Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey and in Europe. It is also the fourth largest in the world, and the 20th largest metropolitan area. Here life is buzzing in the markets and around historical...
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Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey and in Europe. It is also the fourth largest in the world, and the 20th largest metropolitan area. Here life is buzzing in the markets and around historical monuments. The city was founded by the Greeks around 600 B.C. and was then called Byzantion. When the Romans took over the city was renamed Constantinople. It was the capital of the Byzantine Empire until the Osmanic Empire made it its capital in 1453.
In 1923 Ankara became the capital of Turkey and Istanbul got its name officially in 1926.
If you want to combine street life with historical experiences this is where you should travel.
There is a number of gay clubs to choose from in Istanbul and a gay culture, similar to the one in the west, is growing. There is still a cultural tradition in Istanbul that when people have sex with or fall in love with a person of the same gender, many still don’t think of themselves as gay or bisexual.
Facts:
Inhabitants:12000000
Area:1828 square kilometres
Area code:212,216