Istanbul
was occupied by inhabitants from early ages in history , about 3000 BC . Due to its important location connecting two continents , Europe and Asia , its importance was manifested throughout the history from one age to the next , becoming the center for different combination and succession of cultures and religions . Although First settlements of Istanbul were belonging to the far-away prehistoric period , foundations of today's Istanbul dates back to the 7th century BC . Greek colonists led by king Byzas were in search for a new location out of their city Megara around 650 BC , motivated by the prophecy of the prophets of Appolo temple which was at that time the center of prophecy and of high importance . The prophets of Appolo told Byzas to settle "across the land of the blind" . After a long search for that land , Byzas reached Istanbul and was enchanted by the wealth of the surroundings there . When he met the people settled on the other side of the Bosphorus , he believed that those people had to be blind because they left such a magnificent place and settled on the other shore , and hence he believed that he has reached the place described in the prophecy .
Byzas gave the place his name and founded the city of
Byzantion . The region of Topkaps Palace today was the Acropolis of the old Byzantion . The city had a calm harbor located at the entrance of Golden Horn which is still being used today . City walls were surrounding the city and extending till reaching the Marmara sea . The City remained a center of commerce till 191 BC when it supported the wrong side during a conflict over a throne . Following that , the city was under siege for more than 2 years and finally was conquered by Roman Emperor Septimus Severus and unfortunately burned down and became in ruins . However , later on the city was reconstructed in the reign of the same emperor and new walls and structures were built and decorated in and around the city again .
Due to the great expansion of the roman empire in the 4th century A . D , the location of its capital became in one corner of the empire . And soon the Roman Emperor
Constantine
the Great was searching for a new capital for the expanding empire . The great importance of the old Byzantion , its ideal climate and its strategic position of intersecting land and sea routes , all elected it to become the new capital for the world's empire at that time . Such decision brought about great
effects as the city was extended with many official buildings , many temples , palaces , Hammams . Finally in 330 it was officially announced the capital of the Roman Empire and was named as Second Rome and New Rome . Those names however quickly disappeared and the city was finally named Constantinople . The first churches appeared , as well as further construction and decoration of the city took place after the reign of Constantine the Great and new streets , aqueducts , monuments and structures were built and have added further to the magnificence of the city .
When the Great Roman Empire collapsed in 395 A . D and was divided into two Eastern and Western empires . Eastern Roman empire known by contemporary historians as "Byzantine Empire" continued for more than one thousand years , making Istanbul its capital . During the first half of the 5th century , Istanbul was extended again when Theodosius II (408-450) reconstructed city walls that extended about 6492 meters in length and can still be seen today . In the 6th century and under the reign of Emperor Justinian I (527-565) the city lived a golden age and it is in this period that the very famous Hagia Sohpia was built .
In 1204 , there was a siege of the city during the crusades and this
date marks the beginning of the Latin rule which was a black era of the city's history . Rubbery spread for years towards the city's monuments , churches and monasteries . The city was returned to the administration of the Byzantions in 1261 , although it did not reclaimed its former wealth . There appeared a growing Turkish Ottoman Empire that was representing a threat . After 53 days of siege , the Turks took over the city in 1453 by Fatih Sultan Mehmet and finally the
Byzantine
empire had come to its end .
Istanbul after that became the capital of the Ottoman empire . The Fatih begin constructing the empty and ruined city again . He gave previous people living in the city freedom of religion and social rights and also were allowed to remain in the city . Because of these rights , the Patriarchate , the head of Christian Orthodox church , remained in place until today . Among some other churches , the Hagia Sophia was turned into a mosque and rescued from its ruined condition . Istanbul was reconstructed in a short period after its conquest by the Turks , and after a century Turkish Art was dominant .
In the 16th century , when the Ottoman Sultans became the caliphates , Istanbul became the center and capital of the whole Islamic world . This period was generally calm and there were no wars , however there were frequent fires which burned sections of the city . In the 19th century as the contact with Europe increased , mosques and palaces began to be built on the side of the Bosphorus attaining European style in their architecture .
At the end of the 1st world war , the Ottoman Empire declined and was divided , with its enemies struggling for each taking his share . A commander of the Turkish Army named Mustafa Kamal Attatirk struggled for the Turkish nation and after the war of independence that lasted for 4 years , he succeeded in founding the Turkish Republic in 1923 . Sultan and his family were sent abroad and Mustafa Kamal became the head of the republic and began directing the country towards the western civilization . Attatirk died in 1938 and the capital of the Turkish Republic became Ankara , however this did not decreased the historical importance of the city of Istanbul or its magnificence .
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