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Note. This has proved to
be a particularly difficult guide to put together. Info on Istanbul's gay
scene is very scetchy, with a lot of inaccurate info on the web. We will
continue to research the venues listed to ensure they do exist. If you
can offer any assistance, we'd very much appreciate it. 
Istanbul, historically known
as Byzantium and Constantinople, is the largest city in Turkey and 5th
largest in the world with a population of nearly 12 million. Istanbul is
also a megacity, as well as the cultural and financial centre of Turkey.
The city covers 39 districts of the Istanbul province. It is located on
the Bosphorus Strait and encompasses the natural harbour known as the Golden
Horn, in the northwest of the country. It extends both on the European
and on the Asian sides of the Bosphorus, making it the only metropolis
in the world that is situated on two continents.
In its long history, Istanbul
has served as the capital city of the Roman Empire (330–395), the Eastern
Roman (Byzantine) Empire (395–1204 and 1261–1453), the Latin Empire (1204–1261),
and the Ottoman Empire (1453–1922). The city was chosen as joint European
Capital of Culture for 2010.
The main gay area in Istanbul
is in the Taksim district.
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Istanbul -  |
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