Istanbul is often described as ‘the crossroads of Europe and Asia’ – a heaving bazaar-city of camels, carpets and caravanserais. Such a geographical description is accurate in that this metropolis of 15 million occupies both sides of an east–west land bridge divided by the 32km (20-mile) Bosphorus Strait, which also connects the trade routes of the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and the Mediterranean. As a result, Istanbul has been a jealously guarded centre of world trade since the Byzantine era, when its silks, religious artefacts and luxury goods were the envy of all empires. Istanbul is protected by water on three sides, Istanbul was also the ideal military watch point, with the natural harbour of the Golden Horn nestled within the city, perfect for hiding an entire fleet of warships. Because of its advantages as fortress, port and commercial crossroads, it is not surprising that Istanbul’s imperial history stretches back for more than 1500 years.
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