About the Golden Horn

The Golden Horn, one of the oldest settlement centers in the world, was known as Khrysokeras in ancient times, meaning "Golden Horn" in Greek. The name of the region evolved to Keras during the Byzantine period and Haliç-i Konstantiniyye during the Ottoman era, eventually becoming known as the Golden Horn. The legend of the Istanbul Bosphorus, which includes the Golden Horn, originates from the forbidden love between Zeus, the king of gods, and Io, the daughter of King Inachos of Argos. According to the legend, the Bosphorus, or the Boğaz, derived its name from the story of the beautiful Io, who fell victim to the infidelity of the supreme god Zeus and the jealousy of his wife Hera. Zeus became enamored with Io, the daughter of the king of Argos. Afraid of Hera's wrath, Zeus transformed Io into a white cow after their encounter to protect her from his wife's anger. However, Hera was well aware of everything. First, she placed a vigilant guard with a hundred eyes on the cow's head, and when Io managed to overcome this obstacle with the help of Zeus and Hermes, Hera sent a horsefly to torment her. Poor Io wandered throughout the ancient world in an attempt to escape from this persistent horsefly. During her journey, she passed through the Istanbul Bosphorus, and the strait was named Bosphorus, meaning "Cattle Passage" in reference to the cow. However, Hera eventually took pity on the pregnant Io, as she herself was a mother, and she removed the horsefly. Io gave birth to a girl on the Asian shore, and they named her Keroessa. This girl later had a son named Byzas, who was fathered by the sea god Poseidon. Byzas established a city in the place of his birth.