Constantinople or Istanbul?

The name Istanbul officially replaced Constantinople in 1929 by a decision of the Republic of Turkey. There is a perception as if the name of the city changed from Constantinople or Constantinople to Istanbul after the conquest in 1453. This is absolutely false information.

While researching this topic, one of the first things I personally noticed was how common the misconception is that the city’s name changed immediately from Constantinople to Istanbul after the conquest in 1453. This idea is repeated so often that many people accept it as a historical fact, but it is actually incorrect.

Based on the sources I reviewed and the Ottoman records I examined, the city continued to be officially referred to as Constantinople or Konstantiniyye for centuries after the conquest. This was not only a habit among foreigners, but also a name widely used in official Ottoman documents. Renowned historians, including Prof. Dr. İlber Ortaylı, clearly confirm that this dual usage continued well into the late Ottoman period.

Was Istanbul called Constantinople after 1453?

After the conquest of Istanbul, the city continued to be called Constantinople or Constantinople for centuries. In addition, the famous historian Prof. Dr. İlber Ortaylı also confirms this information. Until the Republican period, the city continued to be called Konstantiniyye. In fact, we can see this in many Ottoman sources. Two common names for the city, Constantinople or Konstantiniyye, mean "the city of Constantine." The word Istanbul also comes from Greek. Istanbul, which is a combination of the words Stan and Polis, actually means "I'm going to the city".

The Republic of Turkey officially changed the name of Constantinople or Konstantiniyye to Istanbul in 1929. When Ankara was declared the capital of the Turkish Republic on October 29, 1923, Istanbul lost its capital status, which it had maintained since 330, that is, for 1600 years.