Istanbul bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics of the city, while the bottom reflects the Asian side, which are divided by the Bosporus. The colors are orange, which reflects the color of sunset in the city, and turquoise, which is connected to Turkish culture. Istanbul bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics Istanbul 2020 (Turkish: ) was a bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics by the city of Istanbul and the Turkish Olympic Committee. The Turkish Olympic Committee (TMOK) announced the selection of Istanbul as Turkey's candidate on July 7, 2011. Turkey's candidacy was announced officially by Prime Minister Erdogan on August 13, 2011. Hasan Arat, who heads
Names of Istanbul Names of Istanbul The city of Istanbul has been known by a number of different names. The most notable names besides the modern Turkish name are "Byzantium", "Constantinople", and "Stamboul". Different names are associated with different phases of its history and with different languages. According to Pliny the Elder the first name of Byzantium was "Lygos". This may have been the name of a Thracian settlement situated on the site of the later city, near the point of the peninsula (Sarayburnu). "Byzantion" (Βυζάντιον), Latinized as "Byzantium", was founded by Greek colonists from Megara in 667 BC. The name is believed