The Emergence of Modern Istanbul: Transformation and Modernisation of a City

In its transition from 18th century capital of the Ottoman Empire to economic powerhouse of the Turkish Republic, the city of Istanbul has been transformed beyond recognition. Using newly released archive sources, Murat Gül charts the urban transformation of Istanbul during the late Ottoman, early Republican and the Democrat Party periods of Turkish history. After the establishment of the Republic, Turkey increasingly turned to the West for ideas about how to develop a modern culture, particularly in its most populous city. Istanbul became a forum for the different regimes to display their political, ideological and social policies in the context of the built environment. Gül traces the impact of these changing policies on the very fabric of the city itself -- in its streets, buildings and landscapes -- and in the process provides new insights into the history of Turkey.