“Istanbul used to be Constantinople. But she is now Istanbul, not Constantinople.” — Jimmy Kennedy, "Istanbul (not Constantinople)", 1953
As the above lyrics prove profoundly:Istanbul (Turkish: İstanbul) Is not Constantinople. This is a city with fantastic history, culture and beauty. The city was called Byzantium in ancient times, and when it was rebuilt by Constantine the Great, the first Christian Roman emperor, the name was changed to Constantinople. It was renamed again in 1928 and became Istanbul, a name that has been used for hundreds of years.
Istanbul is the most populous city in Europe and forms the financial center of Turkey. It has crossed Asia and Europe faithfully for thousands of years. It combines ancient Christianity, medieval metropolis, and modern Middle East. Located on both sides of the Bosphorus Strait, Istanbul still retains its status as a metropolis: the city’s population is estimated to be between 12 and 19 million people, making it one of the largest cities in the world.
In this ancient city praised as the "Second Rome", you will definitely want to roam - culture and excitement surround every corner, and more than two thousand years of history await you.
Partition
| old Town Rome's Constantinople, Byzantium, and many Ottoman periods, this is the location of most of Istanbul's famous historical attractions. |
| Galata Many nightlife venues in the city, the area includesBeyoglu(Beyoğlu),Independence Avenue(Istiklal Street) andTaksim Square(Taksim Square), here also has its own attractions and accommodations. |
| New town area There are many modern shopping malls in the main business districts of the city, such as:Elmadağ, Nişantaşı, Levent,as well asEtiler。 |
| Bosphorus The European coast of the Bosphorus is dotted with numerous palaces, parks, waterfront mansions, and bohemian streets. |
| Golden Horn At the mouth of the Golden Horn Bay, the European zone is divided into two zones. Here is fullEyup(Eyüp) and the breath of the Ottoman Empire. |
| Prince islands Escape from the metropolis, consisting of 9 great holiday islands without cars. The islands among them are some small and some are big, with gorgeous wooden mansions, verdant pine forests and beautiful views by the roadside. |
| Asia The eastern half of Istanbul. There are lovely neighborhoods along the Marmara Sea and the Bosphorus. |
| Western suburbs Western Europe |
learn
history
As an extended colony of ancient Greece named after the Roman emperor Constantine the GreatByzantium, Empire CityConstantinopleIt was the last remaining outpost of the Roman Empire (later called the Eastern Roman Byzantine Empire) for nearly a thousand years. Even today, the head of the Orthodox Church, the Archbishop of Constantinople, is still the Archbishop of Constantinople, and his headquarters is still in Istanbul. On May 29, 1453, the Roman Empire was conquered by the Ottoman Sultan Muhammad II. This event was sometimes used as the end of the Middle Ages. This is the military nerve center of the Ottoman Empire's rapid expansion. In the mid-sixteenth century, with a population of nearly 50, Istanbul was an important cultural, political and commercial center. The rule of the Ottoman Empire continued until the First World War was defeated and the city was occupied by Allied forces. The War of Independence in 1923 gave birth to the Republic of Turkey, and Kemal moved its capital to the city of Ankara. However, Istanbul continues to expand significantly; today the city’s population is approximately 14 million, and an estimated 400,000 immigrants are added each year. While the tourism industry has grown, the industry has also developed rapidly. In this place where two continents intersect, Istanbul is still creating its own history.
geography
Istanbul is divided into three parts: the north-south directionBosphorus (Istanbul Bogazi) divides the city into the Asian zone on the east and the European zone on the west.Golden Horn (HaliçThe estuary of) divides the western European area into two,Marmara Sea (Marmara Denizi) Forms the southern boundary of the city. Most of the attractions are concentrated in the west of the Bosphorus, formed between the Golden Horn and the Marmara SeaSultanahmetThe old town on the peninsula. Crossing the Golden Horn to the north is Galata，BeyoğluwithTaksim, The heart of modern Istanbul; andKadıköyIt is a major region in the relatively less visited part of Asia. The Black Sea forms the northern border of Istanbul.
climate
| climate | ㋀ | ㋁ | ㋂ | ㋃ | ㋄ | ㋅ | ㋆ | ㋇ | ㋈ | ㋉ | ㋊ | ㋋ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest during the day（℃） | 7 | 8 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 24 | 19 | 13 | 10 |
| Lowest at night（℃） | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 8 | 5 |
| precipitation（㎜） | 98 | 80 | 70 | 46 | 36 | 34 | 39 | 48 | 61 | 97 | 111 | 124 |
Turkish State Meteorological ServiceThe four-day weather forecast for Istanbul can be found on the website. | ||||||||||||
Istanbul is a temperate maritime climate influenced by a continental climate, with hot and humid summers, cold and humid winters, and occasional snow.
Istanbul has a relatively high average annual precipitation of 844 mm. Although it surpasses London, Dublin and Brussels, which are negatively affected by high rainfall, Istanbul has not been affected by the amount of precipitation in the slightest. Late autumn and winter are the wettest here, and late spring and summer are the driest. Although the late spring and summer are relatively dry compared to other seasons, there is still significant rainfall in these seasons, so there is no dry season.
If Istanbul does have a negative impact on the climate, it is the relatively high annual average temperature, especially when there are strong winds in winter and the islanding effect in summer.
Summer is generally hotter, with an average of about 27°C during the day and 18°C at night. Relatively high humidity and the "concrete island effect" only make things worse. The hottest day of the year is expected to be as high as 35°C. Summer is also the driest season, but it does rarely rain. Along with sunny days, there will be multiple rains lasting 15 to 30 minutes in the same day. Due to the city's hilly landforms and imperfect drainage systems, flash floods often occur after heavy rains (especially in summer).
Winter is humid and cold, with an average of 2°C at night and 7°C during the day. Although it is rarely below freezing during the day, the relatively high humidity and cold wind make people feel cold and unpleasant.
Snowfall occurs almost every year, usually between December and March. Almost all of the annual total snowfall is within three weeks, but the average winter snowfall varies greatly from year to year; the snow cover usually remains for several days after each snowfall, even if it is heavy snowfall.
Late spring (end of May to early June) and early autumn (end of September to early October) are very pleasant, so it is also the best time to travel. It is neither cold nor hot during this period, and it is still sunny, although colder nights and rain are common.
For tourists in the spring, autumn and winter show, umbrella is recommended to bring, and avoid the sun and occasional rain during the summer vacation. However, this is not a big problem, because as soon as it starts to rain, the streets of Istanbul will suddenly be selling umbrellas. Although the umbrellas they provide are a bit shoddy, but each umbrella only costs TRY5 (although you can find umbrellas at this price in the surrounding shops).
Light clothing is recommended in summer, and a light jacket and/or light sweater is recommended if the night becomes cold; warm clothing is essential in winter; in spring and autumn, you need to bring warm clothing and light clothing at the same time.
It should also be noted that due to its huge scale, topography and ocean influence, Istanbul exhibits many unique microclimates. Therefore, different parts of Istanbul can experience different weather conditions at the same time. For example, at the same moment, when it rained heavily in Sarıyer to the north, Levent (the northern end of Metro Line 2) was moderately rainy, and at Taksim (the southern end of Metro Line 2) it was a perfect sunny day. .