Fatih

Fatih () or the Historical peninsula (in Turkish: Tarihi Yarımada), is a municipality and district of Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its area is 15 km2, and its population is 368,227 (2022). It is home to almost all of the provincial authorities (including the mayor's office, police headquarters, metropolitan municipality and tax office) but not the courthouse. It encompasses the historical peninsula, coinciding with old Constantinople. In 2009, the district of Eminönü, which had been a separate municipality located at the tip of the peninsula, was once again remerged into Fatih because of its small population. Fatih is bordered by the Golden Horn to the north and the Sea of Marmara to the south, while the Western border is demarked by the Theodosian wall and the east by the Bosphorus Strait. thumb|alt=Fatih Istanbul by Oldypak lp photo|Panorama of Istanbul taken from Galata Tower. Shown from left to right: The Asian side of Istanbul, Topkapi palace, Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Galata bridge and New Mosque.thumb|Panorama of Fatih thumb|Walls of Constantinople|The Great Walls of Constantinople thumb|Column of Constantine

== History == === Byzantine era === Historic Byzantine districts encompassed by present-day Fatih include: Exokiónion, Aurelianae, Xerólophos, ta Eleuthérou, Helenianae, ta Dalmatoú, Sígma, Psamátheia, ta Katakalón, Paradeísion, ta Olympíou, ta Kýrou, Peghé, Rhéghion, ta Elebíchou, Leomákellon, ta Dexiokrátous, Petríon or Pétra, Phanàrion, Exi Mármara (Altımermer), Philopátion, Deúteron and Vlachernaí. === Ottoman period === The name "Fatih" comes from the Ottoman emperor Fatih Sultan Mehmed (Mehmed the Conqueror or Mehmed II), and means "Conqueror" in Turkish, from Arabic. The Fatih Mosque built by Mehmed II is in this district, while his resting place is next to the mosque and is much visited. Fatih Mosque was built on the ruins of the Church of the Holy Apostles, destroyed by earthquakes and years of war. A large madrasa complex was also built around the mosque.