It is the largest city in Turkey and serves as the economic, cultural and historical center of the country. The city straddles the Bosphorus Strait in both Europe and Asia and has a population of more than 15 million, accounting for 19% of Turkey’s population. Istanbul is the most populous city in Europe and the 15th largest city in the world.
Kent, B.C. It was founded in the 7th century by Greek settlers from Megara under the name Byzantium (Byzantium). In 330 AD, the Roman emperor Constantine the Great made it the imperial capital and renamed it first New Rome (Nova Roma) and then Constantinople (Constantinople), which bears his name. The city grew in size and influence, eventually becoming the beacon of the Silk Road and one of the most important cities in history.
The city served as an imperial capital for nearly 1600 years: during the Roman/Byzantine (330–1204), Latin (1204–1261), late Byzantine (1261–1453), and Ottoman (1453–1922) empires. The city played an important role in the advancement of Christianity during the Roman/Byzantine period and hosted four of the first seven ecumenical councils (all in modern-day Turkey) before its transformation (including Chalcedon (Kadıköy) on the Asian side). It became an Islamic stronghold after the fall of Constantinople in 1453 AD, especially after it became the center of the Ottoman Caliphate in 1517.
In 1923, after the Turkish War of Independence, Ankara replaced the city as the capital of the newly established Republic of Turkey. In 1930, the city’s name was officially changed to Istanbul; this was the Turkish equivalent of the name that Greek speakers had used colloquially to refer to the city since the eleventh century.
Eight years after being named European Capital of Culture, more than 13.4 million foreign visitors came to Istanbul in 2018, making Istanbul the eighth most visited city in the world. Istanbul is home to many UNESCO World Heritage Sites and hosts the headquarters of numerous Turkish companies. It accounts for more than thirty percent of the country’s economy.