Views of İstanbul Views of İstanbul depicted in the 15th and
16th centuries were often schematic drawings that excluded
figures; for the most part, they appeared in sea atlases,
history and geography books. The city panoramas produced after
the 17th century, on the other hand, ceased to be mere drawings
of cartographers or architects, but evolved into landscapes that
conveyed the topography and natural setting of the city with
utmost sensitivity. During the 18th century, in which the city
increasingly expanded towards the Bosphorus, the scenes that
offered a view only from the north were replaced by wider
cityscapes that stretched towards the shores of Üsküdar and the
Bosphorus. The most commonly preferred spot for drawing İstanbul
panoramas was the slopes of Galata and European embassies
located in this area. Yet, after the 18th century, Bulgurlu Hill
on the slopes Üsküdar emerged as another vantage point. These
two angles provided the artists with the widest view of
İstanbul, both towards the Golden Horn an