Turkey 🇹🇷 part 2. This majestic city was once part of two of the most glorious empires in history. It was considered the cradle of Orthodox Christian Civilization starting from the 5th Century all the way up till the 13th Century. The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire had unwavering control over Constantinople for 1,123 years. This came to an end in 1453 when the Ottoman Empire mustered an army of approximately 65,000 men that eventually brought the city to its knees. This major historical event was a significant catalyst which brought a new Islamic era to the region. The Ottomans carried on to rule over the city for the next 450 years until the dissolution of the Empire in 1922. Did you know that Istanbul is the only city in the world situated between two continents only to be separated by the Bosphorus Strait.