ACityIndependent states
Istanbul
A city on two continents, split by the Bosphorus into a European and an Asian side. Capital of the Ottoman Empire from 1453 to 1922 and today Türkiye's largest city.
Istanbul's history begins with Byzantion, a Greek colony of the 7th century BC. In 330 the Roman emperor Constantine made it the new capital of the empire, and it became Constantinople. Sultan Mehmed II conquered the city in 1453, and for more than four centuries it was the capital of the Ottoman Empire.
More than 15 million people live in the city. On the Historic Peninsula, Hagia Sophia, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Topkapı Palace, the Grand Bazaar and the Süleymaniye stand side by side; the "Historic Areas of Istanbul" have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1985.
Three bridges span the Bosphorus, while the Marmaray rail tunnel (2013) and the Eurasia road tunnel (2016) link the two continents under the sea. Istanbul was a European Capital of Culture in 2010.
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Updated: October 2, 2026