Constantinople

Constantinople was the capital city of the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the brief Latin Empire, and the later Ottoman Empire. Today, it is known as Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey.

History

Constantinople was founded by the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great in 324 AD. He wanted to establish a new capital for the Roman Empire in the east, and chose the site of ancient Byzantium for its strategic location on the Bosporus Strait. The city was named after him and became the new capital of the Roman Empire in 330 AD.

The city was the center of the Byzantine Empire, which was the eastern continuation of the Roman Empire after the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD. The Byzantine Empire lasted until 1453, when Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Turks under Sultan Mehmed II.

Under the Ottomans, Constantinople became the capital of the Ottoman Empire and was renamed Istanbul in 1930. Today, it is a vibrant city that blends elements of its Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman past.

Architecture

Constantinople was known for its impressive architecture. The most famous building is the Hagia Sophia, a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, and now a museum. Other notable buildings include the Hippodrome of Constantinople, the Chora Church, and the Walls of Constantinople.

Culture

Constantinople was a major cultural center. It was the home of the Byzantine art and Byzantine music, and was known for its scholarly institutions, such as the Library of Constantinople.

See also

• History of Istanbul
• Fall of Constantinople
• Byzantine Empire
• Ottoman Empire

External links

• Encyclopædia Britannica: Constantinople

Constantinople Resources
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