Bazaar) in Beyazit is the place for carpets, leather goods, antiques and just about anything you wish to buy. Bargaining is part of the Turkish culture, and a must in the Grand Bazaar.  Other popular markets in Istanbul include the Egyptian Market in Eminönü and the Kapali Çarsi, which has over 4000 shops.

For many visitors, the markets and bazaars offer a unique shopping experience. To begin, the best policy is simply to browse and take in the atmosphere. Locals as well as tourists come to the markets to shop, and it's a good idea to see how they go about making their purchases. Obviously, vendors will draw tourists in to buy their wares with all sorts of friendly encouragement.


Antiquities
There is great demand for Turkish antiques, especially those from the Ottoman period, but please be aware that genuine antiquities dating from the Hittite, Greco-Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman periods can not be bought, sold or exported under Turkish law. Penalties imposed on buyers who may innocently purchase such an antiquity and try to take it out of the country can be severe. The best policy is to be suspicious of items that appear to be, or are being sold as, either genuine or reproduction antiquities.