1844 Constantinople. Stambool

This lovely map of Constantinople, today’s Istanbul, was published in 1844 by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge also referred to as SDUK. The map shows the only city of the world to occupy territory on two continents, Europe and Asia, and it has long been called the meeting place of the east and west. The great waterway called the Bosphorus divides the two continents, flowing through what once were heavily wooded hills, joining the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara. A natural moat known as the Golden Horn historically provided extra protection for large areas of the city along its shores. Due to its strategic location Istanbul is an ancient city, dating back countless millennia. Early Greek settlers founded a city which was known as Byzas (later called Byzantium), but more ancient peoples had settled the area long before the colony appeared. Due to its strategic location, the city has been of great importance to a number of empires, including the Eastern Roman Empire un