Istanbul Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Bosporus

Historic Istanbul occupies a key strategic locatation at the southern end of the Bosporus, where it joins the Sea of Marmara. The city lies astride one of the most important overland routes from Europe to Asia.

Answer: Troy

New Rome is a nickname which has fallen into disuse. The ruins of Troy (of Homeric fame) have been excavated on the Asian side of the southern Dardanelles. 'Byzantium' is used for both the city and the Eastern Roman Empire. The name 'Constantinople' became general after the city was taken by the Ottoman Turks in 1453, when the Byzantine Empire ceased to exist. Note also the nickname 'Stamboul' (or 'Stambul').

Answer: AD 326

The place was chosen by Constantine the Great as the new capital of the Roman Empire. There was a city already in existence on part of the site at the time. BC657 is a mythologial date for the very first small settlement on the site, supposedly founded by Byzas.

There is a lack of evidence of continuity of settlement of the site between the seventh century BC and Roman times. It was founded as the 'New' or 'Second Rome' - to be the capital of the reunited Roman Empire. (Following the fall of Byzantium to the Turks in 1453, Muscovy claimed to be the Third Rome and the true heir to the Roman Empire, and later Russia claimed to be the protector of all Othordox Christians, including those under Ottoman rule. Implicit in this claim was an assumed right to intervene at will in the affairs of the Ottoman Empire).

Answer: False

The historic core of Istanbul is entirely in Europe. The main Asian suburb of historic interest is Üsküdar (Scutari).

Answer: Topkapi Palace

The Topkapi Palace is a large complex of buildings that now house some of the main Istanbul museums. The Seraglio refers to the vast harem within the Topkapi Palace. The palace houses some important museums. Of particular interest are (1) the collection of Chinese (and other Far Eastern) porcelain, which is widely regarded as one of the most outstanding collections of its kind anywhere in the world.

It spans the period from the Sung (960-1279) through the Yuan, Ming and early Qing dynasties to the 18th century; (2) The Treasury, which contains four thrones studded with precious stones and various other treasures of the Ottoman Sultans, such as gilt swords with gems.

There are also other museums, including one of Islamic relics. The Dolmabahce Palace was a new palace built by the Sultans in middle of the nineteenth century. (Istanbul does indeed have a 'Golden Gate', but there's no palace there).

Answer: 532-563

There are some later additions, such as the minarets added when the building was a mosque. St. Sophia's was built during the reign of Emperor Justinian (reigned 527-565). It was, in fact, completed in 537, but large sections were rebuilt following an earthquake in 558.

It is a basilica, with an almost square ground-plan, measuring 31 x 32 meters (or about 101 x 104 feet). Like most of the major late Roman and early Byzantine basilicas, it has outstanding mosaics. However, it is particularly remarkable for its central dome, linked to two large semi-domes connected to four small semi-domes. Aleady in the 6th century it was hailed as an outstanding work of architecture. William H. Hutton, "Constantinople: The Story of the Old Capital ...", J. M. Dent, London 1900 comments as follows: 'From the first, it was recognised as the greatest work that had ever been completed by architects.

Not only the eulogists of Justinian, but every chronicler of the age, and for some centuries after, bear testimony to the fascination which its splendour and dignity exercised upon the imagination of beholders.

It was the great outward expression of the power of a world-empire consecrated to the religion of Christ.' (pp. 241-2) St. Sophia doesn't refer to a saint but means 'Holy Wisdom', which at the time when the church was built was an accepted way of referring to the 'Word Incarnate' - that is, to 'the Person of Christ'.

Answer: The Blue Mosque

The architecture of the Blue Mosque (built in 1609-16) is obviously inspired by St. Sophia's. It owes its nickname to the highly ornate blue tiles used to decorate the interior. Other large mosques of particular note in Istanbul include the Mosque of Süleyman the Magnificent (built in 1550-57) and the Beyazit Mosque.

Answer: False

It separates the ancient city from the old surburbs of Galata and Pera (Beyoglu) just to the north. All these parts of the city are in Europe. The Golden Horn is both an inlet of the Bosporus and the estuary of the Heliz River, which the Turks sometimes nickname 'the Sweet Waters of Europe'. From the northern side of the Golden Horn one gets an excellent view of the ancient city, which rises sharply to the south, with a stunningly beautiful skyline, dominated by domes and minarets. From here, the city looks remarkably compact and misleadingly small.

The walls built by Theodosius II (reigned 408-450) enclose a large wedge-shaped area. They extend, from north to south, a distance of about 7.25 km (4.5 miles), and from east to west the distance is about 8km (5 miles) - making it one of the largest cities in the world at that time.

Answer: 1453

By the time the Turks took the city the Byzantine Empire was small, weak and a shadow of its former self. The city had been sacked by the Fourth Crusade in 1204, and remained under 'Latin' (West European) occupation till 1261. The migration of Greek scholars to Italy and other parts of Western Europe was already well under way for over a century before 1453.

Answer: False

'The Sublime Porte' sounds flattering, formulaic and abstract. However, it is also a nickname for the main gate to the first or outermost courtyard ('The Janissaries' Court[yard]') of the Topkapi Palace. The official name of this gate is the Imperial Gate ('Bab-i-Hümayün').