Istanbul
Istanbul is very important place in the world.T he city is spread over an area of 7.500 km2 150 km long and 50 km wide. Istanbul became the biggest and the most crowded city of Europe. Because, its location between Asia and Europe, the city always had a great geopolitical importance the city population is estimate 15 to18 millions.
Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. Its commercial and historical centre lies in the European part of Eurasia, while about a third of its population lives in the Asian part. With a population of 15 million, the city forms the largest urban agglomeration in Europe as well as the largest in the Middle East, and the sixth-largest city proper in the world. Istanbul is atranscontinental city, straddling the Bosphorus strait in northwestern Turkey between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea.
There are many historical sites belong to the Roman Empire , the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire. Istanbul's strategic position along the historic Silk Road, rail networks to Europe and the Middle East, and the only sea route between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean have helped foster an eclectic populace, although less so since the establishment of the Republic in 1923.
Approximately 12 million foreign visitors arrived in Istanbul in 2012, two years after it was named a European Capital of Culture, making the city the world's fifth-most-popular tourist destination. The city's biggest draw remains its historic center, partially listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its cultural and entertainment hub can be found across the city's natural harbor, the Golden Horn, in the Beyoglu district.
Istanbul has numerous shopping centers, from the historic to the modern. The Grand Bazaar, in operation since 1461, is among the world's oldest and largest covered markets. Mahmutpasha Bazaar is an open-air market extending between the Grand Bazaar and the Egyptian Bazaar, which has been Istanbul's major spice market since 1660. Galleria Atakoy ushered in the age of modern shopping malls in Turkey when it opened in 1987. Since then, malls have become major shopping centers outside the historic peninsula. Akmerkez was awarded the titles of "Europe's best" and "World's best" shopping mall by the International Council of Shopping Centers in 1995 and 1996; Istanbul Cevahir has been one of the continent's largest since opening in 2005; while Kanyon won the Cityscape Architectural Review Award in the Commercial Built category in 2006. Istinye Park in İstinye and Zorlu Center near Leventare among the newest malls which include the stores of the world's top fashion brands. Abdi Ipekci Street in Nisantası and Bagdat Avenueon the Anatolian side of the city have evolved into high-end shopping districts.
Aside from typical Turkish cuisine like kebab, Istanbul is also famous for its historic seafoodrestaurants. Many of the city's most popular and upscale seafood restaurants line the shores of the Bosphorus (particularly in neighborhoods like Ortakoy, Bebek, Arnavutkoy, Yenikoy, Beylerbeyi and Cengelkoy), while the Kumkapı neighborhood along the Sea of Marmara has a pedestrian zone that hosts around fifty fish restaurants. The Princes' Islands, 15 kilometers (9 mi) from the city center, are also popular for their seafood restaurants. Because of their restaurants, historic summer mansions, and tranquil, car-free streets, the Princes' Islands are a popular vacation destination among Istanbulites and foreign tourists.
Restaurants featuring foreign cuisines are mainly concentrated in the Beyoglu, Sisli and Kadıkoy districts. Residing along Istiklal Avenue is the cicek Pasajı, now home to winehouses (known as meyhanes), pubs, and restaurants. While the focus of Istiklal Avenue, originally famous for its taverns, has shifted toward shopping, the nearby Nevizade Street is still lined with winehouses and pubs. Some other neighborhoods around Istiklal Avenue have recently been revamped to cater to Beyoglu's nightlife, with formerly commercial streets now lined with pubs, cafés, and restaurants playing live music. Other focal points for Istanbul's nightlife include Nisantası.
