This morning, I stood on the subway bridge stretching over the Golden Horn to watch the sunrise, when the city of Istanbul unfolded in a serene yet mesmerizing canvas. The soft light of the rising sun pierced through the morning…
In 2021, the Republic of Turkey officially began encouraging the use of Türkiye in international contexts, a move solidified by recognition from the United Nations in 2022. While this change might seem sudden to the outside world, the name Türkiye…
The reason why the bird turkey and the country Turkey (currently Türkiye) share the same name is rooted in historical confusion and trade routes. The story is an interesting mix of misidentification, global trade, and colonial exploration.
Hagia Sophia was completed in 537 AD, and it must have been a magnificent sight for the people of that era. Let’s try to imagine what a passenger aboard a ship approaching Constantinople might have experienced when seeing the Hagia…
In the mid-19th century, the Ottoman Empire was undergoing a period of transformative change known as the Tanzimat, or “Reorganization” era, which introduced sweeping efforts toward modernization and Westernization. Sultan Abdülmecid I, who reigned from 1839 to 1861, was a…
Thousands of websites, blogs, and social media posts cite the quote, “If the Earth were a single state, Istanbul would be its capital,” attributing it to Napoleon Bonaparte. Despite its widespread popularity, no historical evidence exists that Napoleon ever said…
On a September morning, just before sunrise, I decided to take my bike out for an early ride along the Bosphorus. There’s something magical about the city at that hour – the calm before the day fully awakens, with only…
Why do people want to leave Istanbul and live in Izmir? In a previous article, I explained why, despite their desire, people find it hard to leave Istanbul, and even if they move to another city, they often return after…
Istanbul, Turkey’s largest and most populous city, spans both Europe and Asia. Istanbul’s urban area covers approximately 2,576.85 km² (994.93 square miles), placing it among the world’s largest cities in terms of surface area. This expansive urban landscape is home…
In 330 AD, Roman emperor Constantine the Great made a monumental decision that would shape the course of history: he chose the ancient city of Byzantium as the new capital of the Roman Empire, later renaming it Constantinople. This choice…
You’ve come to Istanbul for a meeting, work appointment, or vacation, and you only have one free day. Where should you go, and what can you see in just one day in Istanbul? Last September, I hosted a guest from…
There’s something I’ve observed in people living in Istanbul (and many others have observed it too): once someone settles in this city, they either can’t leave or find it very difficult to leave and even if they do, after some…