Photo by Phardon Media on Unsplash

Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey, is the only city in the world that sits astride two continents, Europe and Asia. Its population is fifteen million, or nineteen percent of its country, Turkey! It is also the world’s fifteenth largest city.

At its founding in the 7th BC, it was known as Byzantium. In AD 330, the Roman emperor Constantin changed its name to Constantinople (I wonder why?). That name lasted until 1930, when it was changed one more time to Istanbul, which translates in the Turkish language as ‘to the City’, the appellation Greek speakers have used since the 11th century when talking about the city.

In keeping with the Thursday trivia theme, here are six fascinating bits of information concerning this unique metropolis:

• Though considered one city, part of it lies in Europe and neighbors Greece and Bulgaria; the other part in Asia, sharing borders with Syria, Iran, and Iraq. Between the two continents is the Bosporus Strait, a narrow body of water providing access from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea via the Sea of Marmara.

By Hunanuk – File:Fatihistanbul.jpg, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=146259277

• While in Istanbul, you can drive across the two continents in just three minutes on the 15 July Martyrs Bridge, originally called the “First Bridge.” In 2016, it was renamed to honor the civilians who died resisting an attempted coup of Turkey on that date. Stretching a mile, it was started in 1970 and finished in 1973 to connect the European side of Istanbul with the Asian side.

By flowcomm – File:Istanbul,_Turkey_(53688092005).jpg, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=148565808

• As the capital of the Eastern Roman empire from 300 AD, Istanbul is rich with Byzantine structures, one of which is the Hippodrome (now known as Sultanahmet Square), one of the largest chariot race grounds in the Byzantine Empire, constructed in about 330 AD. In the center of the remains stands the Obelisk of Theodosius, an Egyptian plinth with hieroglyphics that Emperor Constantine had installed to celebrate the new Roman capital.

Photo by peter bucks on Unsplash

• Hagia Sophia was the largest cathedral in the world for 1,000 years after it was built in 360 AD, and symbolized the golden age of Byzantine rule. It has burned down and been rebuilt more than once and the latest iteration has impressive gold mosaics with Christian motifs, white marble floors, and columns that the builders recycled from earlier Roman ruins. It is now a museum and a UNESCO World Heritage site you have to see to believe.

Photo by Haroon Ameer on Unsplash

• Topkapi Palace is a gorgeous expansive complex constructed beginning in the 15^th century and not finished until the mid 19^th for Ottoman sultans and their court (including a separate harem building). From that location, you have panoramic views of the Bosphorus, as well as collections of the sultans’  jewels, ornate household items, and prized china, which shows the gradual influence of Western designs. Purchase a Turkish coffee from a little shop built into one of the ancient buildings, where you can also view a small museum exhibit displaying the tools used in brewing the sultans’ coffee. While you can’t stay overnight at Topkapi Palace, it is still well worth the time it takes to visit.

Topkapi Palace Harem By A.Savin – Own work, FAL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=91982576

• I’ve saved the best for last. The Basilica Cistern is a huge underground reservoir built by Roman Emperor Justinian in 532 AD to store freshwater coming into the city via aqueducts from the Black Sea. Its roof is supported by 336 Corinthian columns, two of which are sitting on stone Medusa heads taken from the ruins of temples in Rome and Greece!

Photo by Raimond Klavins on Unsplash

Quite the amazing structure, isn’t it? This is the largest of several hundred located beneath the city, many of which are still in use today. The Basilica Cistern, has little water in it, to allow for public access. Pictures really don’t do this landmark justice, in my opinion.

I would love to visit this city, but I doubt that will happen, so I have to settle for pictures and articles describing the sites, cities, countries, etc. that I’ll never see. A poor substitute, but it will have to do.