Istanbul (Turkish : İstanbul ; someone calls in Istanbul) is Turkey's largest city at the heart of the economy , culture , and history of this country . With a population of 13.9 million , the city forms one of the largest urban agglomeration in Europe and is one of the largest cities in the world by population within city limits . Istanbul which has an area of 5,343 square kilometers ( 2,063 sq mi) is bordered by the province of Istanbul and became the capital of the administrative . Istanbul is a city that stretches across the continent across the Bosphorus Strait - one of the busiest waters in the world - in northwestern Turkey , between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea . Trade centers located in Europe and its history , while one-third of the population live in Asia .
Established in Promontori Sarayburnu circa 660 BC under the name of Byzantium , the city now called Istanbul has grown to be one of the most important cities in the history . During the sixteenth century, after the re-established under the name of Constantinople in 330 AD , the city became the capital of four empires , the Roman Empire ( 330-395 ) , the Eastern Roman Empire ( 395-1204 and 1261-1453 ) , the Latin Empire ( 1204 -1261 ) , and the ottoman Empire ( 1453-1922 ) . The city plays an important role in the progress of the spread of Christianity during periods of Roman and Byzantine before the Ottomans conquered it in 1453 and turned it into a defense of Islam at the same time last capital of the caliphate . Although the Republic of Turkey establishes its capital in Ankara , imperial palaces and mosques are still lined up in the hills of Istanbul as a symbol of the city's history .
Strategic position on the Silk Road Istanbul , the rail network to Europe and the Middle East , and the only water route between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean have helped advance the population , although not much since the establishment of the Turkish Republic in 1923 . Having ignored during the inter-war period , the city managed to grab the attention of the world . The city's population increased tenfold since the 1960s after the migrants from all over Anatolia came to the metropolis and the city boundary was expanded to contain them . Some arts festival held in the late 20th century , while successfully creating the infrastructure improvements complex transportation network .
Seven million foreign tourists visited Istanbul in 2010 after crowned as the Cultural Capital of Europe, so the city became the most popular tourist destination in the world to - 10 . The main attraction of this city is the center of history which half are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site , but the cultural and entertainment hubs located along the town 's natural harbor , the Golden Horn , in the Beyoğlu district . Recognized as a global city , Istanbul became home to the corporate headquarters and a number of Turkish news agencies and accounts for more than a quarter of the country's gross domestic product . For the sake of utilizing the revitalization and rapid expansion , Istanbul running for Olympic host cities summer 2020.
Title : History of Istambul - Turki
Description : Istanbul (Turkish : İstanbul ; someone calls in Istanbul) is Turkey's largest city at the heart of the economy , cu...