The Queen of Cities

Bettany Hughes travels to the magnificent city of Istanbul, powerbase of the Ottoman and Byzantine empires, a place that has fascinated her for over thirty years. Once known as Byzantium, Constantinople and now Istanbul, this is the Queen of Cities. Bettany goes behind the scenes to her favourite locations across the city uncovering its many rich layers of history. With special access to the wonders of Hagia Sophia, and its upper galleries, and the subterranean Basilica Cistern with its medusa head columns, this is a remarkable tour of Istanbul's gems discovering its stunning heritage. Visiting new archaeological digs at Besiktas Metro Station, Bettany reveals an Iron Age burial site, where new discoveries are made during her visit.