Which city stands on both sides of the Bosporus Strait?

Istanbul is the city that stands on both sides of the Bosporus Strait.

The Bosporus divides Istanbul’s European and Asian districts and connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara. Istanbul is therefore a transcontinental city, although most of its population and historic centre are on the European side. The city’s location made it a crucial crossing point between southeastern Europe and western Asia.

The settlement was founded as Byzantium, became Constantinople under the Roman and Byzantine empires, and was renamed Istanbul in common usage after the Ottoman conquest. It served as the capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires, but Turkey’s capital has been Ankara since 1923.

Several major bridges cross the Bosporus, and the strait is also heavily used by ships. The Golden Horn, a major inlet, lies on the European side and helps shape the historic peninsula. Istanbul is frequently mistaken for Turkey’s capital because of its size, history and global prominence.