From Constantinople to Istanbul: Tracing the Roman Empire’s Last Echoes (1453)

Ever since reading about the fall of the Roman Empire in "The Tide of Great Minds", I’ve been fascinated by Constantinople.
How grand were its walls?
How does the Bosphorus truly divide Asia and Europe?
How did the sultan manage to haul ships over land?
And why was a single chain able to block an entire fleet in the Golden Horn?

With a week off from work, I finally had the chance to step into the world I once knew only from books.
Before the trip, I was filled with anxiety—but once I arrived, I quickly found my rhythm.

Along the way, I met so many people:
an Italian girl diligently learning Chinese,
Turkish sisters traveling through their own city,
a joyful Polish family,
a young Algerian photographer,
friends from Syria,
a gentleman from Kuwait,
and travelers from all across China.

There were too many beautiful moments to capture them all.
People come here for different reasons, but Istanbul holds something for everyone—
the weight of history,
the elegance of Europe,
and the vibrant energy of Asia.

Everything here feels alive, vivid, and deeply human.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro
00:53 Day One - Wall of Constantinople
05:30 Day Two - Church and Mosque
11:41 Day Three - Galata
15:40 Day Four - Some Research