The beginnings of the Istanbul University can be traced all the way to 1453, the year Constantinople (current Istanbul) was conquered by the Ottoman sultan Mehmet II, who was called Fatih (Conqueror) by contemporaries. Consequently, it is located in one of the oldest areas of Istanbul also carrying the Conqueror’s name – Fatih. Fatih is situated in the central part of the European side of Istanbul, a peninsula surrounded by waters of Golden Horn on the north, Bosphorus strait on the east, the Marmara Sea on the south, and the ancient Theodosian Wall on the west. This Historic Peninsula had witnessed the rise and fall of three empires: Byzantine, Roman, Ottoman and counts its history from 685 BC when the first Greek settlers started arriving here. Everything here breathes history: Hagia Sophia (the Church of Holy Wisdom), a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture; Topkapi Palace, a grand complex that served as a residency of the Ottoman dynasty for centuries; the magnificent Sultanahmet Mosque, an exquisite example of the Ottoman architecture; Aqueduct of Valens, a 4th AD century water supply system; Grand Bazaar, the oldest market in the world, and amazing objects. This place, probably, hosts the highest concentration of UNESCO world heritage sites per mile than any other place in the world!