Istanbul is an expansive city, known for its natural and architectural beauty and its many religious and historical sites. The city proper covers an area of 1991 sq km (769 sq mi), while the metropolitan area occupies 5712 sq km (2204 sq mi). Important suburbs of Istanbul include Bakirköy, Zeytinburnu, and Kâgithane in the European section, and Beykoz in the Asian section. The European section of Istanbul is about twice the size of the Asian section and contains three-quarters of the city's population. European Istanbul is separated into old and modern sections by the Golden Horn, a narrow channel of the Bosporous. The old section, known as Stambul, lies south of the Golden Horn, while the modern section, comprising the districts of Galata and Beyoglu (formerly Pera), is located to the north.
Stambul—the area within the walls (now largely in ruins) built by Roman emperor Theodosius II in the first half of the 5th century—contains most of the city's historical and architectural monuments. Stambul is dominated by the great palace complex of Topkapi Sarayi, begun by Sultan Muhammad II in 1459 and added to by later Ottoman sultans. The palace is now Turkey's most popular tourist attraction. Near Topkapi is Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya in Turkish), built in the 6th century as an Orthodox Christian church and later converted into a mosque. Farther west is Suleimaniye Mosque (built between 1550 and 1557), designed by the well-known Ottoman architect Sinan for Sultan Suleiman I. The Suleimaniye Mosque is widely considered Istanbul's finest Ottoman monument.
Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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