?Byzantium, Constantinople, Istanbul: these are only three names that have been given to the city that straddles two continents, was the capital of two multinational empires and is today a vibrant commercial and artistic city, the largest in Turkey and, after Moscow, the largest in Europe. With its location as a port, Istanbul has always absorbed ideas, people and styles from north, south, east and west. Its multiculturalism is a microcosm of the worlds. Neither standard guide nor conventional history, this is rather a celebration of an extraordinary city, reviewing its imperial histories and exploring some of its lesser known corners.

Peter Clark has known Istanbul since the early 1960s and is a regular visitor. He is a writer, translator and consultant and worked for the British Council in the Middle East for thirty years.