From the cover:

“The book of the exhibition of the same name, organized for Habitat 2 City Summit in the old buildings of Imperial Mint. The exhibition presented a view of Istanbul as a centre whose political, economic and cultural influences are always intense and wide spread, but also a city its own particular character, using models, documentary films, video clips and digitally prepared panels. The Istanbul World City Exhibition is now available in the form of this lavishly produced book.”

“This exhibition aims to reflect a panorama by uniting the forms, lives and myths of Istanbul, which owes its existence to the wills of Byzas and Constantine the Great; Mehmet the Conqueror and Selim III, and of others in power, as well as the labour of millions. The exhibition relies on the contributions made by both scholars and artists; from Strabon to Tursun Bey; from Buondelmonte to Matraki; From Nedim to Pierre Loti; from Isidoros and Athemios to Sinan; from G. Fossati to Melling and From Ara Güler to Müller Wiener, as well as countless others who have thought, worked and created for Istanbul. The exhibition is based on the documents and accumulated knowledge handed down to us, and it is to the labours of these men of science and arts that the Exhibition of World City Istanbul is dedicated.