Istanbul Istanbul Istanbul (, or or ; ), historically known as Byzantium and before 1924 as Constantinople, is the most populous city in Turkey and the country's economic, cultural, and historic center. Istanbul is a transcontinental city in Eurasia, straddling the Bosporus strait (which separates Europe and Asia) between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. Its commercial and historical center lies on the European side and about a third of its population lives on the Asian side. The city is the administrative center of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (coterminous with Istanbul Province), both hosting a population of around 15
The Union Church of Istanbul The Union Church of Istanbul The Union Church of Istanbul is an interdenominational, international, protestant, evangelical church, meeting since 1857 in the Dutch Chapel, which is located on the grounds of the Consulate General of the Netherlands in Istanbul (formerly the Embassy). It is only a few minutes walk on Istiklal Caddesi towards Taksim Square from the Sishane Metro station. In 1667 Justinus Colyer was the Dutch representative in Istanbul. He bought a piece of land off the Grand Rue de Pera (now Istiklal Caddesi), and there built a wooden palace. In order to protect important documents and furniture from