Maps of Istanbul 1422-1922

256 pp, color figures, 100 maps, 12 folded map, hb, in Turkish-English bilingual.

To be able to see Istanbul from so hign up and yet to see into it so deeply. To look from the moon and touch a minaret or reach out from Mars and caress the dome of Hagia Sophia. For close to seventeen years almost all of these maps have passed through our hands and for those that did not, we have always had a picture of them in our minds.

Some that are close to five hundred years old look as though they have just left the press, while others more recent have been reduced to tatters. However as soon as we decided upon this book they all started to come to life notwithstanding their musty smell.

We are not historians, but we are Istanbullu and we all share the d bringing these extraordinary mysteries out into the light of day. It was down to Ayse Yetiskin Kubilay (PhD), who, with great application and expertise put them in their historical context. Tansel Baybara managed to create miracles with the graphic designer's skill and it goes without saying rid of this would have been conceivable without Ulkem Ozge Sevgilier. From the moment we decided to publish this book we were s by both enthusiasm and encouragement, the surprise of which still overwhelms and gives us pleasure now. From the very first draft, all those have contributed but a few words in counsel, have become partner enterprise.

However, there are a few who cannot pass without mention: first is born Nick Adjemoglou with his passion for Istanbul, and as if to prove that fact, he has dedicated years of his life to his extraordinary collection which he so generously shared with us, all the way from Athens. And ther our good friend Erhan Oner, who shared our enthusiasm, temperir all his own experience. Finally there are Bahattin Oztuncay and Mert Sandalci who have supported this project at every stage with their knowledge and experience.

We must extend our profound gratitude to the Agaoglu Group stinting support which they have contributed from the moment they first laid eyes on the project. We consider it a milestone in our publishing life the moment that Yalcin Balci came into our book store to pick through few volumes.

We ask for your understanding if we have overlooked anyone, but as we mentioned before, we are still a little overwhelmed.

The scent of Pera's vineyards remains in our nostrils still...