Tour of Istanbul: Introduction to the city

Istanbul is the largest city of Turkey and it is one of the greatest places where you get to explore a lot. This is one of the cities in the world that are famous for their natural beauty and historical importance. There are a number of reasons for travelling to Istanbul. You may tour Istanbul just to get an idea that how good a city in this world can be. One of the most amazing things about Istanbul is that it is the only city in the world that spread over two continents! Some of its part lies in Asia while some of it is considered as a part of the Europe. This is simply unbelievable but it is a matter of fact that can’t be altered. The Istanbul Serves as a junction between two continents and a trade centre as well.

The Istanbul is a city with great historic importance. This city is surrounded by sea from three sides and the names are Marmara Sea, Bosphorus Sea and the Golden Horn. The city is having immense important from the time it was built as this is a critical trading point. Thus the city was chosen as the capital by three of the greatest empires ever. These three empires to which this city served as the capital are        Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire. The city was under over 120 emperors and sultans for more than 1600 years.

The city was extended four times and every time the extension occurred, the border of this city went further to the West. The city has been covering more than 7 hills from the ancient Roman times. The city holds master pieces of art and craft built up in different times under different Sultans and emperors. The Golden Horn harbor is serving as a secure place and it has great contribution in the development of city as well as the country. The city has such a great luck that it is pretty easy to defend because of its secure location. Moreover, this city is rich in natural resources. Ideal climate and control of sea makes this city even more valuable. So everyone will want to travel Istanbul to discover what else is in it.

As it is mentioned earlier that the city remained a capital for hundreds of years, the city is not only a centre of administration but also a place of great religious resource. The city was ruled by rulers who were from different religions and this made this city rich in every religious material. The Istanbul was first ruled by the Christians who built churches and monasteries here. The city also held pagan temples at that time. Then it was conquered by the Muslims who made this city enriched with the architecture. The architecture given to this city by Muslims includes the mosques, hospitals, libraries, schools, baths, hospitals etc. In 16^th century, the city became the Muslims Caliphate Headquarters when the sultan of Ottoman Empire acquired “Caliph of Islam.” Furthermore, the Jews were also settled in this city more than anywhere else as they were rescued by the Turks from Spain in 15^th century. Thus the city holds churches, mosques, temples and other holy buildings side by side. Not only the emperors and sultans gave this city plenty of things, but even after the Ottoman Empire was fallen, the city continued its development.

The city of Istanbul is in both Europe as well as Asia so it is great to tour Istanbul. People get to know two different types of cultures and they see a blend of European and Asian style. The side which is closer to the Europe presents the European style and way of living while the other one is a piece of Asian class. When the Ottoman Empire fell, the new republic government shifted the capital to Ankara. Even though the city lost the title of capital, the importance of this city remained same.

After the World War 2, the haphazard development came in and this, in a way, had bad impact on the city. The old city was mostly made up of wooden material but this development demolished most of these and made up the tall high concrete buildings. The population of this great city was increased beyond imagination when the immigrants rushed in the city. The walls of this city were unable to hold this much strength so it was extended beyond the walls. The city of Istanbul was flooded with workshops, offices, factories, mills etc. This contributed to some problems such as land and sea pollution, crowding and more.

The city was unable to hold all this until the management plan was introduced in 1980s. The reconstruction of the city was started on a huge scale and the problems were started to be solved. The riversides and beaches were cleared to avoid all river pollution problems. The city was reestablished with drainage systems, greenery and every single thing that aids the good infrastructure.

Till now, most of this city is rebuilt and the beauty of this city is enhanced even more. There are a lot of projects which are in the process of completion. If anyone travels to Istanbul, he or she will find an ideal city that is managed perfectly with all the necessities of life in it. There are natural beauty scenes, beaches, parks, relaxation sites and many more which a tourist want to experience. For tourists, the tour of Istanbul can be the best one in their lives.