Istanbul is known as the 'city of the world's desire'. A place that has been the focus for believers of three different faiths: Paganism, Christianity and Islam. Simon Sebag Montefiore uncovers the city's ancient Greek roots, maps its transformation into the capital of a Christian empire by Constantine the Great and reveals how ecclesiastical clashes forced Eastern and Western churches apart.

Simon Sebag Montefiore explores modern Istanbul in search of traces of Christian Byzantium. During this era, the once glorious city was buffeted by east and west and yet still produced a golden artistic renaissance. He learns of the Christian crusaders who destroyed the city, and the Ottoman Muslims who restored it to life as an imperial capital after the epic siege of 1453.

Istanbul rose to become Islam's most powerful city. Simon Sebag Montefiore discovers surprises in the great mosques and palaces built by the Ottoman emperors and unearths stories of royal concubines, murderous bodyguards and mighty sultans. He shows how the Christians, Muslims and Jews of the city once co-existed before the waves of nationalist rebellions brought the Ottoman empire to its knees.