"Istanbul, the city of the 3 names " a Istanbul Travel Page by SirRichard

In Istanbul I started to know what Orient was. I've been several times in this marvellous city. First time I was 19, and this was the first time I went "out" of Europe. I still can remember the first time I saw the other shore of the Bosforus, thinking: "Here starts Asia, out there is Beijing, India, the Silk Road..." The more I come here, the more the city captivates me, and I'll keep coming, I promise!
I have uploaded some pages of my last diary in a Travelogue in case you wanna have a look...

Istanbul is a strange mix between an asian past and a definetly european future. You can find both sides in this wonderful unique city.
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ISTANBUL'S TOP TEN HIGHLIGHTS
- Hagia Sophia : The main mosque of Istambul was built as a
church and now is a museum
- The Bosphorus : Take a boat to sail on this strait between 2 continents.
- Grand Bazaar : Loose yourself in this labyrinth and bargain all morning for a kilim
- Topkapi : This sultan's palace deserves a whole day. Don't miss the Harem.
- Kumkapi : A very popular street for fish restaurants, where waiters invite you to sit at their restaurants.
- Pierre Loti Cafe : Go to the bottom of the golden horn and look at Istambul while you enjoy an apple tea
- Blue Mosque : Smaller than Hagia Sophia, with an incredible decoration inside.
- Cagaloglu Hammam : A turkish bath is a great experience, and these are one of the oldest places in Istambul to enjoy it.
- The Hippodrome : The former hippodrome of Justinian is now a big square where only a few remains are kept (obelisc...).
- Galata Tower : Go up this old tower in Galata to have a wonderful view of the older side of Istambul.

For more than 6 centuries, Turkey has been a huge empire in eastern Mediterranean and part of Asia. Founded in the 13th century by Turkish tribes in Anatolia it was ruled by the descendants of Osman It ended after the WWI, in 1918.

Modern Turkey was only part of the empire, but it was commonly refered to as Turkey and Ottoman Empire interchangeably.

In 1918, Turkish armies collapsed and an armistice (Treaty of Sèvres)confirmed the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire.