ISTANBUL

History and Urbanism

Cristina Bribiesca Hernández

A01350231
Urban Theories
First Partial
ITESM Campus León
13/02/2017
 I n d e x

Introduc)on   1  

I.  The  territory  of  Istanbul.   2  

II.  The  Origin-­‐Bizas.   3-­‐4  

III.  The  New  Rome.   5-­‐7  

IV.  The  O@oman  Empire.   8-­‐10  

V.  Istanbul  in  the  XX  century.     11-­‐12  

Conclusion     13  

Bibliographic  References   14  
 
 
 
   
 
I n t r o d u c t i o n
 
"  How  many  events  and  incidents  will  not  need  to  give  it  a  face  to  an  alone  neighborhood  
of  a  city?  Because  of  how  many  victories,  how  many  defeats,  how  many  emigra)ons,  
these  peoples  came  here?  ASer  what  ruins  and  reconstruc)ons  did  they  acquire  this  
aspect?  "    
Orhan  Pamuk  
A   bridge   between   two   con)nents.   A   geographical   point   conquered   again   and   again   for  
centuries.   A   city   constructed   on   the   ruins   of   former   palaces.   Istanbul   is   nowadays,   the  
epitome   of   the   modernity   and   greatness   of   Turkey.   A   sample   of   the   complicity   of   the  
former  European  ci)es  that  dig  an  element  of  the  past  up  with  every  crack  that  is  opened  
in  the  soil.    
 
If  in  other  parts  of  the  world,  to  possess  architectural  elements  that  give  glimpses  of  what  
at  some  )me  was  the  past  of  the  city  is  considered  to  be  incalculable,  to  have  the  ves)ges  
of   a   complete   city   in   the   basement   of   any   house,   since   it   happens   with   Istanbul,   is   a  
bigger  example  of  how  close  the  history  and  the  past  surrounds  what  we  can  observe.    
 
Istanbul   is   considered   to   be   one   of   the   most   important   ci)es   of   Europe   and   an   invaluable  
heritage  for  the  rest  of  the  humanity  due  to  the  confluence  of  cultures  and  empires  that  
paraded  and  leS  fingerprint  on  the  traces  of  a  city  that  tries  to  be  imposed  to  the  future  
but   with   the   care   of   suppor)ng   his   intact   founda)ons,   even   if   the   same   bases   were   in  
some  point  of  the  history,  the  palace  of  a  Roman  emperor.    
 
This   text   tries   to   generate   a   historical   sequence   of   the   city   that   describes   the   urban  
development  changes  that  has  been  crea)ng  and  giving  form  to  an  immersed  city  in  the  
21st  century  like  it  it  is  Istanbul,  but  with  ves)ges  of  last  centuries  that  mark  the  urban  
trace  up  to  nowadays.  By  means  of  chronograms,  images  and  sequences  one  seeks  to  join  
the  historical  changes  for  which  it  has  crossed  the  city,  with  the  way  in  which  the  urban  
trace  has  been  generated  to  the  present  day.  To  include  with  major  facility  almost  3000  
years  of  history  of  the  city,  the  following  text  will  divide  in  5  fundamental  parts,  each  one  
with  the  basic  characteris)cs  of  the  city  in  agreement  to  the  empire  of  the  )me.    
 
Find   the   bases   and   reasons   of   the   current   city   of   Istanbul   across   a   line   of   )me   that  
generates   a   sense   for   the   form   and   current   trace,   is   the   principal   aim   of   the   following  
text,   trying   to   uncover   the   mysteries   of   hundreds   of   empires   buried   to   few   meters   of   the  
modernity.    

1  
I. THE TERRITORY OF ISTANBUL
The   peninsula   in   which   the   city   of   Istanbul   is   located,   for   almost   3000   years   has   been   a   zone  
valued  and  coveted  by  many  due  to  his  geographical  loca)on.  It  is  in  the  Bosporus  Strait,  divided  
in   two   parts,   one   in   Asia   and   other   one   in   Europe.   For   his   unsurpassable   loca)on,   one   of   the  
constants   that   mark   the   evolu)on   of   the   city,   are   the   constant   invasions   of   different   groups   and  
empires  across  the  years.    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Map.  1.1  Loca)on  of  Istanbul  in  the  Bosporus  Strait.    
 
The  city  as  the  administra)ve  capital  of  the  Province  of  Istanbul,  one  of  the  81  in  which  Turkey  is  
divided,  was  founded  on  October  29,  1923  by  Mustafa  Kemal  Atatürk  and  received  its  name  in  
the   year   of   1930.   It   possesses   a   territory   that   includes   1.538,77   km2   and   a   popula)on   of  
14.657.434  inhabitants.    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Map.  
  1.2  Actual  division  of  the  81  provinces  od  Turkey.   Map.  1.3  Actual  distribu)on  of  Istanbul.  2016.  

 
2  
II. THE ORIGIN- BIZAS.
The  first  ves)ges  of  se@lements  of  the  zone  date  back  to  667  B.C.  The  zone  was  occupied  by  a  
Greek   people   dedicated   to   the   fishing   called   Ligos.   Almost   1000   years   before   the   emperor  
Constan)ne   named   it   the   capital   of   the   new   Roman   empire,   a   Greek   se@ler   of   name   Bizas  
navigated   across   the   Aegean   Sea,   crossing   Marmara's   sea   towards   the   entry   of   the   Bosporus,  
narrow  channel  of  approximately  27  km  between  a  double  row  of  rocky  hills  that  were  used  as  
separa)on  between  Europa's  con)nents  and  Asia,  which  was  ending  in  the  Black  Sea.    
 
The   history   says   that   before   Bizas   departs   from   his   natal   city,   Megara,   he   asked   to   the   oracle  
where   it   should   construct   his   new   city   to   what   the   oracle   answered:   "   opposite   to   the   blind  
people   ".   On   the   Asian   coast   opposite   to   the   peninsula,   a   few   primi)ve   Greek   groups   were  
already  founded,  towards  674  B.C,  the  city  of  Calcedonia,  behind  the  territory  of  Byzan)um.  It  
was   not   figng   doubt,   that   they   have   should   been   blind   not   to   see   the   advantages   of   a   zone  
placed   to   li@le   less   than   one   kilometer,   in   the   opposite   shore.   The   emplacement   was  
unsurpassable   because   it   was   placed   in   a     peninsula   that   was   easy   to   defend   crea)ng   a  
protected  gulf  where  to  locate  several  ports  to  what  it  was  called  the  "  horn  of  gold  ".  It  was  The  
Tracia's  capital  being  under  the  Greek  control.    
 
Due  to  the  assaults  provoked  since  its  founda)on,  a  wall  was  constructed  like  defense  both  in  
the   terrestrial   limits   and   in   the   ports   and   mari)me   borders.   The   city   during   this   period   was  
constructed   similarly   to   other   Greek   ci)es,   with   orthogonal   planes   and   public   buildings   where  
the   people   was   mee)ng.   Likewise,   the   acropolis   was   constructed   on   the   oriental   hill   of   the  
peninsula.   It   con)nued   being   constructed   out   of   the   wall   with   buildings   dedicated   to   the  
spectacle.  It  had  the  aspect  of  a  city  average  that  alone  was  occupying  a  part  of  the  peninsula.  

Map.  2.1  Reconstruc)on  of  Byzan)um  during  the  III  century  A.C.  Picture  of   3  
the  acropolis  over  the  oriental  hill  and  the  limits  od  the  defensive  wall    
towards  the  peninsula.      
In  the  3rd  century  D.C.  aSer  the  fall  of  Greece,  the  city  passed  to  Roman  hands.  During  this  stage  
the   capital   of   the   empire   was   Urbs,   in   spite   of   that   it   was   demonstra)ng   to   be   inefficient,   for  
what   it   was   Diocle)an   who   at   the   end   of   the   3rd   century,   divided   the   empire   and   named   the  
second  capital  in  Nicomedia,  near  Byzan)um.  Byzan)um  was  not  chosen  due  to  the  fact  that  it  
was  recovering  of  the  destruc)on  happened  in  the  year  197  and  262.    
 
From  his  origins  up  to  the  consolida)on  like  the  new  capital  of  Rome,  Byzan)um  was  affected  by  
a   series   of   constant   occupa)ons   by   some   tribes   of   the   surroundings,   which   led   to   a   constant  
destruc)on   and   reconstruc)on   of   the   city,   for   what   the   evolu)on   of   the   same   stopped   )ll   its  
later  brilliance  as  city  under  the  Roman  control.    

667  B.  C                                      Founda)on  of  Byzan)um.  

V  B.C                                                    Occupa)on  and  destruc)on  of  the  city  by  the  Persian  empire  .    
479  B.C                                            The  Spartan  Pausanias  begins  its  reconstruc)on.    
409  B.C                                            The  city  goes  on  to  hands  of  the  Athenians.    
405  B.C                                            The  Spartans  recover  the  power.    

390  B.C                                            The  Athenians  recover  the  city.  

336-­‐323  B.C                            It  belonged  to  the  Macedonians  during  the  reign  of  Alexander  the  Great.    

279  B.C                                            The  Celts  imposed  a  tax  with  what  the  city  was  rela)vely  independent.    
191  B.C                                              It  was  recognized  by  Rome  as  free  city.    
100  B.C                                              It  was  handed  by  the  Republic    
197  A.  C   The  emperor  Sep)mus  Severo  plundered  and  destroyed  the  walls.  He  reconstruct  it  like  
other  western  colonies,  duplica)ng  the  walled  enclosure.    
 324  A.C                                          Constan)ne  I  The  Great  began  to  raise  the  New  Rome.    

Map.  2.2  The  Bosporus  Strait  in  the  year  310  B.C    
4  
III. THE NEW ROME.
For  the  4th  century,  Byzan)um  was  a  city  flogged  by  the  wars.  It  was  the  refuge  of  Licinio,  the  
co-­‐emperor  who  would  die  to  Constan)ne's  hands,  turning  this  one  into  the  only  emperor  of  the  
Roman  empire.  Under  this  new  context,  the  emperor  decided  to  turn  to  the  city  of  Byzan)um  
the   new   capital,   the   works   being   awarded   to   turn   it   into   the   major   city   that   no   one   had   ever  
seen  and  an  economic  and  commercial  point  of  reference  to  the  ancient  world.  It  was  called  the  
New  Rome,  but  later  it  was  announced  as  Constan)nople.    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Map.  3.1  Division  of  districts  in  the  European  side.     Map.  3.2  The  city  in  the  IV.  Century  A.C.    
 
The  same  thing  that  Rome,  the  city  was  raising  on  7  hills.  Of  the  same  way,  making  alike  Rome,  it  
was  divided  in  14  districts.  The  bay  turned  into  one  of  the  biggest  ports  with  almost  8  km  from  
length  perfectly  closed  by  land,  forming  the  Golden  Horn.    

Map.  3.3  Evolu)on  of  the  growth  in  the  city  during  
the  Roman  empire.  From  the  330  to  447  A.C.  

The   new   capital   of   the   Roman   empire   was   extending   4   km   beyond   the   walls   of   former  
Byzan)um  of  the  3rd  century.  The  works  of  reconstruc)on  and  extension  began  in  the  year  
324  A.C.  There  was  in  use  the  force  of  40,000  Gothic  men  and  6  years  of  construc)on  without  
sparing  effort  in  expenses  to  complete  the  dreamed  capital.  Constan)ne  inaugurated  the  New  
Rome  on  May  11  of  330.    
  5  
The  imperial  buildings  were  constructed  according  to  Roman  models.  They  used  marble  of  the  
islands   of   the   Marmara   sea,   and   wood   of   the   forests   that   surround   the   Black   Sea.   They  
constructed  on  the  founda)ons  of  the  former  city  and  its  remains  were  in  use  for  construc)ng  
the  new  buildings.  Between  the  new  elements  that  the  city  had,  were:  2  theaters,  8  public  baths,  
153   private   baths,   52   por)coes,   5   granaries,   8   aqueducts   or   cisterns,   14   churches,   14   palaces  
and  4388  houses  of  the  enough  size  to  be  catalogued  with  an  orthogonal  trace  of  streets.    
Due  to  the  growth  of  the  city  and  the  popula)on,  it  became  necessary  to  extend  the  limits  of  the  
city  between  the  Horn  of  Gold  and  the  Marmara  sea  to  defend  this  growth  in  the  borders  of  the  
city,   they   constructed     a   great   triple   line   of   walls   of   5   kilometers   of   length   and   8   meters   of  
thickness  with  192  watchtowers  and  a  pit  of  20  m.  in  width  and  7  m.  in  depth.  Previously,  the  
walls  had  been  constructed  along  the  coast  of  the  sea  of  Marmara  and  the  golden  horn,  for  what  
the  city  turned  into  a  strength  with  almost  20  kilometers  of  walls  and  50  strengthened  doors.    
Inside  the  walls  that  were  surrounding  the  city  there  was  some  avenues  and  a  dense  network  of  
narrow  streets.  Many  of  the  streets  were  not  allowing  the  access  of  a  car,  by  what  the  traffic  and  
transport  became  common  by  means  of  camels,  mules  or  to  back  of  the  same  men.  The  streets  
were  full  of  peddlers.    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Map.  3.4  Picture  of  the  peninsula  over  the  oriental  hill  with  the  
  orthogonal    trace  of  streets.    
 
Constan)nople  did  not  have  residen)al  special  neighborhoods  for  the  high  classes.  The  houses  
of  the  rich  ones  were  close  to  modestly  homes  of  the  middle  or  low  classes.  Nevertheless,  the  
houses   of   the   high   classes   were   obtaining   certain   isola)on   by   means   of   a   blind   front   of   stone  
that   was   giving   towards   the   street,   commonly   with   two   levels   and   balconies.   The   low   classes  
were  packed  in  houses  of  one  level  or  in  groups  of  tenements  spread  by  the  whole  city.    

6  
The  water  that  was  coming  to  the  city  across  aqueducts  was  coming  from  the  surrounding  hills.  
The   construc)on   of   covered   cisterns   and   outdoors     used   the   topography   of   the   hills   and   to  
construct   over   them   in   a   horizontal   plane   the   rest   of   the   urban   plot.   The   drainage   was  
transported  by  pipelines  up  to  the  sea.    
 
 
 
 
  Map.  3.5  Use  of  the  valleys  
  between  hills  for  the  cisterns  
  and  create  an  horizontal  plane.    
 
The   principal   street   of   the   city,   which   was   going   from   the   walls   of   the   side   of   the   land   in   the  
western   part   up   to   the   doors   of   the   imperial   palace,   was   called   Mese   or   central   street.   It   was  
considered  to  be  the  royal  avenue  where  the  imperial  processions  were  happening  and  where  
the   best   shops   of   the   city   were   situated.   All   the   principal   avenues   were   ending   near   the   most  
important   part   of   the   city.   The   Filadelfion   was   considered   to   be   the   navel   of   the   city,   was   the  
place  where  the  principal  streets  of  the  city  crossed.    
 
The  life  of  the  city  was  centered  in  three  big  structure  or  group  of  building:  the  racetrack,  the  
sacred   imperial   palace   and   the   church   of   Saint   Sofia.   They   were   represen)ng   the   three   principal  
elements   of   the   Byzan)ne   world:   the   people,   the   imperial   authority   and   the   religion.   They   were  
in  the  central  plateau  where  in  the  past  the  Greek  acropolis  was.    
 
Neighborhoods  were  formed  for  every  union  of  the  industry.  The  ordinance  for  the  construc)on  
was  strict.  The  streets  must  have  3,10  m  of  width.  The  balconies  had  to  be  to  4,60  m  over  the  
street  level  and  must  not  stand  out  without  leaving  free  3  m  from  the  wall.    

Map.  3.6  The  racetrack  and  the  sacred  imperial   Map.  3.7  The  Filadelfion  and  the  Mese.    
palace  in  the  urban  trace.    

7  
IV. THE OTOMAN EMPIRE
From   300   1200   A.C.   Constan)nople   was   a   vic)m   of   numerous   wars,   ba@les   and   sites   by   the  
Russians,   Turks,   Arabs,   and   others.   In   the   year   1204,   Constan)nople   was   captured   by   the   forces  
of   the   Fourth   Crusade.   ASer   this   last   destruc)on,   the   power   of   the   city   was   diminishing.   With  
every  assault  and  new  a@empt  of  conquest  it  was  weakening  more  and  more,  un)l  in  the  year  of  
1453  the  Turks  guided  by  Mahomet  II,  achieved  the  city  and  Constan)nople  finally  falls  down.  
This  date  marks  the  end  of  the  Middle  Ages.    
For  a  very  long  )me  the  city  would  con)nue  being  calling  Konstan)niye  but  with  the  )me  it  was  
started  to  be  known  as  Istanbul,  a  deforma)on  of  the  Greek  "  to  go  to  the  city  ".  One  of  the  first  
ac)ons  of  Mehmet  II  when  he  entered  in  the  city  was  realized  of  the  level  of  destruc)on  that  the  
city  had,  for  what  he  decided  to  reconstruct  and  to  repopulate  it.  he  started  by  turning  all  the  
churches   into   mosques   and   construc)ng   many   more   in   the   whole   city   and   in   the   exterior   of   the  
same  one.    
The   new   city   under   the   O@oman   empire   would   be   constructed   with   and   over   the   ruins   of  
Constan)nople.  An  example  of  how  it  remain  buried  the  Byzan)ne  city  is  the  racetrack,  which  
ruins   remained   covered   by   the   excava)on   and   the   construc)on   of   the   blue   mosque.   The  
O@omans  surrounded  this  zone  with  impressive  buildings,  equalizing  the  brilliance  that  had  the  
racetrack   under   the   Roman   empire.   Likewise   everything   was   re-­‐used   and   the   ruins   and  
basements   of   the   buildings   and   construc)ons   stayed   covered   and   use   to   construct   on   top   of  
them.    
The   city   was   built   following   the   urban   development   scheme   of   the   Muslim   city,   with   zones   as  
the   Medina   or   the   old   city   where   the   major   mosque   was   and   the   souk   or   market,   the  
neighborhoods   or   suburbs   outside   of   the   wall   and   the   fort   or   defensive   castle,   as   well   as   new  
palaces.   If   previously   the   tracing   of   the   streets   was   orthogonal,   in   the   epoch   of   the   O@oman  
empire  it  was  planned  in  irregular  form,  as  a  labyrinth  of  alleys  with  houses  with  interior  courts  
and  scanty  doorways  towards  the  exterior.    

Map.  4.1  Constan)nople  by  the  year  1422  A.C   Map.  4.2  Drawing  of  the  city  of   8  
Constan)nople  by  the  year  1572  A.C  
16th   Century:   during   this   stage   the   city   was   divided   in   4   districts:   Istanbul   proper,   Galta,   Eyüp  
and  Üsküdar.  Each  one  of  them  was  shaped  by  urban  and  social  dis)nc)ve  elements.  Eyüp  was  
constructed  about  Seyh  Ebus  Ensari´s  tomb,  companion  of  the  prophet  Mohammed,  there  was  
also   constructed   a   mosque,   a   religious   school   and   a   kitchen,   which   turned   it   into   a   center   of  
peregrinate.  Istanbul  proper,  the  ancient  zone  of  the  city,  was  delimited  by  Theodosian's  walls,  
the   Golden   Horn   and   those   of   Marmara's   sea.   The   walls   were   relying   on   27   doors   that   were  
giving  to  the  several  residen)al  neighborhoods.  The  district  of  Istanbul  had  15  sub-­‐districts,  each  
of   them   named   from   agreement   to   a   mosque.   The   ports   and   bays   con)nued   being   fishing  
villages.  
The  residen)al  neighborhoods  divided  in  agreement  to  communi)es  with  similar  na)onali)es  or  
characteris)cs.   The   Greek   Orthodox   patriarchate   had   been   located   in   Fener,   the   Jewish  
community   lived   in   Balat   and   Ayvan   Saray,   the   Armenians   and   the   gypsies   lived   in   Sulu   Kule   and  
Samatya  and  so  go  on.  The  Divan  Yolu,  was  the  street  or  principal  avenue  that  was  connec)ng  
the   racetrack   with   the   great   bazaar   and   the   commercial   and   residen)al   districts   of   one   side   and  
with  the  Egyp)an  market  and  the  port  of  the  other  side.  Galata  and  Pera  were  the  diploma)c,  
financial,  residen)al  European  and  entertainment  center.  It  was  divided  in  3  parts  with  interior  
walls   with   several   doors   that   were   leading   to   different   residen)al   zones.   They   named   in  
agreement  to  a  mosque.  The  ports  and  bays  con)nued  being  fishing  villages.    

Map.  4.3  Constan)nople  by  the  year  1566  A.C  

17th   century:   during   this   period   the   factories   of   arsenals   and   weapon   grew   and   used   many   men  
and   slaves,   for   what   Galata's   zone   turned   a   red   zone   for   possessing   the   major   number   of  
taverns,   brothels   and   residences   for   bachelor   workers.   The   commercial   growth   and   the  
agreements  with  other  countries  ended  in  the  crea)on  of  Frenchmen's  new  neighborhoods  who  
lived   in   the   Bereketzade's   neighborhood.   To   support   the   commercial   rela)ons   and   with   the  
ideological  diversity,  they  were  constructed  in  the  central  zone  of  the  city  of  Istanbul,  Chris)an  
temples  for  the  French  community.  In  the  Asian  side  of  the  Bosporus,  in  Üsküdar's  district  they  
created   5   sub-­‐districts   with   several   quarters   for   Muslims,   Greeks,   Armenian   and   Jewish  
popula)on.    

9  
18th   century:   the   growth   of   a   bourgeois   class   was   seen   in   the   construc)on.   The   royal   family  
constructed  more  than  300  imperial  palaces,  numerous  gardens,  pavilions,  fountains,  bridges,  
water   infrastructure   and   roads   in   150   years.   They   demolished   and   re-­‐accommodated   several  
non-­‐Muslim  elements  to  give  step  to  new  palaces  and  gardens.  The  new  palaces  and  residences  
were   not   isolated   behind   walls   but   they   were   exposed   to   the   public.   The   royal   family   turned  
some   imperial   gardens   into   public   gardens   as   the   court   stopped   using   them.   Fountains   and  
coffeehouses   were   the   focal   points   of   public   gardens   and   squares,   which   exemplifies   the  
growth   of   the   areas   of   recrea)on   and   public   spaces.   They   constructed   mosques   that   were  
integra)ng  the  sacred  and  recrea)ve  spaces  to  generate  sociability.  

Map.  4.4  Division  of  districts  

in  Constan)nople  by  the  18th  
century  

19th   century:   during   this   )me   the   industrial   revolu)on   reached   the   city   of   Istanbul.   The  
con)nuous   fires   provoked   by   the   tradi)onal   construc)ons   of   wood   came   to   a   point   in   which  
1/50  of  the  city  was  burned,  for  what  the  silhoue@e  and  trace  of  the  city  was  changing  every  50  
years.   Changes   and   regula)ons   had   to   be   done   to   give   entry   to   the   modernity   and   to   the  
industry.   To   give   step   to   the   modernity   also   meant   to   open   the   road   and   transport   links.   In   the  
year  of  1845  Galata's  bridge  was  constructed  and  for  1883  the  Orient  Express  begins  to  operate  
connec)ng  Istanbul  and  Paris.    

Map.  4.5  Constan)nople  

 by  the  year  1853    
10  
V. ISTANBUL IN THE XX CENTURY
On   October   29,   1923,   Mustafa   Kemal   Atatürk   established   the   Republic   of   Turkey   and   the   capital  
moved   to   Ankara.   In   1930   the   name   of   Istanbul   became   official.   Across   the   centuries,   the   city  
had  been  in  a  constant  growth  not  only  towards  out  but  up.  The  new  construc)ons  were  built  
on  top  of  the  founda)ons  or  ruins  of  the  previous  ones.  The  level  of  the  city  raised  more  than  20  
meters   with   regard   to   the   level   of   the   former   Roman   city   and   between   5   and   2   meters   with  
regard  to  the  city  under  the  O@oman  empire.  The  new  paved  streets,  industries  and  buildings  of  
housing  and  trade  were  constructed  on  top  of  the  ruins.  One  of  the  major  a@rac)ons  of  the  city  
is   the   visit   to   the   former   Roman   cisterns   that   nowadays   could   be   find   in   the   basements   of  
commercial  buildings.  

Map.  5.1  Evolu)on  of  the  layers  of  soil  over  the  ruins  and  the  urban  trace  over  them.      

In  1924  the  airport  in  Yesikoy  opened  and  for  1937    the  "  Istanbul  European  Side  master  Plan  "  
was   proposed   by   Henri   Prost,   who   bases   the   transforma)on   of   the   city   on   two   elements:   the  
structural   transforma)on   of   the   exis)ng   city   by   the   adequacy   of   a   system   of   transport   and   a  
system  of  green  spaces  as  well  as  the  transforma)on  of  the  exis)ng  urban  fabric.    
The  plan  was  based  in  reorganizing  the  city  about  a  "spine"  formed  by  two  principal  arteries  that  
were   connec)ng   the   new   areas   of   se@lements   and   the   old   north   part   of   the   city   and   the   central  
business   district.   The   Atatürk   Boulevard   that   was   crossing   the   historical   peninsula   of   north   to  
south  together  with  the  second  artery  that  would  cross  the  golden  horn  by  crossing  the  Galata´s  
bridge  towards  the  commercial  district.  It  proposed  to  open  numerous  avenues  on  the  historical  
peninsula  to  facilitate  the  transport.  In  the  decade  of  the  50s  and  60s  they  began  the  works  to  
modernize  the  city,  sacrificing  historical  buildings  for  a  network  of    public  transport.    

Map.  5.2  Istanbul  by  the  year  1922  with  a  layout  of   Map.  5.3  Istanbul  in  the  2016  with  a  layout  of  the  
the  Tramway  map.     Prost  Transporta)on  Study  of  1937.  

11  
During  the  70s  there  was  a  great  demographic  growth  due  to  the  emigra)on  proceeding  of  
Anatolia  due  to  the  great  quan)ty  of  industries  that  existed  in  the  suburbs  of  the  city,  what  
carried   a   real-­‐estate   explosion   and   the   adhesion   of   several   peoples   of   the   periphery   of   the  
city.  The  construc)on  of  the  train  as  well  as  a  plan  to  generate  a  line  of  subway  and  the  
adequacy  of  several  zones  in  the  historical  center  had  to  be  studied  in  depth  to  manage  to  
create  an  efficient    and  prac)cal  city  but  respec)ng  the  ancient  buildings.    
 
In   the   city   as   in   any   other   part   of   the   Mediterranean   world,   the   residen)al   zones   meet  
interlaced  with  the  commercial  districts  genera)ng  an  urban  and  tourist  center  that  tries  
to  respect  the  most  the  historical  ruins.  The  wharves  and  bridges  turned  into  linear  walks  
or  park  to  increase  the  tourism.    

Map.  5.4  Istanbul  by  the  year  1970.    

Map.  5.5  Comparison  between  a  map  of  1983  in  the  leS  side  and  the  map  of   12  
2016  on  the  right  side.    
C o n c l u s i o n
Nowadays  many  of  the  works  or  urban  changes  that  appear  to  improve  the  city  turn  into  cases  
of   study   that   will   use   as   example   for   other   European   ci)es   as   for   how   to   con)nue   with   the  
development  and  growth  of  the  city  respec)ng  the  historical  elements  that  not  only  coexist  one  
with  another  in  the  urban  trace,  but  also  the  ones  that  are  under  the  city,  as  well  as  the  best  
way   of   suppor)ng   them   and   to   recover   them.   The   plan   of   the   subways   that   raised   several   years  
ago  and  that  follows  its  expansion,  had  to  be  restructured  and  turned  into  an  interdisciplinary  
work  as  it  faced  the  remains  and  ruins  found  in  the  first  advances  of  excava)on.  The  line  of  the  
subway  should  had  planned  to  a  depth  even  major  than  the  average  due  to  all  the  ruins  that  are  
dispersed   for   the   whole   city   to   more   than   20   meters   of   depth.   In   the   excava)ons   they   found  
enclosed  the  remains  of  ships  that  sank  in  the  port  that  in  the  past  was  covering  a  major  area  of  
the  city  and  that  nowadays  is  a  residen)al  zone  to  almost  250  m  of  the  coastal  line.    
 
The  city  follows  a  surprising  growth  as  any  other  historical  city.  Nowadays  the  technologies  of  
restructuring  and  urban  planning  have  been  a  topic  of  not  alone  debate  in  Istanbul,  but  in  other  
ci)es  that  for  his  historical  past  deserve  certain  specific  regula)ons  as  London  or  Hong  Kong.    
 
Istanbul   is   an   exchequer   that   must   be   respected   and   perpetuated.   The   amalgam   of   cultures   and  
history   that   it   possesses   is   an   example   of   centuries   of   social   and   cultural   changes   that  
intermingle  to  create  a  unique  place  in  the  world.    

Map.  6.1  Istanbul  of  2016  with  a  layout  of  the   Map.  6.2  Istanbul  of  2016  with  the  mayor  roads  of  
mayor  roads  of  the  year  1922.     2016.    

13  
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