Constantinople

Constantinople is the capital of the Roman Empire, Byzantium, the Latin Empire and the Ottoman Empire. It was officially renamed Istanbul in 1930.

The city is named after the Roman emperor Constantine the Great, who chose it as its capital. More than 1 million slaves and colonies took part in the construction of the city. A huge system of ditches and walls was built, making the city practically impregnable until the development of artillery. For centuries, it has been the most populous city in Europe and a center of medieval science and culture. In the 12th century it had a population of one million two hundred thousand people.Constantinople was the largest and richest center in the Eastern Mediterranean during the late Roman Empire, mostly as a result of its strategic position, controlling the trade routes between the Aegean Sea and the Black Sea. It remained the capital of the Eastern Empire for over 1000 years. During the Middle Ages it was the richest and largest European city with a powerful cultural life and a dominant economy in the entire Mediterranean. Visitors and merchants are especially impressed by the beauty of the monasteries and churches, especially St. Sophia