ICONARP INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, cilt.5, ss.60-76, 2017 (ESCI)
Istanbul, having hosted many civilizations and cultures, has a long and important past. Due to its geopolitical locations, the city has been the capital of two civilizations-Ottoman and Byzantine Empires-which left its traces in the history of the world. Architectural and symbolic monuments built by these civilizations made an impression in all communities making the city a center of attraction. After each and every damage caused by wars, civil strifes, and natural disasters, maximum effort has been made to restore these symbolic buildings.