Istanbul, the former capital of Byzantium - Constantinople, is located on the banks of the Bosphorus. This is one of the most beautiful and colorful cities in the world. This is truly a city of contrasts, as the character of the famous film correctly noted. Here you can find everything - from ancient monuments to ultra-modern engineering buildings. Istanbul is the center of unique cultural and historical sites of world significance. It is a city of countless ancient churches, mosques, palaces, fortresses, squares and fountains. At the same time, it is also a generally recognized shopping center with world brands, many factories for the production of leather goods, so dear to the hearts of domestic shuttle traders, a huge number of small shops and shops in the national style and restaurants for every taste. Today Istanbul is one of the most major tourist centers, it is visited annually by more than 3 million people.