istanbul - C2C

istanbul
hills; the original settlement area of İstanbul was
surrounded on three sides by the Sea of Marmara
and the Golden Horn, while Rome was surrounded
by the River Tiber; the layout of both cities looks
like a scalene triangle. Perhaps those features were
influential in choosing the location of ‘New Rome’.
However, physical similarities were not deemed
enough, and so every resource of the empire was
drawn up to enhance the magnificence of the new
city.
Byzantium was in fact a continuation of Rome, and
the Byzantines called themselves ‘Romans’ even
until the day their empire came to an end. Yet there
was a significant difference between the Byzantines
and their ancestors: Christianity. In Byzantium,
Roman temples were replaced with churches.
Displaying unique examples of Byzantine painting
and architecture, these buildings were scattered
across the historical peninsula as well as in other
parts of İstanbul. Some of the most important
Byzantine masterpieces in İstanbul are public
buildings such as the hippodrome, water cisterns,
palaces, thoroughfares and public squares and the
city walls.
The identity of İstanbul that began to be formed
by the Byzantines was further shaped during the
period of Ottoman Empire.
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