Learn about the city of Istanbul!

Istanbul is a Turkish city that was established by the Greeks in 660 BC.

The importance of the location of the city of Istanbul lies in the fact that it is the only city in the world that lies within the continents of Asia and Europe, which gave it an important strategic location that made it the capital of a number of countries and empires throughout a long history.

It was the capital of the Roman Empire, and then the capital of the Byzantine Empire 

Then it turned into the capital of the Islamic Caliphate during the era of the Ottoman Empire after Sultan 2nd Mehmed, at the age of 14, conquered Constantinople (as it was called at that time) in the fifteenth century AD. Hence, he was named Sultan Muhammad Al-Fateh, due to his many conquests.

 It remained the capital of the Islamic Caliphate until the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire in 1924 AD.

The ancient history of the city made it one of the most ancient historical cities rich in monuments such as:

* Sultan Ahmed Mosque or the Blue Mosque:

One of the most beautiful and important architectural masterpieces in the Islamic world, built during the reign of Sultan Ahmed I in the early seventeenth century.

The name of the mosque comes in relation to the blue ceramics that decorate it from the inside and outside, which give the mosque this distinctive appearance and the wonderful blue color.

* Hagia Sophia Mosque:

It was established in the Byzantine era to be a cathedral for the Orthodox Christian Patriarchate as one of the greatest achievements of the Byzantine Empire, then it turned into a Roman Catholic cathedral, and after the conquest of Constantinople it turned into an Ottoman mosque, and after the establishment of the Turkish Republic it turned into a museum, and finally it was announced that it would return to a mosque in 2020.

Topkapi Palace:

It is the largest palace in the city of Istanbul and the center of residence of the sultans of the Ottoman Empire. It contains some sacred Islamic relics such as the cloak of the Messenger of God Muhammad and his sword.

It was built in the fourteenth century by order of Sultan Mehmed II, the conqueror of Constantinople, where it was called (Yeni Saray), meaning the new palace, and in the nineteenth century, it was called by its new name (Top Kapi), meaning the High Gate.

After the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, this palace was converted into a museum in 1923.

Dolmabahce Palace:

This palace was built in the middle of the eighteenth century, when Sultan Abd al-Majid ordered the construction of a palace according to the luxurious contemporary style, to match this palace with what was characterized by the palaces and castles of kings in Europe, and the European Gulf of the Bosphorus Strait was chosen as a site for building the palace to connect the European and Asian continents.

Nature and climate:

The city of Istanbul is bordered to the north by the Black Sea and to the south by the Sea of Marmara, and the Bosporus Strait connects them, which divides the city into two parts, the European and the Asian, which makes the city form two opposite peninsulas.

The climate of Istanbul is characterized by a moderate climate that varies between the oceanic climate and the Mediterranean climate, and this diversity in the climate was reflected in the plant diversity, as the forests of Istanbul contain approximately 2,500 local species of trees and plants, in addition to that the city is famous for holding its tulip festival through various activities and events Such as drawing the largest carpet of tulips in the Sultan Ahmet area, and this festival is celebrated every year in many public parks in the city.

If we talk about Turkey’s economy, Turkey is one of the emerging economic countries in the world, as it has a diversified and strong economy that depends on various industries, services and agriculture. Today, Turkey is considered one of the largest tourism exporting countries in the world, and tourism is considered one of the most important sources of national income in Turkey, as Turkey attracts millions of tourists annually from all over the world.

Since 2002, Turkey has been witnessing a major economic transformation, as free and open economic policies have been applied and structural reforms have been carried out in the national economy, and this has led to rapid and continuous economic growth. Today, Turkey is one of the fastest growing countries in the Middle East and North Africa region.

The manufacturing industries are considered one of the most important economic sectors in Turkey, as Turkey has many large and advanced factories in various industries such as cars, electronics, foodstuffs, clothing and medicines. Exports from these industries are considered one of the most important sources of national income in Türkiye.

Agriculture is also an important sector in the Turkish economy, as Turkey owns large areas of agricultural land and produces many different crops such as grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat and fish. Agriculture is one of the important sectors in providing job opportunities and improving the livelihood of farmers.

As for the real estate investment sector, it is also one of the most important sources of national income, in addition to the tourism sector.

New cities were established as part of the state’s plan for urban expansion projects. consequently, the demand for real estate purchases in these cities increased, In addition to the reconstruction of old areas and providing them with all services such as transportation, health centers, hospitals, schools, universities, etc.,

More importantly, the state has completed many huge infrastructure projects such as bridges, tunnels, highways, metro stations and airports, which in turn have contributed greatly to the development of major cities, especially the city of Istanbul.

All these factors led to the desire of construction companies, whether governmental or private, to establish new housing complexes, thus providing good investment opportunities for citizens and foreign investors alike.