Historic Areas of Istanbul: a World Heritage Site on the Bosphorus peninsula
Background
The Historic Areas of Istanbul, in Turkiye, were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985 under criteria (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv), with a minor boundary modification in 2017. The property covers 765.5 ha. It is strategically located on the Bosphorus peninsula between the Balkans and Anatolia, the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, on a peninsula surrounded by the Golden Horn, or Halic, a natural harbour on the north, the Bosphorus on the east and the Marmara Sea on the south. Its architectural masterpieces reflect the meeting of Europe and Asia over many centuries. The four areas of the property are the Archaeological Park at the tip of the historic peninsula, the Suleymaniye quarter, the Zeyrek area and the area along both sides of the Theodosian land walls. Among the monuments are the Hagia Sophia, the 15th century Topkapi Palace and the Suleymaniye Mosque complex designed by architect Sinan.
In plain words
Golden Horn Halic — The natural harbour on the north of Istanbul's historic peninsula, named on the World Heritage listing as the Golden Horn or Halic.
Theodosian land walls — The landward fortifications of the old city; the land on both sides of them forms one of the four areas of the property.
Minor boundary modification — A small change to the mapped limits of a World Heritage property, approved without a fresh inscription; this property had one in 2017.