The former capital of three successive empires, Roman, Byzantine and
Ottoman, Istanbul today honors and preserves the legacy of its past. It is Istanbul’s endless variety that fascinates its visitors.
The museums, churches, palaces, grand mosques, bazaars and sights of natural beauty seem
innumerable. Standing on the shore of the Bosphorus at sunset, one understands why so many centuries ago, settlers chose to build on this
remarkable site.
Istanbul, the only city in the world straddling two
continents (one arm reaching out to Asia, and the other to Europe), lines
the cobalt-blue waters of the Bosphorus Straits. Turkey's greatest city, in terms of both
population and area, Istanbul is the country's leading economic, trade, investment,
education and cultural center. Istanbul is the main transit route for sea, land and air
transport to cities in Turkey, continuing its ancient tradition as a hub of
land transport between Asia and Europe and sea transport between the Black and
Aegean Sea.
While early settlements first sprang up 3000 years ago on the Asian shore of the city, the rapidly growing city continues to push outwards, consolidating
minor settlements into a huge megalopolis. Its geographical location and tradition of
trade and enterprise ensures that Istanbul remains Turkey's premier city and an
increasingly important international center.
