The Turkish city of Istanbul lies on both sides of the Bosporus strait, it separates Europe from Asia. So Istanbul is the only major city in the world whose urban area extends over two continents. Istanbul with nearly 14 million people, is the largest city in Turkey, but also their economic and cultural center.
Since Istanbul was founded more than 3000 years, it is also considered one of the oldest cities in the world. Sun Istanbul was founded around 650 BC as a Greek colony on the European side of Bosphorus. The town founder named their first colony Byzantium. Under the later Roman Empire the city was renamed Constantinople, she grew up among them and was quickly expanded magnificently. To the ancient roots of the city remember the remains of the Hippodrome, the ancient hippodrome of Constantinople, which can be seen in today’s Sultanahmet Square.
It has also been built under the Roman Emperor Justinian, the Hagia Sophia with one of the landmarks of the city. The imposing dome of the Hagia Sophia, which is surrounded by four towers, was crowned emperor of the Byzantine Empire, the Church and for a long time the center of the Orthodox Church. After the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottomans, the Hagia Sophia was used as a mosque. Today, the impressive building is a museum.
In the Middle Ages, Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire and the seat was the emperor of Byzantium, then the city was one of the most important cultural centers of Europe. After the conquest by the Ottomans and the slow decline of the Ottoman Empire, Constantinople fell into disrepair and was forgotten. Anyone interested in the history of Istanbul under the Ottoman rule, should the Museum of Topkapi Palace, former seat of power of the sultans of the Ottoman Empire not pass up. Consisting of several blocks of the palace now houses a museum with exhibits from the period of Ottoman rule.
In modern Turkey, Istanbul has regained its former importance. Although the city is not more capital, is growing steadily since the 1950s, however, and has become a popular destination for tourists. Istanbul is not only a city with a long history, but also a melting pot of religions and cultures. One comes across the city both on mosques and Christian churches and Jewish synagogues on. Although today the vast majority of the population are Muslims, there is still characterized by significant Christian and Jewish minorities, with the culture of the city.
Kemal Ataturk
Kemal Ataturk is when Mustafa Kemal was born in 1881 on the island Salonika. His birthday was officially established on 19.05.1881.
After attending the war academy in Istanbul Kemal Ataturk in 1905, is leaving the academy with the rank of captain.
Mustafa Kemal in 1906 founded the Young Turk secret society “Fatherland and Freedom”.
As the Young Turks Turkish nation-state no striving, he broke up in 1909 by the organization.
Just two years later fought Mustafa Kemal as a major in Tripoli in North Africa against the Italians.
After promotion to lieutenant colonel in 1914, Mustafa Kemal was used in 1915 as a division commander on the Gallipoli peninsula. There he was instrumental in that the landing of the British and French troops could be repelled.
Mustafa Kemal was promoted to General in 1916. It was followed by the transfer to the front in
Caucasus, where he remained until 1917. In the same year, 1917, he accompanied the
Crown Prince Vahdettin to German headquarters at Spa.
Only a year later Mustafa Kemal meets a very important decision. He decides “to give himself to the bosom of the people.” There he wants to work from now on. This meant that he decided to fight for a democratically governed nation.
Mustafa Kemal was in 1919, worked as an army inspector. So he sat down this year at the top of the national liberation struggle.
As president of the new National Assembly Mustafa Kemal was used in 1920. This did not like the Sultan in Istanbul government. He was sentenced to death in absentia.
The following year he was employed as a senior commander in the war against the Greeks.
Mustafa Kemal with the Allies took over in 1922 to cease negotiations. However, it was a special honor bestowed in 1923, when he was elected first President of the Republic. The “Republican People’s Party” was founded by him in the same year.
For his outstanding service honoring him in the National Assembly in 1934. Mustafa Kemal was given the surname “Ataturk”.
Only four years dies Kemal Ataturk in Istanbul. Until then, he had determined the political direction. And that direction, Kemalism is continued since.
