Istanbul [antikvár]

INTRODUCTION Each historie city is important and attractive in its own way. The beauty and aura of a historie town envelopes the visitor and takes him back into histoiy, making it possible to feel the presence of the past at a very close distance. The works of old masters transcend time and reach our day, arousing interest and feelings of admiration. With their natural, archaeological, urban environments and assets, the popular and frequently visited places of the world: Athens, Cairo, Rome, Jerusalem, Semerkand, Kyoto are all regarded as very important; their treasured monuments and artistic, archaeological assets are sources of inspiration for the young and the old. With its history going back to prehistorie times, Istanbul has an important place among the ancient cities of the world. Its position on the strait between Asia and Europe affords deep vistas into the Marmara Sea and the Bosphorus. Its unmatched location and silhouette makes it unique. Being located at the junction of roads from Russia to the Mediterranean and from Far East to Europe, it has attracted many people from different countries; their presence has made Istanbul a melting pot of cultures. Being the capital of empires ruling around the Mediterranean has given Istanbul the chance to foster science and arts, along with vigor in building activity. The strife for excellence in the field of architecture was not reserved to limited periods of time; with the support of political and financial means, Istanbul has been a place where top quality designs were produced without interruption over a period of more than thousand years. As a result, the city became an open air museum where monuments like the Hagia Sophia which is a landmark in architectural history of the world and impressive Ottoman complexes from the fifteenth to the ninetenth century dominate the skyline. Myths, songs and poems written about its beauty, the elegance of Istanbuliots, rich literary collections about the life in the city, the shadow theater figures symbolizing the comic element in the history of the city, the gourmet kitchen with hot and cold dishes and sweets stemming from the recipes of the Topkapi Palace and handed over to the life of the commons, make up the intangible heritage of Istanbul Zeynep AHUNBAY