Istanbul

Istanbul: Two Continents, One Bridge

Istanbul is the only major city in the world that spans two continents: the Bosphorus strait separates its European side from its Asian side, connected by bridges and a constant flow of ferries. Capital of three successive empires under the names Byzantium, Constantinople, and finally Istanbul, today it combines centuries-old Ottoman mosques, covered markets, and a nightlife that never stops.

💡 Fun Facts & History

• 💡Istanbul is the only major city in the world that spans two continents: the Bosphorus separates its European side from its Asian side.
• 💡The city was capital to three successive empires — the Eastern Roman (Byzantine), the Latin, and the Ottoman — under the names Byzantium, Constantinople, and finally Istanbul.
• 💡Hagia Sophia was built as a Byzantine cathedral in the 6th century, became a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of 1453, then a museum in the 20th century, and today functions as a mosque once again.
• 💡The Grand Bazaar of Istanbul, with thousands of shops under one vaulted roof since the 15th century, is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world.
• 💡Although Istanbul is Turkey's most populous city and its economic and cultural hub, the country's capital is Ankara, not Istanbul.
• 💡Crossing the Bosphorus by ferry — from Europe to Asia or back — is one of the cheapest and most spectacular urban commutes in the world, with views of palaces, mosques, and the skyline of both continents.