[79] Due to Ottoman and Turkish policies of Turkification and ethnic cleansing, the city's Christian population declined from 450,000 to 240,000 between 1914 and 1927. [108][112] The highest and lowest temperatures ever recorded in the city center on the Marmara coast are 40.5 °C (105 °F) and −16.1 °C (3 °F). DERSAADET was the old name for Istanbul. Fares across modes are integrated, using the contactless Istanbulkart, introduced in 2009, or the older Akbil electronic ticket device. Popular during the summer among Istanbulites is Belgrad Forest, spreading across 5,500 hectares (14,000 acres) at the northern edge of the city. [64] From all over the Islamic empire, prisoners of war and deported people were sent to the city: these people were called "Sürgün" in Turkish (Greek: σουργούνιδες). The people of Istanbul remain concerned that an even more catastrophic seismic event may be in the city's near future, as thousands of structures recently built to accommodate Istanbul's rapidly increasing population may not have been constructed properly. Its mix of ancient and modern; the sights and sounds of the streets, bazaars, and calls to prayer; and the proximity to water, from the Golden Horn to the Bosphorus, present an exceptional environment for a romantic getaway. Leprechaun. Tübingen: Wasmuth. [145] Laws enacted after the Ottoman constitution of 1876 aimed to expand this structure across the city, imitating the twenty arrondissements of Paris, but they were not fully implemented until 1908, when the city was declared a province with nine constituent districts. [290], Istanbul's local public transportation system is a network of commuter trains, trams, funiculars, metro lines, buses, bus rapid transit, and ferries. [4] Istanbul is the largest city in Europe,[c] and the world's fifteenth-largest city. [citation needed] In the run-up to local elections in 2019, Erdoğan claimed 'if we fail in Istanbul, we will fail in Turkey'. It never returned to being the world's largest, but remained Europe's largest city from 1500 to 1750, when it was surpassed by London. As the eastern capital of the empire, the city was named Nova Roma; most called it Constantinople, a name that persisted into the 20th century. [304] The city's main cruise ship terminal is the Port of Istanbul in Karaköy, with a capacity of 10,000 passengers per hour. For the purpose of parliamentary elections, Istanbul is divided into three electoral districts; two on the European side and one on the Asian side, electing 28, 35 and 35 MPs respectively. 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Many of the city's most popular and upscale seafood restaurants line the shores of the Bosphorus (particularly in neighborhoods like Ortaköy, Bebek, Arnavutköy, Yeniköy, Beylerbeyi and Çengelköy). Türk Telekom Arena opened in 2011 to replace Ali Sami Yen Stadium as Galatasaray's home turf,[235][236] while Vodafone Park, opened in 2016 to replace BJK İnönü Stadium as the home turf of Beşiktaş, hosted the 2019 UEFA Super Cup game. [270] Following the founding of the Turkish Republic, the plant underwent renovations to accommodate the city's increasing demand; its capacity grew from 23 megawatts in 1923 to a peak of 120 megawatts in 1956. [240] Prior to the completion of the Sinan Erdem Dome in 2010, Abdi İpekçi Arena was Istanbul's primary indoor arena, having hosted the finals of EuroBasket 2001. Although its name suggests otherwise, this building in the Eminönü quarter of the city actually dates back to 1663. Greeks colonised the area and the city of Byzantion in the 7th century BC. You can easily improve your search by specifying the number of letters in the answer. [139], The imperial mosques include Fatih Mosque, Bayezid Mosque, Yavuz Selim Mosque, Süleymaniye Mosque, Sultan Ahmed Mosque (the Blue Mosque), and Yeni Mosque, all of which were built at the peak of the Ottoman Empire, in the 16th and 17th centuries. [135] The most ancient is the Egyptian Obelisk. [47] On 11 May 330, Constantinople was proclaimed the capital of the Roman Empire, which was later permanently divided between the two sons of Theodosius I upon his death on 17 January 395, when the city became the capital of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire. [66] He also invited people from all over Europe to his capital, creating a cosmopolitan society that persisted through much of the Ottoman period. Dumbarton Oaks Papers 23, (1969): 229–49. The Bosporus is 19 miles (30 km) long, with a maximum width of 2.3 miles (3.7 km) and a minimum width of 2,450 feet (750 meters). The completed section of highway crosses the Bosphorus Strait via the Yavuz Sultan Selim (Third Bosphorus) Bridge, entered service on 26 August 2016. Mostly consisted of the peninsula and its surroundings. By 1876, the first international mailing network between Istanbul and the lands beyond the Ottoman Empire had been established. [135], Hagia Sophia, topped by a dome 31 meters (102 ft) in diameter over a square space defined by four arches, is the pinnacle of the Byzantine architecture. Areas around İstiklal Avenue were filled with grand European embassies and rows of buildings in Neoclassical, Renaissance Revival and Art Nouveau styles, which went on to influence the architecture of a variety of structures in Beyoğlu—including churches, stores, and theaters—and official buildings such as Dolmabahçe Palace. [300] The Metrobus, a form of bus rapid transit, crosses the Bosphorus Bridge, with dedicated lanes leading to its termini. [267] In later years, in response to increasing public demand, water from various springs was channeled to public fountains, like the Fountain of Ahmed III, by means of supply lines. Politically, Istanbul is seen as the most important administrative region in Turkey. [26] That early settlement, important in the spread of the Neolithic Revolution from the Near East to Europe, lasted for almost a millennium before being inundated by rising water levels. [194], Istanbul has been an international banking hub since the 1980s,[15] and is home to the only stock exchange in Turkey. [100] The annual precipitation in the northern half can be twice as much (Bahçeköy, 1166.6 mm), than it is in the southern, Marmara coast (Florya 635.0 mm). In the following centuries, and especially after the Tanzimat reforms, Ottoman architecture was supplanted by European styles. In Slavic languages, the city was called Carigrad or Tsarigrad (City of the Emperor), while the Vikings called it Mikligarðr (The Big City). 1 decade ago. Founded as Byzantion by Megarian colonists in 660 BCE, and renamed as Constantinople in 330 CE,[9] the city grew in size and influence, becoming a beacon of the Silk Road and one of the most important cities in history. [33], The history of the city proper begins around 660 BCE,[34][d] when Greek settlers from Megara established Byzantium on the European side of the Bosphorus. [312][313], Istanbul had three large international airports, two of which are currently in active service for commercial passenger flights. Find the perfect hotel within your budget with reviews from real travelers. [146][147] This system continued beyond the founding of the Turkish Republic, with the province renamed a belediye (municipality), but the municipality was disbanded in 1957.[89][148]. [244] Istanbul Park was also a venue of the World Touring Car Championship and the European Le Mans Series in 2005 and 2006, but the track has not seen either of these competitions since then. [24] A person from the city is an İstanbullu (plural: İstanbullular), although Istanbulite is used in English. [291] Trams in Istanbul date back to 1872, when they were horse-drawn, but even the first electrified trams were decommissioned in the 1960s. [18] After Constantine the Great made it the new eastern capital of the Roman Empire in 330 CE, the city became widely known as Constantinople, which, as the Latinized form of "Κωνσταντινούπολις" (Konstantinoúpolis), means the "City of Constantine". [16], Istanbul experienced especially rapid growth during the second half of the 20th century, with its population increasing tenfold between 1950 and 2000. [234] Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, Fenerbahçe's home field, hosted the 2009 UEFA Cup Final three years after its completion. [273][276] Postal services remain under the purview of what is now the Post and Telegraph Organization (retaining the acronym PTT). [224][225] Some other neighborhoods around İstiklal Avenue have been revamped to cater to Beyoğlu's nightlife, with formerly commercial streets now lined with pubs, cafes, and restaurants playing live music. [184] In marked contrast to Jews in Europe, Ottoman Jews were allowed to work in any profession. Istanbul, one of the most romantic and sensual cities in the world, is a magnificent place for a honeymoon or vacation for two. Namely, the name Kostantiniyye, a variant of Constantinople, was dominant during the Ottoman period. [205] Beyoğlu has been transformed into the artistic center of the city, with young artists and older Turkish artists formerly residing abroad finding footing there. [230] Istanbul has seven basketball teams—Anadolu Efes, Beşiktaş, Darüşşafaka, Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray, İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyespor and Büyükçekmece—that play in the premier-level Turkish Basketball Super League. [212] Istanbul and its picturesque skyline have also served as a backdrop for several foreign films, including From Russia with Love (1963), Topkapi (1964), The World Is Not Enough (1999), and Mission Istaanbul (2008). Emirgan Park is known for its diversity of plants and an annual tulip festival is held there since 2005. [277][needs update] Turkish citizens are entitled to subsidized healthcare in the nation's state-run hospitals. [77] A series of wars in the early 20th century, such as the Italo-Turkish War (1911–1912) and the Balkan Wars (1912–1913), plagued the ailing empire's capital and resulted in the 1913 Ottoman coup d'état, which brought the regime of the Three Pashas. Greek polis "city" has been adopted into Turkish as a place-name suffix -bolu. On this day in 1930, a law was enacted in Turkey, according to which the city of Constantinople was renamed Istanbul. [276] Today, mobile and landline service is provided by private companies, after Türk Telekom, which split from the Ministry of Post, Telegraph, and Telephone in 1995, was privatized in 2005. [162] Constantinople jostled with other major historical cities, such as Baghdad, Chang'an, Kaifeng and Merv for the position of world's most populous city until the 12th century. Istanbul is near the North Anatolian Fault, close to the boundary between the African and Eurasian Plates. [19][20] Kostantiniyye (Ottoman Turkish: قسطنطينيه‎), Be Makam-e Qonstantiniyyah al-Mahmiyyah (meaning "the Protected Location of Constantinople") and İstanbul were the names used alternatively by the Ottomans during their rule. This is due to the city's role as Turkey's financial center, its large electorate and the fact that Erdoğan himself was elected Mayor of Istanbul in 1994. [121] Farther inland, outside the city's inner ring road, are Levent and Maslak, Istanbul's main business districts. [15], Because private universities were officially outlawed in Turkey before the 1982 amendment to the constitution, there were no private universities in the city until 1992, when Koç University was founded. Encircled by the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus and the Marmara Sea and by the old city walls to the west, this was the ancient city of Constantinople and the huge metropolis known as Istanbul today, was just suburbs, towns, villages, fields and complete wilderness. [b], The current city structure can be traced back to the Tanzimat period of reform in the 19th century, before which Islamic judges and imams led the city under the auspices of the Grand Vizier. Learn more about the world with our collection of regional and country maps. [190] Istanbul's productivity is 110 percent higher than the national average. [45], Constantine the Great effectively became the emperor of the whole of the Roman Empire in September 324. [271], The Ottoman Ministry of Post and Telegraph was established in 1840 and the first post office, the Imperial Post Office, opened near the courtyard of Yeni Mosque. [261][262][better source needed] The city also has foreign high schools, such as Liceo Italiano, that were established in the 19th century to educate foreigners. Located in a three-story, neo-classic prison building with a landscaped courtyard, Four Seasons Sultanahmet is in the center of Istanbul’s Old Town. [256] Istanbul is home to the headquarters of several Turkish stations and regional headquarters of international media outlets. [109], Winter is colder in Istanbul than in most other cities around the Mediterranean Basin, with low temperatures averaging 1–4 °C (34–39 °F). [203], By the end of the 19th century, Istanbul had established itself as a regional artistic center, with Turkish, European, and Middle Eastern artists flocking to the city. Though Istanbul may have been inhabited as early as 3000 BCE, it was not a city until … [119] Galata (Karaköy) is today a quarter within the Beyoğlu (Pera) district, which forms Istanbul's commercial and entertainment center and includes İstiklal Avenue and Taksim Square. The forest originally supplied water to the city and remnants of reservoirs used during Byzantine and Ottoman times survive.[132][133]. [190] Trade is economically important, accounting for 30 percent of the economic output in the city. Many politicians, including the President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, are of the view that a political party's performance in Istanbul is more significant than its general performance overall. [140] In 1639 Murat IV made some of the most lavish additions, including the Baghdad Kiosk, to commemorate his conquest of Baghdad the previous year. Crossword Clue The crossword clue Old name for Istanbul with 9 letters was last seen on the January 06, 2018.We think the likely answer to this clue is BYZANTIUM.Below are all possible answers to this clue ordered by its rank. istanbul = Turkish name stamboul = old french name/spelling. [251], Istanbul now has a wide variety of periodicals. One page states that "Each MM is sub-divided into District Municipalities ("DM"). With its focus now solely on music and dance, the Istanbul Festival has been known as the Istanbul International Music Festival since 1994. [311] New stations to replace both the Haydarpaşa and Sirkeci terminals, and connect the city's disjointed railway networks, are expected to open upon completion of the Marmaray project; until then, Istanbul is without intercity rail service. [228] Galatasaray SK and Fenerbahçe SK have fared better in international competitions and have won more Süper Lig titles, at 22 and 19 times, respectively. [142] An example of which is the imperial Nuruosmaniye Mosque. [68] Population growth in Anatolia allowed Constantinople to replace its losses and maintain its population of around 500,000 inhabitants down to 1800. [164] 64.4% of the residents live on the European side and 35.6% on the Asian side. The most recent of these is the 13,800-seat Ülker Sports Arena, which opened in 2012 as the home court of Fenerbahçe's basketball teams. In winter some parts of the province average freezing or below at night. Religious foundations were established to fund the construction of ornate imperial mosques, often adjoined by schools, hospitals, and public baths. Environmentalist groups worry that the third bridge will endanger the remaining green areas to the north of Istanbul. 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