Istanbul
The largest city in Turkey and a city on two continents
Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey and Europe, located on both banks of the Bosphorus Strait, which connects the Black and Marmara Seas. It is the only city in the world located on two continents simultaneously, Europe and Asia, and as of 2023, its population is approximately 15.7 million people, with an area of 5461 km².
Founded as Byzantium in 667 BC, the city changed its name to Constantinople in 330 AD and became the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. Throughout its history, Istanbul has been the capital of three great empires – the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman – receiving its modern name in 1930.
1930
The city officially received its modern name, Istanbul
1973
The Bosphorus Bridge, connecting Asia and Europe over water for the first time, was opened
1988
The Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge (Second Bosphorus Bridge) was opened
2004
Istanbul hosted the Eurovision Song Contest
2005
The city hosted the UEFA Champions League final
2010
The city was designated a European Capital of Culture
2013
The Marmaray underwater railway tunnel was opened
2016
The Eurasia underwater road tunnel was opened
2018
The New Istanbul Airport, which became one of the largest in the world, was opened
2023
The city hosted the UEFA Champions League final for the second time
