If one had but a single glance to give the world, one should gaze on Istanbul

“If one had but a single glance to give the world, one should gaze on Istanbul”; These are the words expressed by Alphonse de Lamartine, a famous French poet and author who lived in Istanbul for a short period, in 1850s.

There is so much said about Istanbul and more will be said in the future, no doubt. But if there is a single sentence to describe this magnificent city, it is “Istanbul cannot be described but rather experienced” (The Turkish version goes; Istanbul anlatılmaz yaşanır).

Indeed, this mega town has seen, hosted, lived through so much that it is literally not possible to explain all that it is ready to offer in a single article. However, if we should provide a few details in regards, we could say the following:

Istanbul is located on two different continents – which is one of a kind of feature – namely the Asian and the European continents. Half of the city is built on the European part of the Bosphorus, the strait flowing through the city and the other half is built on the Asian part of the strait which the Turks call Anatolian side (Anadolu Yakası).

The city has been home to 3 major empires throughout history, namely the Roman Empire, the Byzantium Empire and the mighty Ottoman Empire.

Because Istanbul has been home to many states for many centuries and is located on very important commercial centers, it has a rich cultural background and plenty of historical artifacts. Many museums, palaces, fortifications and fortresses in the city contribute to Istanbul to attract more visitors. All year round many visitors from all parts of the world as well as other provinces of Turkey come to see this magnificent city, leaving significant amounts of revenue.

The city is built on seven hills, on an ancient peninsula. The beauty of the city has been the subject of poems, songs and novels for years.

The livelihoods of the city are industry, trade, transportation and tourism. Many universities in the city also make Istanbul a science and culture center.

The BOSPHORUS, MAIDEN’S TOWER, GALATA TOWER, TOPKAPI PALACE, BASILICA CISTERN are some of the must-visit attractions.