The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1896-03-18
TURKEYS CAPITAL.
Some Fresh Facts About the City
Of the Golden Horn.
Past and Present Aspect of the Great
Metropolis of the Mohammedans-The
Population and Principal Build
ings of the City.

NOW TnaU puDllc dGlSuUlOH 10 ~ hOCA
Nv drawn to the almost anarchic state
of Turkey, the following particulars
of the capital of the Ottoman empire
will be of interest: Byzantium, Islam
boul, or Constantinople as the place
has been variously called, IS situated
at the junction of the Bosphorus and
the Sea of Marmora, and may be said
to be composed of three distinct towns,
viz. STEAMBOAT, Pera-Galata and Scutari.
The two first named are on the Eu-
ropean shore, and are divided by the
creek called the Golden Horn, while
Scutari lies on the Asiatic side, and is
separated from them by the Bospho-
rus. STEAMBOAT, or Constantinople
proper, occupies the site Of ancient By
zantium, and, like ancient Rome, is
built on seven hills. On the first of
these are the Old Seraglio and the ia
nous mosque of Santa Sophia. Siam
boul lies on a triangular promontory
washed by the waters of the Golden
Horn on the north, and by the limpid
Sea of Marmora on the south. while the
swift current of the Bosphorus flows
past it's eastern front.
Scutari, although suburb of Con-
stantinople, is practically separate
town, the distance across the water
being about two miles. 1t largely re-
scmbles STEAMBOAT, both externally and
internally, with it's numerous mosques,
it's bazaars, public baths and manufac-
tories. 1t will be remembered chiefly
by English readers on account OF
its hospital having been used by the
Anglo French army in the winter Of
1s54-5 and by reason of it's beautiful
English cemetery with it's monument
to the heroes of the Crimean campaign.
Its population is now about 10000, that
of the whole capital being about $780,
000.
STEAMBOAT is the native city, and con-
tains most of the government and pub
liz buildings. Here are situated for in
stance, the sublime porte Ia, gateway
of justice, from which the government
of Turkey takes it's name), the war
office, the seraglio. the law courts, the
railway station, the custom house, the
mosques of Santa Sophia and count
less others; the mint and museums, the
Han Yeni, and the Egyptian bazaars.
The landward side of the city of Theo-
dosius, rebuilt in AT A. D., and now in
a ruinous state.
Pera-Galata is the European or Chris
tan town, and the center of business,
the Imperial, Ottoman and other banks,
the exchange, and steamship and mer-
chants Offices being in Galata. Most of
the embassies are situated on the hill
OF Pera. The principal street of Con-
stantinople, where all the European
shops are, is the Grande Rue de Pera,
and the next in importance is the Rue
Tepe Bachi, along which the Pera-
Galata trans run, and where the best
hotels, the British embassy and the
Petits Champs Municipality gardens
are situated. The Yildiz Kiosk, where
at present the sultan resides, is practi-
cally in the country, about four miles
from the sublime porte. The palace
is surrounded by barracks, where
large force OF the Imperial Guards is
CHARTERED; and no strangers are al
lowed to enter the gates.
The Golden Horn-La Corne dor,
Chryso Keras-call it what you will,
the name of the classic waterway is one
with which to conjure. That it's greater
glory is now gone is not to be disputed;
that it still remains the most interest
ing strip of water in the world is as lit
tie to be denied. On one side of it rises