The “Divanyolu” in Maurice Cerasi’s title refers to the main thoroughfare of Ottoman Istanbul. Cerasi uses the Divanyolu to provide a novel lens on the city. According to the author, the Divanyolu escaped the attention it deserves in existing literature because it was not perfectly axial or unitary as a throughway. It was not built for the display of monumentality or as a hub of commerce. Yet, it was central to urban culture because of its spatial character. Hence, the Divanyolu helps reimagine urban morphology in a city that has changed dramatically. In the Ottoman period, the “Divan” denoted the imperial chancery held in the Topkapı Palace. The thoroughfare was named after the Divan because of the regular appearances of the dignitaries on their way to it. The meaning of the term extended over time to refer to a council chamber, and presently to a day bed. Nevertheless, the Divanyolu remains as the official name of the avenue between Sultanahmet Square and Çemberlitaş in contemporary Istanbul Cerasi uses “Divanyolu” to indicate the avenue; in turn, “Divan axis” refers to its extension to the Gate of Edirne (Edirnekapı) on the city’s land walls (21, 27). The axis stretched out of Istanbul...