Istanbul – Not Constantinople
Istanbul – NOT Constantinople. This is without a doubt, one of the greatest and most historical cities in the world. There have been many influences to the city of Istanbul, which lasted under the Byzantine Empire for around 1000 years (under Constantine the Great). After this (around the 15th century), for the next 500 or so years it was held by the Ottoman Sultans. The Ottomans called the city Istanbul, but it was not until 1930 that the name was officially changed to Istanbul. Surprisingly this is no longer the capital of Turkey (you have to head over to Ankara), but is best known as being the bridge between east and west (literally between Europe and Asia) and the cultural hub for the country. It is very European in atmosphere and culture, but you can quickly be reminded that this is unlike any Western European city today.
