Istanbul and Water

Istanbul stands at a unique conjunction of an inland sea with a long

maritime inlet, and a winding, turbulent maritime strait that links two

seas and separates two continents. These topographical features have

greatly facilitated maritime trade, for which the city has had an

enormous harbor capacity. Istanbul’s relationship with fresh water is

also idiosyncratic: its dearth meant that fresh water for consumption

had to be channeled, stored, and distributed with the help of

long-distance aqueducts, open-air reservoirs and cisterns. The natural

environment combined with the norms of local societies created a culture

of water that has constituted an important part of Istanbul’s identity.

Various aspects of it are explored in this volume, the outcome of a

symposium organized by Koc University’s Research Center for Anatolian

Civilizations. The eleven essays by leading scholars present research

findings from the archaeological excavations at Yenikapi, examine the

distribution and consumption of water in Byzantine times as well as the

social impact of water in the Ottoman era, and offer reflections on the

aesthetics of water.