[Original] Constantinople. Vue de Beyces. [end]
Istanbul has been historically important for several reasons. It provided protection to the eastern portion of the Roman Empire. By the 5th century, Constantinople was the largest and richest city in the Mediterranean. It was due to this that the city was often called "Queen of Cities".
After its conquest by the Ottomans in 1453, it became the capital of their Empire until its decline at the end of World War I. The capital of the Turkish Republic became Ankara, which led to a decline of this historic city. In recent years, however, Istanbul has grown phenomenally and once again become the hub of Turkish economic and cultural resurgence. It is one of Europe's biggest cities, and one of the most rapidly growing in the world. The change from just a few decades ago is breathtaking, and sketched in Orhan Pamuk's wonderful memoir of the city, Istanbul. |
