The Ottoman City of Seven Hills: Constantinople's Islamic Transformation

After Mehmed II's conquest, Constantinople wasn't just renamed Istanbul — it was physically remade as an Islamic capital. Episode 148 explores how the Ottoman sultans transformed the city's skyline, infrastructure, and identity between 1453 and the 16th century. We trace the building of the first imperial mosque complexes (külliye) on the city's seven hills, the repurposing of Hagia Sophia with minarets and mihrab, the creation of the Grand Bazaar, and the waterworks that supported a growing population. We also examine how non-Muslim communities were integrated through the millet system, and how Topkapi Palace reimagined Byzantine imperial traditions. Key figures include Mehmed II, Mimar Sinan, and the influential architect Atik Sinan. Listeners will gain a new understanding of how one city physically evolved while keeping its soul as a crossroads of worlds.

#OttomanEmpire #Istanbul #MehmedII #MimarSinan #HagiaSophia #TopkapiPalace #GrandBazaar #Külliye #MilletSystem #ByzantineArchitecture #IslamicArchitecture #SüleymaniyeMosque #FatihMosque #Constantinople #UrbanHistory #History #FexingoHistory #MiddleEast

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