The Port of Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey. The old city is located on the peninsula between Europe and Asia, covering both continents. It was the capital of the Byzantine Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Turkish Republic. Located on a peninsula at the entrance to the Black Sea, the Port of Istanbul is about 295 nautical miles southwest of the Port of Sevastopol in Ukraine and about 378 nautical miles northeast of Greece's Port of Piraeus. In 2005, over 9.7 million people lived in the Port of Istanbul.

In addition to housing Turkey's biggest and busiest ports, the Port of Istanbul is the country's industrial center and an important hub for tourism. The Port of Istanbul offers maritime transportation services in many forms ranging from dinghies and small ferries to large international liners.

Cotton, olive oil, fruit, and tobacco are produced in the Port of Istanbul's hinterland, and local manufacturers produce textiles, oils, electronics, metal ware, rubber, leather, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, automobiles and vehicles, glass, electronics, and alcohol. Forbes magazine reported in 2008 that the Port of Istanbul is home to 35 billionaires. The Port of Istanbul generates over half of Turkey's trade and almost half of its wholesale trade. The Port of Istanbul is also an important tourist destination. The tourist industry caters to vacationers and traveling professionals. In 2006, over 23 million tourists visited the country, most of who arrived through the Port of Istanbul.

For over 2500 years, the Port of Istanbul has been both a bridge and a barrier for cultures, religions, and imperial powers. Archeological evidence suggests that the first human habitation of the area was in the Copper Age. Artifacts dating from 5500 to 3500 BC have been found in the Fikirtepe mound on the Anatolian side of the Port of Istanbul.

A Phoenician port settlement was found in nearby Chalcedon, the first place Greek settlers colonized in 685 BC. Thracian tribes established an ancient port called Lygos between the 13th and 11th Centuries BC. Today's Topkapi Palace now stands on the site of Lygos, which was also the location of the Byzantine Acropolis. According to legend, Byzas was the leader of the Greeks who took the peninsula from the Thracian tribes and built the city of Byzantium in 657 BC.

Roman emperor Septimius Severus razed the future Port of Istanbul for opposing his forces in civil war, but he rebuilt it with the name August Antonina. Constantine the Great made the Port of Istanbul the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire in 330 AD, calling it New Rome and later Constantinopolis.

The Fourth Crusade in the early 13th Century was aimed at Jerusalem, but the Crusaders sacked Constantinople instead. The future Port of Istanbul then became the Catholic Church's eastern center, but it fell into an economic and cultural decline. In the 13th Century, Arabs used the name they heard Byzantines use for the city, calling it Istinpolin, and over the centuries, that name evolved to Istanbul.

In 1453, Sultan Mehmed II captured the Port of Istanbul following a 53-day siege, and he proclaimed it the capital of the Ottoman Empire. The Sultan created the Grand Bazaar and invited fleeing Catholics to return. He freed prisoners and ordered four thousand families from Rumelia and Anatolia to settle the Port of Istanbul. He intentionally imported different cultures to create a cosmopolitan society.

The Port of Istanbul was first used for sea-borne trade during the Ottoman period when small boats and barges carried passengers and cargo across the Marmara Sea and along the Golden Horn and Bosporus coasts. The Tersane-i Amire (Grand Shipyard) was established in the Port of Istanbul in 1455 for ship building. The vessels created there, as well as at other shipyards in the Ottoman Empire, formed the foundation for today's Turkey Maritime Enterprise.

The Sultan also constructed many architectural monuments (like the Topkapi Palace and Eyup Sultan Mosque), schools, public baths, and hospitals in the Port of Istanbul. From 1520 to 1566, Suleiman the Magnificent reigned the Ottoman Empire, inspiring an era of great architectural and artistic achievement. Many new mosques and buildings sprang up, and the arts of calligraphy and ceramics flourished.

During the Ottoman period in 1827, the Port of Istanbul's first steamship was purchased. In 1837, the first steam passenger vessel was built in the Tersane-I Amire. By 1843, the core of the Turkey Maritime Organization Inc. was established and started transporting passengers from the Port of Istanbul to Kadikoy and nearby Islands. Changing its name several times, by 1878, the organization was called Idare-i Mahsusa. It extended passenger transportation throughout the Bosporus region. The sea transport connected the Port of Istanbul with the Eastern Railroads.

In 1909, politics and economic pressures led to the operation of vessels by an English company. However, the company did not meet its obligations, and the Port of Istanbul operations were returned to the Idare-i Mahsusa in 1910, although it was under the name of the Ottoman Seyr-i Sefain Administration.

In 1923, the Republic of Turkey was established, its capital was moved to Ankara, and the Port of Istanbul took a back seat to the new capital. In 1925, Turkish law renamed the shipping operation to the Turkey Seyr-i Sefain Administration, and new vessels were added to the fleet.

In 1933, the Turkey Seyr-i Sefain Administration was divided into three enterprises by Turkish law. These included AKAY, responsible for Port of Istanbul and the surrounding domestic routes; Maritime lines (responsible for external lines serving the Sea of Marmara, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Black Sea); and the Factory and Pools Directorates.

AKAY extended its fleet by purchasing new vessels and expanding its routes to from the Port of Istanbul to Baghdad. The three enterprises were brought under the Ministry of Economy in 1937. In 1944, the State Maritime Lines and Enterprises General Directorate were established. In 1951, Denizcilik Bankasi TAO was established with responsibility for port affairs, coast security, transportation in the Turkish coasts and in foreign seas, banking activities, vessel rescue, and shipyard business.

In the 1950s, many city infrastructure improvements were made, even at the expense of historic buildings. The Port of Istanbul's population increased dramatically in the 1970s as people came in search of work in the many factories being constructed on the Port of Istanbul's outskirts. Population growth forced a housing boom, and outlying villages were swallowed by the greater metropolitan area.

In 1983, the Denizcilik Bankasi TAO was made the Turkey Maritime Organization General Directorate by government decree, then the name was changed again to Turkey Maritime Enterprises General Directorate in 1984. The Port of Istanbul shipyard business was separated from the port operation organization and affiliated with the Turkey Vessel Industry Inc. in 1985.

In 1994, the Turkish government decided to privatize Port of Istanbul and other port operations. The Turkey Maritime Enterprise became the TDI Turkish Maritime Organization Inc. under the Privatization Administration Presidency.

Today, the Port of Istanbul is the world's 4th largest city and the 20th largest urban area. It is Turkey's financial and cultural center, covering 27 districts in the Istanbul province. Located on the Bosporus Strait that links the Sea of Marmara with the Black Sea, its natural harbor is called the Golden Horn.

The only urban area with territory on two continents, the historic Port of Istanbul was added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1985 and was chosen as the European Capital of Culture for 2010. Interestingly, the official name of the city was Constantinople until 1930 when the Turkish Post Office made the change to Istanbul.

Istanbul's main port is the Port of Haydarpasa , a seaport handling general and roll-on/roll-off cargo and containers. Located at the southern entrance to the Bosphorus, the Turkish State Railways operates the Port of Istanbul. The port is protected by two breakwaters.

The Port of Istanbul is the region's largest container port, with annual cargo over six million metric tons. Containing two large piers with 21 berths, its berths specialize handling dry bulk and general cargo, general cargo, roll-on/roll-of cargo, and containerized cargo and servicing motor boats. Water depth at the quays ranges from 5 to 10 meters.

The Port of Istanbul's container terminals can handle 1200 vessels a year and 144 thousand TEUs of containerized cargo. The terminal offers storage space of 10 hectares or 6 thousand TEUs of containerized cargo. In addition to open storage of 31 hectares of open storage and 2 hectares of covered storage, additional area outside the Port of Istanbul covers 5.5 hectares with stacking capacity for 52.8 thousand TEUs.

The new roll-on/roll-off terminal at the Port of Istanbul can handle 360 vessels a year and 410 thousand tons of cargo. Daily services link the facility to Trieste, Italy, and Constanta, Romania. The Port of Istanbul can service 1134 general cargo vessels a year, and dry bulk berths can accommodate 79 vessels a year. The Port of Istanbul also contains a grain silo with capacity for 34 thousand tons. The rail ferry terminal operates between Sirkeci and Haydarpasa and can move 480 tons or 14 rail carriages between the two sides of the Bosphorus.

The City of Istanbul is Turkey's gateway to thousands of archeological sites, ancient cities, historic places, and natural scenic wonders. The Port of Istanbul is an exciting, colorful city with diverse social, cultural, and commercial characteristics. It contains not only traditional Turkish restaurants, but an increasingly diverse offering of international cuisines. Visitors can see pop concerts, opera, symphony, ballet, and theater year-round, and they'll find an exciting contemporary nightlife. The Port of Istanbul offers far too many attractions and activities for travelers than can be described in this article. Please visit the Port of Istanbul's tourism website for more information.

The Port of Istanbul enjoys a temperate climate, but it is located in a transition zone between the oceanic and dry subtropical climate zones. Summers are hot and humid, and winters are wet and cold with frequent snowfall. Humidity is high throughout the year at an average of 79%, exaggerating the actual temperature no matter what time of year. Snowfall is common between December and March, and it can be heavy. The Port of Istanbul is also a windy city. Temperatures in the Port of Istanbul range from an average high of over 28 °C (83 °F) in July and August to an average low of 3 °C (37 °F) in January and February.

The European side of the Port of Istanbul boasts the world-famous 6th Century Hagia Sophia built for Emperor Justinian and the largest enclosed space in the world for over one thousand years. One of the world's most significant architectural structures, it has been the inspiration for many Ottoman mosques. Originally built in the period of Emperor Constantine I in the 6th Century, it served as a church for 916 years and then as a mosque for 481 years. In 1935, it was turned into a museum. The tombs of Sultan Selim the Second, Sultan Mehmed the Third, Sultan Murad the Third and his heirs are rare and precious examples of the Ottoman tomb tradition. Today, the Hagia Sophia is a fascinating museum.

The Topkapi Sarayi Palace Museum was home to Ottoman emperors for 300 years, and it houses a weaponry display, Islamic and Christian relics, rugs, and fine china. Topkapi Palace was the heart of the Ottoman Empire, and its hundreds of rooms housed the monarch, his wives and concubines, children, and servants. Visitors will want to arrive when it opens because it is one of the most popular sites in the Port of Istanbul, and a limited number of visitors are allowed in at one time. You can explore the harem, grounds, and courtyards on your own. The Treasury in the third courtyard contains a breathtaking exhibit of gems, gold, and works of art.

Another worthwhile attraction in the Port of Istanbul is the Spice Bazaar, also called the Egyptian Bazaar. It is one of the oldest covered markets in the Port of Istanbul, dating to the 17th Century, in an area of the Port of Istanbul where its Oriental character survives. When it was established, thousands of spices from the Far East and curative herbs and remedies were sold there, although most products came from Egypt. It is still one of the best places in the Port of Istanbul to find spices, herbal teas, and traditional Turkish foods. The Spice Bazaar houses 86 shops including those that still sell natural herbal medicines. An open-air market and the Mehmet Efendi Coffee Roasters shop are adjacent to the Spice Bazaar, so shoppers can get everything they need.

The Asian, or Anatolian, side of the Port of Istanbul also contains many worthwhile sites for travelers. The Beylerbeyi Palace, built by Sultan Abdulaziz in the mid-1800s, lies under the Bosphorus Bridge. Camlica Hill, which is one of the Port of Istanbul's highest hills, offers a public park and cafes and wonderful views of the Port of Istanbul. The eight Princes' Islands to the southeast of the Port of Istanbul are wonderful refuges from the crowded city. They offer villas, picnic and scenic areas, bicycle and horse carriage trails, and ruins of a monastery on Buyukada Island. Visitors can dine or take tea inside the Maiden's Tower before or after taking the tower tour.

No visit to the Port of Istanbul is complete without a trip to one of the Port of Istanbul's baths. The Suleymaniye Bath was built by Sultan Suleyman in 1550 for his own use. It is the only mixed bath in the Port of Istanbul, and the sexes are mixed, making it the ideal bath for families. The Cagaloglu Bath was built in 1741. The last Ottoman bath to be built in the Port of Istanbul, it has separated sections and is the bath most frequently visited by tourists. The Cemberlitas Bath was built in 1584. Located in the middle of the Port of Istanbul's finest monuments, it has separated sections for males and females and offers Turkish and oil massage.

Travelers who want to visit the Port of Istanbul by sea can find a long list of scheduled cruises on the Cruise Compete website.