Highlights of Istanbul
More than 100 places are worth visiting in Istanbul. They range from Mosques, churches, palaces and museums to bazaars. For a breathtaking view across Istanbul, you can climb to Galata Tower. A selection of the Sights you should not miss is given below. If you have a short time, you will probably want to concentrate on the most famous monuments, namely Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern and Grand Bazaar which are located conveniently close to each other.
ISTANBUL
Istanbul is one of the greatest cities in the world with its famous historical imperial buildings and amazing panoramic beauties. It has located in the middle of historical world. It spreads over 2 continents where lies at a point that Europe and Asia met and split by a narrow strait called Bosporus. The historical age of Istanbul has been recorded to books as 6700 years old. But It has had a very popular period in history for 2500 years. After king Byzas had sent his first colony from Athens in 5th century BC. It has been very important strategic position of lands and seas by being crucial trade center. Over than 1600 years, more than 120 Emperors had ruled the world from here. There isn’t one more city in the world can be claimed such as specification.
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Highlights of Istanbul
The old city of Istanbul has been surrounded with the grand walls of 5th century. And the whole city has been standing on seven hills. Also It has adorned itself by the great mosques of Ottoman Emperors, Amazing imperial Churches of Byzantines, masterpieces of Turkish Architecture that crown the hills. These impressive buildings during the present days give a majestic, exquisite and serene silhouette from all directions. It has always been the city of tolerance where churches, synagogues and mosques have existed side by side. It has been growing dynamically at full speed on an east-west along the shores of Marmara Sea, Black Sea and Bosporus Strait.
Istanbul with its rich history and natural beauties is a very important visiting site and most attractive city in the world. Sultan Ahmet District where we can visit old imperial buildings such as Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace, Basilica Cistern and Grand Bazaar is the most important sight of the city. Exploring the city with its rich history takes minimum 3 days. Nowaday, Hagia Sophia Museum has been most visited museum of the world since 2007.
Istanbul is also very important shopping center for everybody. It had become the capital of magnificient Empires over then 1600 years. Therefore, they have reached the finest quality of art in many sections. Such as jewelry, home designs, fabrics, paintings, music calligraphy and many others. Grand Bazaar is the very good example of this market. And a Turkish Jewelry designer from Grand Bazaar, Sevan Bıcakci has become the best of the world since 2006.
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Blue Mosque
Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque) Sultan Ahmet I had offered to built it as an honor of his period. It was a large complex. Turkish people have called as Sultan Ahmet Mosque. However, tourists fascinated with the beautiful blue tiles always remember it as the Blue Mosque. The complex consisted of a mosque, tombs, madrasah, …
Hagia Sophia in Istanbul
Hagia Sophia is Greek Orthodox name of the building. Latins call Sancta Sophia, Turks call Ayasofya. Officially It is Hagia Sophia Holy Grand Mosque and formerly It was Church of Hagia Sophia. It is a late antique church of worship in Istanbul. Greek geometers Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles had design the building …
Topkapi Palace
Topkapi palace is the most extensive monument in Turkish civil architecture. The monument occupies 700,000 m2. It is a building complex of courts, pavilions, mosques and fountains. huge strong walls surround the the whole palace. Its name “TOPKAPI” is a compound and means “Cannon Gate”. When Mehmet ll conquered Istanbul in 1453, he had …
Prince’ Islands
During the summer months the Princes’ Islands are popular destinations for day trips from Istanbul. As there is no traffic on the Islands, the only transport being horse and cart, they are incredibly peaceful compared with the city of Istanbul. They are just a short ferry ride from both the Asian and European sides of …
Ancient Hippodrome
Hippodrome was the center of life in Byzantine Constantinople and Ottoman life in Constantinople for over 1.400 years. It was also the center of numerous political and civil battles, some brutal. It was an ancient Greek stadium for chariot racing and horse racing. The Greek ancient hippodrome of Constantinople had witnessed many civil wars too. …
Basilica Cistern
Basilica Cistern is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul. It had provided water for the Great Palace of Constantinople and other buildings on the first Hill. Also It had continued to provide water to the Topkapi Palace after the Ottoman Conquest in 1453. It has been a …
Grand Bazaar
Grand Bazaar has been in the center of Istanbul since 1461. It is one of the oldest and largest covered bazaars in the world. This old souk was the offer of Conqueror Mehmet II. It welcomes around 20.000 people a day during the busy times of the year. Grand Bazaar with its around 4000 shops, 66 …
Archaeological Museum of Istanbul
Ottoman Sultan had decreed to open an Imperial Archaeological Museum. When it opened to the public in 1891, it was the first one to feature Turkish art. Imperial decree protecting cultural goods in the Ottoman Empire enforced. Therefore many governors from the different provinces had sent in found arte-facts to the capital city. In that …
Spice Bazaar
Spice Bazaar is near the Flower Bazaar and behind the New Mosque in Eminonu district of Istanbul. It is one of the old covered bazaars. It is still very famous with herbalists and all kinds of spices, rare plant roots, dried fruits, nuts, saffron, Turkish delights, sweets, caviar and different food stuff. Only, the most …