Oriental Discoveries – Istanbul in 2015 Pt. II

Situated both on the European and Asian continents, Istanbul is the entry gate to the Orient, yet at the same time, it is also the last major European city in the southeast. Istanbul, or Constantinople, as it was called before the Ottoman conquest, has always been a metropole. Today, roughly 15 Million people call it their home. The vast sea of houses is divided by the Bosporus, a waterway connecting the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. It is one of the busiest waterways in the world. Not far away – on the European site – grand mosques arise, built over the centuries by Ottoman rulers to show their power.  They are majestic indeed, richly decorated with Islamic ornaments and beautiful interiors. Between the mosques, you will find the Grand Bazar, a covered bazaar consisting of 61 streets and many thousand shops. In Istanbul, everything seems grander than usual.