Istanbul or Constantinople?

[Giovanni Wine]

Originally posted by Ned
You failed to include its other name: New Rome.

Naaaa
It is better using the latin version name:
Nova Roma

Seriously.... I don't care what's the name of the city.
Byzanthium, Constantinopoli or Istambul..... it is always the same city... no matter how you name it

Saluti

[Bereta_Eder]

Too bad the Turks were in no position to use other aspects of our culture too. Like democracy for example

BTW I've been to Constantinople. It is truely worth a visit. Especially in Agia Sophia, despite the desacration and distraction bu the Ottomans, there still persists a feeling of Hellenic Byzantium in there (or New Rome ) .... Fascinating.

two things though:
bargain 'till you drop or you'll get scammed
beware of Turks driving Taxis (they'll rip you off for sure. The question is how much )

[Buck Birdseed]

It should be "Miklagård", the viking name for the place.

[Dan Severn]

Originally posted by paiktis22




dan, after the pogroms of the Turks against The Greeks living in Constantinople in the '50s there are not so many Greeks there anymore.

I was unaware of that. I must admit, all I really know about the city is what Twain mentions in The Innocents Abroad

1870's... kinda dated material I must admit.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Arrian
"It's nobody's business but the Turks." - They Might Be Giants

-Arrian

Actually, that tune predates TMBG by about 70 years.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Especially in Agia Sophia, despite the desacration and distraction bu the Ottomans

Actually the additions by the Ottomans (the fabulous writings in Arabic on the blue stone and the fabulous minarets), make the Hagia Sophia even greater!

[chequita guevara]

Hell, the Hagia Sophia was falling apart by the time the Ottoman's took the city. Only the dome was still standing. One of Memhet's first commands was to save the structure.

[Dan Severn]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

Especially in Agia Sophia, despite the desacration and distraction bu the Ottomans

Actually the additions by the Ottomans (the fabulous writings in Arabic on the blue stone and the fabulous minarets), make the Hagia Sophia even greater!

I agre that their additiona were quite beautiful.

The ottommans were, however, extremely destructive people.

[VetLegion]

you forgot the slavic version: Carigrad (tszarigrad) - the city of the emperor.

I voted istambul, I always tought that cities named after people are a mistake and tend to get changed by the conquerors.

[Bereta_Eder]

Maybe to you Imran because you are a muslim.

Although, if you ever visited Agia Sophia you too would be saddened by the descecration and destruction.

As for the muslim signs that replaced the Christian ones, they seem like cheap signs.

This has nothing to do with Islam, it is their material that seem cheap. And they don't fit aesthetically in a Christian temple as Agia Sophia is.

[The Pioneer]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

Especially in Agia Sophia, despite the desacration and distraction bu the Ottomans

Actually the additions by the Ottomans (the fabulous writings in Arabic on the blue stone and the fabulous minarets), make the Hagia Sophia even greater!

Right, same think with most American monuments and memorials they do look pretty because they are in Greek Style and on some of 'em there is actually greek written on them. Look at Washington DC, everything seems to be a kitsch copy of Greek Temples and Architectonical Style.

But then what would you know! Most Americans do not realize that! Very funny indeed.

[chequita guevara]

If the Ottomans hadn't saved the building it wouldn't exist anymore. You Greeks don't take very good care of your buildings.

[The Pioneer]

If it only was our buildings !

[Bereta_Eder]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
If the Ottomans hadn't saved the building it wouldn't exist anymore. You Greeks don't take very good care of your buildings.

I thought this was the british's line

[Dan Severn]

Originally posted by The Pioneer


Right, same think with most American monuments and memorials they do look pretty because they are in Greek Style and on some of 'em there is actually greek written on them. Look at Washington DC, everything seems to be a kitsch copy of Greek Temples and Architectonical Style.

But then what would you know! Most Americans do not realize that! Very funny indeed.

Huh? I realize it's greek style. That's intentional- birthplace of Democracy and so on. Of course, we're a helluva lot more like the Romans than the greeks, but who would want to admit to that? Heh heh heh.