--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Istanbul is divided by time, not space…" description: "\"Istanbul is divided by time, not space. The first Istanbul is the Istanbul of the past. A long time ago, during the empire, it was beautiful, it was th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ae/burhan-sonmez-23988_age_istanbul-is-divided-by-time-not-space-th_156647.jpg" --- # Istanbul is divided by time, not space. The first Istanbul… ![“Istanbul is divided by time, not space. The first Istanbul is the Istanbul of the past. A long time ago, during the empire, it was beautiful, it was the glorious time of our nation, people say. Then, when they talk about today, they complain about it: It's very melancholic, it's very stressful…” quote by Burhan Sonmez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ae/burhan-sonmez-23988_age_istanbul-is-divided-by-time-not-space-th_156647.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ae/burhan-sonmez-23988_age_istanbul-is-divided-by-time-not-space-th_156647.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ae/burhan-sonmez-23988_age_istanbul-is-divided-by-time-not-space-th_156647.jpg) > “Istanbul is divided by time, not space. The first Istanbul is the Istanbul of the past. A long time ago, during the empire, it was beautiful, it was the glorious time of our nation, people say. Then, when they talk about today, they complain about it: It's very melancholic, it's very stressful. We've lost our golden age in the past, and now we're living in our dark era.” [Burhan Sonmez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burhan-sonmez/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Istanbul’s identity is split between its glorious past and a stressful present, creating nostalgia and melancholy. **In simple terms:** Istanbul lives in past and present tension. Key Takeaway Recognize both history and current challenges. Themes history nostalgia urban change Mood nostalgic reflective Type cultural philosophical When to use this quote - tourism - urban planning - personal identity Key Concepts cultural studies sociology Questions to Reflect On - What does Istanbul symbolize for you? - How can cities balance heritage and modernity? A Different Perspective Idealizing the past may hinder progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Golden age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/golden-age/) [Istanbul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/istanbul/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [Either I conquer Istanbul or Istanbul conquers me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmed-the-conqueror/either-i-conquer-istanbul-or-istanbul-conquers-me/) Mehmed the Conqueror > [When I decided to write a novel about Istanbul, I thought I should put the different faces of Istanbul into one book. 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