The Historic Peninsula In Istanbul

The Historic Peninsula
AT THE CENTER OF THE WORLD
Because this area, known as the historic peninsula, stands as the cultural and historical center of istanbul it is the obvious piace to begin a tour of İstanbul. Old İstanbul, which isfull of palaces, temples, and cisterns, is characterized by its natural beauty as well as many amazing historical monuments.

İstanbul grew quickly during the last quarter of the 20th century. The borders of the city have expanded geographically, socially, and culturally. Many centuries ago, the city that consisted of the land within the imperial city walls on a small peninsula, now extends dozens of kilometers in all directions. Yet, the historic peninsula remains the center of İstanbul's cultural history,the point that connects the city's own past spanning thousands of years. Literally, the city of İstanbul emerged, developed, and flourished as a world city on this peninsula. in other words, this peninsula stands as "the homeland of İstanbul."

Discovering the city of İstanbul is not limited to witnessing its history however. The historic peninsula is the richest area of the city in terms of its natural and scenic beauties. Moreover, it is an inescapable fact that for centuries people have been drawn to this magnificent area to establish and rule some of the most powerful empires the world has ever seen.

Therefore, a tour aiming to discover İstanbul in all its glory should begin in the historic peninsula, an area it is possible to tour in just two days.

Some of the greatest and most well-known sites are the Hagia Sophia, a masterpiece of archiectural history and bııilding construction; the Süleymaniye and Şehzade mosques, which represent the peak of 16th century aesthetics; the Sultanahmet Mosque-known as the Blue Mosque-which is one of the most beautiful buildings in the world; and many Byzantine cisterns and aqueducts, as well as Ottoman fountains, ali of them in close proximity on the peninsula.

The historic peninsula, being the oldest area of the city, is located entirely within the city walls that encircle the land and sea shores from the west side of the peninsula at the Bosphorus entrance to İstanbul on the Marmara Sea.

Therefore, this area is called "Suriçi," which means "within the city walls." The historic peninsula became the ruling center of the Eastern Roman Empire, i.e. the Byzantine Empire, when it was realized that it was nearly impossible to effectively rule the expansive lands of the Roman Empire. The peninsula was to remain at the heart of this magnificent eastern empire, the Byzantine Empire, in following centuries even after the original Roman Empire had collapsed.

The historic peninsula is surrounded by the Golden Horn to the north, the Marmara Sea to the south, the Bosphorus to the east, and the district of Fatih to the west. in this historical area of İstanbul there are several important districts and neighborhoods in terms of both history and culture, including: Eminönü, Sultanahmet, Beyazıt, Laleli, Aksaray, Süleymaniye, Fener, Balat, and Haliç (Golden Horn).

Following the great separation of religious sects between western and eastern councils, the historic peninsula became the global and divine center of eastern Christianity, the Orthodox. The Hagia Sophia, which is undeniably one of the greatest assets of the peninsula, served as the center of the Byzantine Church and Eastern Roman religions previously. After the conquest of İstanbul (Constantinople) by the Ottomans, it became one of the most important centers of islam.