Reading levelSprouts (4–6)Explorers (7–9)Scholars (13+)Read it in the Kids' Wing

Istanbul is a beautiful city bridging two continents across the Bosphorus, famous for its grand domed mosques and soaring minarets.

Istanbul, historically known as Constantinople, is a city spanning Asia and Europe across the Bosphorus. Opened by Sultan Mehmed II in 857 AH, it served as the capital of the Ottoman Empire. Graced by timeless monuments like the Blue Mosque, the Suleymaniye, and Topkapi Palace, it flourished as a center of commerce, culture, and calligraphy.

Storytellers (10–12) read the Explorers text, then cross to the Scholars text.

The storied imperial capital straddling Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus Strait between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara. Serving as the Byzantine capital Constantinople for over a millennium, it was conquered in 857 AH (1453 CE) by Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, becoming the administrative seat and caliphal capital of the Ottoman Empire until 1922 CE. It achieved exceptional architectural brilliance during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent through master architect Mimar Sinan, featuring iconic landmarks like the Suleymaniye Mosque, Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque, and rich waqf manuscript libraries bridging East and West.

Summary

A city that was known as Constantinople. Mehmed the Conqueror took it in 1453 CE, and it was the capital of the Ottoman state.

Location

Its approximate coordinates are 41.0138 north and 28.9497 east. ¹

In the museum

The museum's material on this place includes buildings: 3.

Buildings here

Eyup Sultan Mosque (1458 CE)
Hagia Sophia (532 CE)
The New Mosque (1597 CE)

What this page covers

This page gathers what the museum links to the place: events, people and buildings. It is not a full historical description of the place. The description and history of the place, from the original sources, will be added in the next batches.

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Mustafa Reşid Pasha

Mustafa Reşid Pasha (born in Istanbul on 13 March 1800 – died there on 7 January 1858) was an Ottoman statesman and diplomat, six times Grand Vizier under Abdülmecid I, the chief architect of the Tanzimat reforms and the leading hand behind the Edict of Gülhane of 1839, which proclaimed security of life, property and honour and equality before the law; he raised the generation of reformers that included Âli Pasha and Fuad Pasha.

Istanbul

At a glance

On screen

Summary

Location

In the museum

Buildings here

What this page covers

Connections

People and things also explored

Sources

Place

Mustafa Reşid Pasha