Istanbul
Istanbul ranks 35th in number of biographies on Pantheon, behind Florence, Mexico City, and San Francisco. The most famous people from Istanbul are Selim II, Orhan Pamuk, and Şehzade Mehmed. The most famous people who died in Istanbul are Mustafa I, Safiye Sultan, and Abdulmejid I. Istanbul has been the birth place of many politicians, and actors and the death place of many politicians, and writers. Istanbul is located in Türkiye.
Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With a population over 15 million, it is home to 18% of the population of Turkey. Istanbul is among the largest cities in Europe and in the world by population. It is a city on two continents; about two-thirds of its population live in Europe and the rest in Asia. Istanbul straddles the Bosphorus—one of the world's busiest waterways—in northwestern Turkey, between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. Its area of 5,461 square kilometers (2,109 sq mi) is coterminous with Istanbul Province. Under the Köppen climate classification, Istanbul's climate is considered a form of Mediterranean climate, with aspects of other temperate climate types. Read more on Wikipedia
People
Between 0 and 2003, Istanbul was the birth place of 271 globally memorable people, including Selim II, Orhan Pamuk, and Şehzade Mehmed. Additionaly, 186 globally memorable people have passed away in Istanbul including Mustafa I, Safiye Sultan, and Abdulmejid I.
People Born in Istanbul
Go to all RankingsSelim II
POLITICIAN
1524 - 1574
HPI: 85.83
Rank: 1
Orhan Pamuk
WRITER
1952 - Present
HPI: 78.34
Rank: 2
Şehzade Mehmed
NOBLEMAN
1522 - 1543
HPI: 78.23
Rank: 3
Stefan Dušan
POLITICIAN
1308 - 1355
HPI: 76.79
Rank: 4
Enver Pasha
POLITICIAN
1881 - 1922
HPI: 76.30
Rank: 5
Julius Nepos
POLITICIAN
430 - 480
HPI: 76.23
Rank: 6
Pope John VII
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
650 - 707
HPI: 75.83
Rank: 7
Dionysius Exiguus
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
475 - 544
HPI: 75.75
Rank: 8
Pope Vitalian
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
600 - 672
HPI: 75.37
Rank: 9
Pope Sabinian
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
530 - 606
HPI: 75.35
Rank: 10
Clement of Ohrid
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
840 - 916
HPI: 74.69
Rank: 11
Zosimus
WRITER
460 - 520
HPI: 74.67
Rank: 12
Newly Added People Born in Istanbul
Go to all Rankingsİsmail Kartal
COACH
1961 - Present
HPI: 56.19
Rank: 132
Şevval Sam
ACTOR
1972 - Present
HPI: 51.76
Rank: 178
İbrahim Kalın
POLITICIAN
1971 - Present
HPI: 49.98
Rank: 188
Bennu Yıldırımlar
ACTOR
1969 - Present
HPI: 49.73
Rank: 190
Seçkin Özdemir
ACTOR
1981 - Present
HPI: 49.34
Rank: 193
Özge Özpirinçci
ACTOR
1986 - Present
HPI: 48.80
Rank: 200
Mike Lazaridis
BUSINESSPERSON
1961 - Present
HPI: 48.59
Rank: 202
Jale Arıkan
ACTOR
1965 - Present
HPI: 47.86
Rank: 204
Bilal Erdoğan
BUSINESSPERSON
1981 - Present
HPI: 47.65
Rank: 207
Güler Duman
SINGER
1967 - Present
HPI: 47.59
Rank: 209
Feride Çetin
ACTOR
1980 - Present
HPI: 46.99
Rank: 212
Birkan Sokullu
ACTOR
1985 - Present
HPI: 46.47
Rank: 215
People Deceased in Istanbul
Go to all RankingsMustafa I
POLITICIAN
1591 - 1639
HPI: 82.18
Rank: 1
Safiye Sultan
POLITICIAN
1550 - 1619
HPI: 79.14
Rank: 2
Abdulmejid I
POLITICIAN
1823 - 1861
HPI: 78.90
Rank: 3
Rüstem Pasha
POLITICIAN
1500 - 1561
HPI: 78.62
Rank: 4
Adam Mickiewicz
WRITER
1798 - 1855
HPI: 78.60
Rank: 5
Hafsa Sultan
POLITICIAN
1479 - 1534
HPI: 78.58
Rank: 6
Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1837 - 1897
HPI: 73.56
Rank: 7
Mahfiruz Hatun
POLITICIAN
1590 - 1620
HPI: 73.55
Rank: 8
Talal of Jordan
POLITICIAN
1909 - 1972
HPI: 71.92
Rank: 9
Isma'il Pasha
POLITICIAN
1830 - 1895
HPI: 71.90
Rank: 10
Fahri Korutürk
POLITICIAN
1903 - 1987
HPI: 71.58
Rank: 11
Gülnuş Sultan
POLITICIAN
1642 - 1715
HPI: 71.16
Rank: 12
Occupations
Most individuals born in present day Istanbul were politicians (65), actors (50), writers (30), soccer players (19), and singers (15), while most who died were politicians (86), writers (36), soccer players (9), actors (8), and religious figures (6).
Occupational Trends
Over the past 100 years, actors have been the top profession of globally memorable people born in Istanbul, including Tchéky Karyo, Halit Ergenç, and Kemal Sunal. Whereas, throughout history, politicians have been the profession with the most memorable people born in present day Istanbul, including Selim II, Stefan Dušan, and Enver Pasha.
Places
Overlapping Lives
Below is a visual represetation of the lifespans of the top 25 globally memorable people born in Istanbul since 1700.




































