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History of Istanbul |
History of Istanbul |
Strategically located
on either sides of the Bosphorus strait, Istanbul
actually bridges both Europe and Asia, and is also
considered to be Turkey's cultural and financial center.
It prides over the fact that is happens to be one of the
most famous cities in the world in terms of historical
monuments and natural scenery. With a history spanning
about 2500 years there is little wonder in the fact that
Istanbul has the city has imbibed the various cultures
of its different masters.
One of the largest cities in Europe, Istanbul has
chanced to be the capital of three great empires, the
Roman Empire, The Byzantine Empire and lastly the
Ottoman Empire, and records point out to the fact that
around 120 emperors ruled the world from this place for
more than 1600 years!
Although Istanbul was supposed to have been a small
fishing village called Semista in 1000 BC, records date
it to sometime from 5500 BC to 3500 BC. The ground for
the Byzantine Empire was created when in 667 BC a Greek
ruler from Megara called Byzas decided to establish a
colony in this place, and named it Byzantium. This was
later expanded on the orders of the Roman Emperor,
Constantine the Great, who named the place,
Constantinople, and it was made it the capital of the
entire Roman Empire, which lasted around for almost a
thousand years. It should not be forgotten that the
Patriarchate of Eastern Christians was headquartered
here ever since the establishment of the Byzantine
Empire, and the largest and early churches and
monasteries of the Christian world, like the Hagia
Sophia, rose in this city on top of the various pagan
temples. The Hagia Sophia enjoyed the status as the
largest cathedral in the world for almost a thousand
years after it was built, till 1850.
As was expected, the going was not very smooth for the
various Roman Emperors, who had to fight against
outsiders as well as insiders, to retain their kingdom.
Many a times, Constantinople fell to destruction and
anti government riots and was partially damaged and
several of its structures ruined. Its apt location in
the continent, which favored trade and commerce, was a
main reason for it being attacked viciously by people
like the Arabs, the Nomads, Persians, Barbarians, etc
from time to time.
1453 saw the down fall of the great Byzantine Empire,
when the Ottoman Turks led by Sultan Mehmet II,
conquered Constantinople and ousted the Romans. All
existing Roman structures and buildings were ravaged and
plundered and the remaining Byzantine population, which
was quite less due to widespread war and fighting, were
deported elsewhere. The name of Constantinople was
changed to Istanbul, and the Christian city gave way to
an Islamic nation, as the Emperor started converting all
churches to mosques and other Muslim structures. The old
burial grounds of the Erstwhile Roman Emperors were
unceremoniously converted and a mosque and Islamic
college were built over them. The Hagia Sophia was also
converted to a mosque, and all the Christian adornments
like the altar, iconostasis, and sacrificial vessels
were cast away. The wonderful murals depicting several
religious episodes were covered with plaster and more
suitable Islamic craftsmanship came into being.
But due credit should be given to the Great Ottoman
Sultan, whose farsightedness prompted him to go ahead
with a cosmopolitan outlook. In a city which was just a
shadow of its former glory, the population and skilled
artisans were very few and he encouraged people from all
over to come and settle down here, chiefly to make use
or their varied skills. This tolerant attitude of the
Sultan as well as his successors resulted in the re-building
of a magnificent Islamic city, rich with history and
tradition, and led it to become one among the glorious
nations of the world.
In 1923, after Turkey became a people's republic, its
president, Kemal Ataturk, shifted its capital from
Istanbul to Ankara. But Istanbul has not lost its former
glory and pomp and still continues to be rich in culture
and heritage, thereby attracting swarms of tourists
every year. |
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