Istanbul Tours – Istanbul was officially adopted as a sole name in 1930. Through the ages the city of Istanbul has changed its name several times. It is a city with intriguing history, a city of many legends, rulers… The first name of the place was Byzantium or Byzantion. It was founded by Greek colonists from Megara.
Before the city became widely known by the name Constantinople, it changed two other names, Augusta Antonina and New Rome, for a short period. Then, in honour of Constantine the Great, Istanbul was named Constantinople and became the new eastern capital of the Roman Empire.
Istanbul Tours – Konstantiniyye became the most formal
After the Ottoman conquest in 1453 the name Konstantiniyye became the most formal official name in Ottoman Turkish.With that name Istanbul became known in the Islamic world. It remained like that for most of the time up to 1923, the year Turkey became Republic. Ottoman authorities showed preferences to other names as well during that period.
