Writing the monograph of a city is never an easy task, I am sure. even more difficult if the city is Istanbul, once known as Byzantium or Constantinople. The historian, Simon Sebag Montefiore takes on such a challenge trying to squeeze so much into a 3-hour BBC documentary aired in december 2013. You have no other choice but to leave out some stories while bringing some forth. It is a matter of  choice. Sometimes a personal choice that I do respect. It is this selection that forms the whole narrative. There are things to criticize, but today I would rather enjoy the aerial footage of my home city, which I am not used to seeing so often.

In the first episode, the Greek heritage,  Pagan  Byzantium is explored. In the second one, he traces his-story of the city in the Christian Constantinople while the last one focuses on the Ottoman Konstantinniye, a muslim capital and lastly modern Istanbul of the Turkish Republic. He is way too enthusiastic, and  passionate while dashing into the streets of Istanbul. At the end of 3 hour-journey, I was totally exhausted. So take your time, one episode at a time, I would say…! 

 

Byzantium.A.Tale.of.Three.Cities.1of3. by nhnvrl

Byzantium.A.Tale.of.Three.Cities.2of3 by nhnvrl

BBC.Byzantium.A.Tale.of.Three.Cities. 3 of 3. by nhnvrl

 

 

Tags:  aerial footage BBC Bosphorus byzantine heritage Byzantium Constantinople documentary emperors Golden Horn Hagia Sophia inspiration mosques old town ottoman heritage Republican heritage Simon Sebag Montefiore TV series