Top 13 Interesting Facts about Istanbul

The bustling Istanbul town is a much appealing culture that makes it one of the best cities to visit in Turkey. From blooming tulip buds to the rich culture and delightful mosques, Istanbul has so many beautiful destinations to take in your travel wish list. As we know how charming the city is? It is much better to know some amazing facts about Istanbul to know this place a little better. Istanbul has an amazing culture with a sprawling metropolis and multiple architectural heritage across the country. hammam, mosques, tulip gardens, and architecture are abundant in Istanbul. People came to Istanbul to visit these beauties and a complete tour to Istanbul to explore all the amazing locations will take more than a week. So never stay in a fallacy that Istanbul is a small country as you will get to know about it once you start exploring it closely.

Here are some quick facts about Istanbul that create a lively image of this Turkish town in your memory. Moreover, you can visit the place personally to know about the beauty of Istanbul one on one.

List of Interesting Facts about Istanbul

1. Istanbul is the only transcontinental city in Europe.

First, learn what’s the actual meaning of transcontinental? A City that sprawls within multiple continents. Yes, Istanbul is one of the five transcontinental cities that exist in the world and the only one in Europe. It is established in Europe and the Asian continent yet separated by the Black Sea and Sea of Marmara. 

Read more: Best Islands Near Istanbul

2. Istanbul has been known by multiple names in the past.

Istanbul in Turkey is the only country that has been known by multiple names in ancient times. These names are given in different languages due to their strong presence in history and for different portions of society. It. Byzantium was given by Greek colonists in 667 BC, Constantinople in 408–450 BC under the rule of Emperor Theodosius II Stamboul in the 10th century, and Tsarigrad by the people of the East and South Slavic region. 

3. Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey with a whopping population of 13 million.

Do you know what Istanbul is really popular about? If not, then you are going to be surprised by this amazing fact about Istanbul. It has the highest populated city in the country. As per a record, it had a population of 1.55 crores at the end of 2020 and this is absolutely a huge number. 

4. Sultanahmet or the Oldest City in Istanbul with a maximum number of historical sights.

Sultanahmet is a Bosphorus town in Istanbul sprawling across two continents. Taksim and Sultanahmet city is located on the European continent, whereas the other one named Kadikoy is located on the Asian continent. Also, you will be surprised to know that Sultanahmet is the oldest town in Istanbul with the maximum number of historic locations including monuments, mosques, and tombs.

Read more: Beautiful Places in Istanbul

5. Hagia Sophia is the largest church in the world for about 900 years.

We all must have heard about the beauty of Hagia Sophia sometime in our history books. But you might know that it has been the largest church in the world for about 900 years. After that, it has been converted into a mosque, and now it is no longer considered a church.

6. 99 % population in Istanbul is from the Muslim community.

Even though Istanbul is not an Arabic country nor is it located in North Africa or the Middle East it has excessive numbers of Muslims. Also, as per the data, 99 person population residing in Istanbul are from the Muslim community. This might be the reason why there are huge numbers of a mosque in Istanbul? Also, the famous and the largest church of the country has been converted into a mosque after serving the Christian community for over 900 years. 

7. Istanbul has more than three thousand mosques.

A mosque is a religious place for the Muslim community where they often visit to offer prayers to Allah. As we have already discussed that 99 percent population living in Istanbul are Muslim ad to serve them culturally, there are enough mosques n the city. Istanbul has approximately 3,113 mosques that include all the famous and historic Mosques such as Sultanahmet and Süleymaniye Mosque.

Read More: Things to Buy in Istanbul

8. Istanbul is the only city in Turkey with 1400 public toilets.

In 1453, during the Ottoman rule in Istanbul, the empire had worked hard for the goodwill and welfare of the society. Implies to which they have built a public toilet in corner of every street. Ottoman Empire has built over 1400 public toilets across the city to ensure cleanliness in the city, whereas the rest of Europe has not even one public toilet.

9. The third oldest subway station in the world is located in Istanbul.

Many of us know Istanbul for its unadulterated scenic beauty but hardly any of us know that it has the world’s third oldest and shortest subway station. This subway station was built in the Beyoglu district in the year 1875. Before this, there were 2 subway stations first of which was in London and the second is in New York built in the years 1863 and 1868 respectively. The subway in Istanbul is 573 meters long and has 2 stations in it.

10. There are approximately 237 hammams in Istanbul city.

Though there are large numbers of hammams in the city built in the 15th century among which only 60 are currently in use. These hammams were widely used by queens for taking baths, rejuvenating, and relaxing muscles in ancient times. Gedikpasa Hamam is the oldest hamam in the town built in 1475. This beautiful Hamam was built by architect Mimar Hayrettin with utmost precision to depict the preserved history of Turkish culture. It is one of the historic buildings in Turkey that looks beautiful to date.

Oldest Hammam: Gedikpasa Hamam 

Address: Mimar Hayrettin Mah, Emin Sinan Caddesi No:61, Fatih/İstanbul, Turkey

Read more: Beaches in Istanbul

11. Galleria Ataköy opened in 1987 was the first modern shopping mall in Turkey.

Turkish people believe in following their culture hence they always follow older ways to fulfill their daily needs. But in 1987, the Galleria Ataköy mall in Turkey brought a revolution in the shopping experience of people. This was the first modern shopping mall in Turkey with 2 floors and 134 stores selling a wide range of goods and services. 

Address: Ataköy 1., Kennedy Cd., 34158 Bakırköy/İstanbul, Turkey

12. Istanbul was the European Cultural Capital City in 2010 but has never hosted the Olympics.

It is really disappointing for the people of Istanbul that despite being the cultural capital of Europe, the Olympic games weren’t held in Istanbul in 2010. 

13. The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is the oldest and biggest covered market in the entire world.

It’s great news for shopping enthusiasm that in Istanbul there is a market just for them with a variety of shops. Yes, the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is the world’s oldest and biggest covered bazaar covering over 30,700 square meters of Area. This bazaar was started in 1455, more than 5 centuries ago. The actual charm of this bazaar is the huge number of multi-utility shops along the streets. In total, 61 streets come under this market, including 4000 shops, All of which are formerly covered with vaults but have now been reconstructed building using brickwork and tiles. From a wide range of jewelry shops to appeals stores and departmental stores to grocery shops, everything is available in this market. So make sure to visit this market in Istanbul for an audacious experience.

Location: Grand Bazaar

Address: Beyazıt, Kalpakçılar Cd. No:22, 34126 Fatih/İstanbul, Turkey

Timings: Mon-Sun: 10 am – 6 pm

Although we have provided many of the best facts about Istanbul that people hardly know. This information will help you to explore the city at its best. Also, as you are aware of most of the Istanbul famous places, you can now visit there personally on your visit to Istanbul. These places show the rich heritage and culture of the Turkish people. 

There are many more interesting facts about Istanbul that are still concealed in history. To know about them you have to visit Istanbul in person.

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