Istanbul was once Constantinople, the seat of the Ottoman Empire, and many of the vestiges of the ancient empire still remain, from the geography, to the architecture, to the food. The food in Istanbul is a mix of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean with some Western European influence as well, since Istanbul was and is still a major crossing point between Europe and the Middle East and Asia. This intercontinental traffic has both helped spread the Turkish culture, since it is so old, as well as influence Turkey with many different and unique cultures at the same time.