Rediscovering Istanbul’s Cosmopolitan Past

Abstract

The image of Istanbul as capital of one of the world’s greatest empires is often used to emphasize its cosmopolitanism, a convenient marketing tool in today’s global economy. Just as historical monuments are used to remind the tourist of Istanbul’s role as the cradle of civilization, the claim to cosmopolitanism employs the notion that, in Ottoman times, many religious and ethnic groups coexisted peacefully in the city. Yet in repackaging Istanbul in this way, certain signs of diversity are championed while others are notably passed over.