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Istanbul is the biggest city in Turkey and it is the economic, cultural, and historical heart of the country. Istanbul is one of the largest urban agglomerations in Europe with a population of 13.5 million. Istanbul is a transcontinental city, straddling the Bosphorus one of the world's busiest waterways in northwestern Turkey, between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. Its commercial and historical center live in Europe, while a third of its population lives in Asia. Istanbul is placed in northwestern Turkey within the Marmara Region on a total area of 5,343 square kilometers. The Bosphorus, which connects the Sea of Marmara to the Black Sea, divides the city into a European side, comprising the historic and economic centers, and an Asian, Anatolian side. Golden Horn also divedes the city, it’s a natural harbor bounding the peninsula where the former Byzantium and Constantinople were founded. In the late 19th century, a wharf was constructed in Galata at the mouth of the Golden Horn, replacing a sandy beach that once formed part of the inlets coastline.
On 29 May 1453, after an eight-week siege Sultan Mehmed II captured Constantinople and declared it the new capital of the Ottoman Empire. Hours later, the sultan rode to the Hagia Sophia and summoned an imam to proclaim the Islamic creed, converting the grand cathedral into an imperial mosque. After capturing Constantinople, Mehmed II immediately starts revitalizing the city. He urged the return of those who had fled the city during the siege, and forcibly resettled Muslims, Jews, and Christians from other parts of Anatolia. The sultan invited people from all over Europe to his capital. It was for creating a cosmopolitan society presenting much of the Ottoman period. He also repaired the city's damaged infrastructure and began to build the Grand Bazaar, and constructed Topkapı Palace, the sultan's official residence. Travel to Turkey and Greece: Istanbul city half-day and full-day tours with private or small-group. Turkey Tours from Istanbul. Istanbul to Cappadocia tours, or Istanbul to Ephesus tours, or Istanbul to Pamukkale trips. Istanbul to Izmir tours, Istanbul to Pergamon trips. Istanbul to Antalya tours, or Istanbul to Ankara tours, Istanbul to Bursa trips, Istanbul to Edirne tours. Istanbul to Gallipoli tours, Istanbul to Troy trips. Istanbul to Fethiye holiday, Istanbul to Alanya holiday, or Istanbul to Cesme trips, Istanbul to Bodrum tours. Istanbul to Athens tours, or Istanbul to Santorini tours and Istanbul to Greece tours.
