Istanbul 2010

Today Google Turkey honored Istanbul for being named one of the European Capitals of Culture for 2010, along with Essen, Germany, and Pecs, Hungary. The European Capital of Culture program was started under the name European City of Culture in 1983 and named its first capital, Athens, in 1985. While this week has been marked by celebration in Istanbul many people feel that Istanbul might not be ready for this honor, underscoring the general tension that has existed between Turkey and Europe based on their fundamental cultural, economic, and governmental differences as Turkey seeks inclusion in the EU. Furthermore, the restoration process of the Capital has been hampered by many political snags as experts have been shut out of the planning process1. This logo wonderfully illustrates the Bosphorus Strait that runs through the city, the gateway between the Black sea and the Sea of Marara which leads to the Mediterranean. The Bosphorus Bridge is pictured, which is the 4th largest suspension bridge in the world. Also featured is the absolutely beautiful Maiden’s Tower which was built on a small islet in the strait which was originally built in 408 BC to monitor ship traffic. Overall this is a great Google logo that communicates the beauty of this historic city. The offical Istanbul 2010 website can be found at this link