Part Ⅰ{{/B}}
1. Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey with 8. 8 million inhabitants (1996
estimate, within municipal borders), is situated on both sides of the Bosporus,
making it a city of two continents, Europe and Asia. It is the capital of
Istanbul province with 10 million inhabitants (2004 estimate ).
2. The name "Istanbul" comes from the Greek phrase "eis ten polin" used by
Constantinople's inhabitants, and which meant "in the city". The Arabs adopted
it and used it as a name for the city, Istinbolin. There are 3 major parts of
Istanbul. Larger Istanbul is 45 km wide and 35 long from south to north. The
city continues all along the strait of Bosporus, which connects-the Black Sea to
Sea of Marmara and the Mediterranean further south. 3. The
original Constantinople was surrounded by seven hills, just like Rome. 6 crests
lies along the Golden Horn, while the 7th lies alone about a km south. The hills
have plat summits, and steep slopes. 4. This, the original part
of the city, now Corresponds to Stamboul, which is the main focus of tourism,
with the many sights from the city's long history. Beyoglu is the modem part of
today's Istanbul, housing many theatres, government offices and businesses. The
waters from the Black Sea thrust south through the Bosporus. Underneath there is
strong undercurrent coming from the Mediterranean Sea. The currents change 7
times through the strait, often making it difficult to pass for smaller vessels.
Istanbul is connected to Europe and the rest of Turkey with highways and
railroads. {{B}}
B
Part Ⅱ{{/B}} 5. The bridges
crossing the Bosporus are among the longest highway suspension bridges in the
world. Istanbul's airport is called Yesilk International Airport, and located 27
west of the city. The largest and culturally and historically most important
part lies in Europe, while the richest part lies in Asia. 6.
About 35% of Turkey's manufacturing plants are located to the area around
Istanbul. The city is the chief seaport as well as the commercial and financial
centre of Turkey. A large scale of industries are found here: automobile and
truck assembly, shipbuilding and ship repairing; cement production, cigarettes;
food products, fruit, olive oil, silk; glass, cotton, leather, pottery and more.
Istanbul is also an important centre for banking and insurance. Another
important source of income for the city is tourism. 7.
Constantinople was for centuries one of the most important cities in the world.
With the decline of Rome, Constantinople took over as the leading city. It
allowed for a fusion of several cultures, in customs, art and architecture. The
coin of Constantinople, solidus, was the dominating monetary standard of its
time. {{B}}
C
Part Ⅲ{{/B}} 8. Istanbul has
a wide range of sights of great historical and cultural interest. There are many
churches preserved in the city, many have been converted into mosques.
9. The Hagia Sophia was originally a church, but was converted into a
mosque in 1453, and in 1932 into a museum. It is now known as Aya Sophia, and
lies near the Sea of Marmara in the Stamboul quarters. The church was erected in
the 6th century by the architects Arthemius of Tralles and Isidore of Miletus.
The dome, 33 metre wide, was among the most ambitious building projects of
pre-Medieval times. The dome was completed within a period of 5 years. It would
take 10 centuries before any architects dared to challenge its size, but then
without full success. 10. But it would take only 20 years after
its completion before serious weaknesses with the construction became evident.
An earthquake made central parts of the dome collapse, and a nephew of Isidore
of Miletus, called Isidorus the Younger, made changes. Among the changes were to
close several of the windows, resulting in the dim half-light that characterizes
the building even today. {{B}}
D
Part IV{{/B}} 11. While the
conversion of the church to a mosque in the 15th century was hard enough, it was
Crusaders in 1203, who made themselves guilty of the worst case of desecration
Hagia Sophia ever saw. They tore up the altar, all valuables were taken away and
a prostitute was placed on the patriarch's chair, while the hymns and
processions of the eastern church were ridiculed. 12. The
palace, situated on the tip of old Constantinople, was the political centre of
the Ottoman Empire for 4 centuries. Large parts of the palace were devoted to
offices and state institutions as well as a palace school. Only about half was
the residence of the sultan and his harem. The harem women counted as many as
809 during the reign of Sultan Abdaziz in the late 19th century.
13. The palace was built between 1459 and 1465, but was in the beginning
not the residence of the sultan. He stayed in his palace where the Istanbul
University now is located, together with his harem. Later on all this moved into
the Topkapi, but in the middle of the 19th century, a new palace was constructed
a few kilometres further up the Bosporus. ·there is a palace situated on the
tip of old Constantinople?
{{U}} {{U}} 1 {{/U}} {{/U}} ·Constantinople was
another important city in the world?
{{U}} {{U}} 2 {{/U}}
{{/U}} ·Istanbul is connected to Europe and the rest of Turkey with Highways
and railroads, including the bridges crossing the Bosporus?
{{U}} {{U}} 3
{{/U}} {{/U}}
{{U}}
{{U}} 4 {{/U}} {{/U}} ·Aya Sophia experienced an earthquake which
made central parts of the dome collapse?
{{U}} {{U}} 5 {{/U}} {{/U}} ·Stamboul is
the main focus of tourism with many sights from the city's long
history?
{{U}} {{U}} 6 {{/U}} {{/U}} ·Tourism generates an important
source of income?
{{U}} {{U}} 7 {{/U}}
{{/U}} ·Istanbul is a city of two continents?
{{U}} {{U}} 8 {{/U}} {{/U}} ·The Hagia
Sophia was converted into a mosque in 14537
{{U}} {{U}} 9 {{/U}}
{{/U}}
{{U}} {{U}} 10
{{/U}} {{/U}}