Although Ankara is the capital of modern day Turkey, Istanbul has been the capital of two great empires. Istanbul today is busy city with a population of 10 million inhabitants. One interesting piece of information about Istanbul is that it lies on the border between Asia and Europe so that one part of Istanbul is in Europe while the other part of Istanbul is Asian. These two parts of Istanbul are divided by a stretch of water called the Bosphorus near the sea of Marmara. There are currently three bridges that connect Asian Istanbul to European Istanbul.
Istanbul is still seen by many as the cultural heart of Turkey even if its not the capital; it is where the majority of business takes place with the largest sea port in Turkey being in Istanbul. A visitor to Istanbul can get a great view of both sides of the city from the bridges. It has a fascinating and rich history so if you are interested in visiting and learning new information about Istanbul you should plan to stay there for a few days at least.
