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Sultanahmet
Camii (Blue Mosque)
Built
in the early 1600’s during the reign of Sultan Ahmet, this remains the
centre of religious demonstrations in the Islamic religion. The nickname
of “blue mosque” was given due to the numerous blue Iznik tiles in the
interior, which illuminate from the light of the 260 windows. This is the
only mosque in the world with six minarets and forms part of the city’s
skyline. There are light shows held on summer evenings at the East Side of
the mosque.
Topkapi
Sarayi (Topkapi Palace)
Built
in the 15th century by Fatih Sultan Mehmet, this palace served as the
Ottoman residence fron the 1500’s to the 1800’s. It is located at the
junction of the Bosphorus, Marmara Sea and the Golden Horn. There are
several courtyards with beautiful trees and gardens. Inside, you will find
exhibits of oriental porcelain, crystal and silver, jewels and clothing
worn during the Ottoman reign. The Harem is a separate visit and must be
done through a guided tour. This is a must-see on during your visit!
Beylerbeyi Sarayi (Beylerbeyi Palace)
Located
on the Asian side of the Bosphorus, this marble palace was used by Sultans
throughout the years as a summer residence. In more recent years, it had
been used as a guesthouse for visiting foreign dignitaries. The palace
boasts a pool and fountain leading up to a magnificent staircase. The
grounds are decorated with kiosks and pavilions. One of the highlights is
the terraced garden of magnolias at the base of the Bosphorus Bridge.
Ciragan Palace
Built
in 1861, Sultan Abdülaziz had ordered the construction as a monument to
his reign. His family lived in the palace until 1910 and then used as the
house of Parliament. Two months later a fire destroyed the palace, only
leaving a shell. In 1946, it was handed over to the municipality and the
site was used as a city dump and a soccer field. The Kempinski Hotel Group
bought the palace in 1986 and converted it to exclusive suites for their
hotel next door.
Dolmabahce Sarayi (Dolmabahce Palace)
Located
on the European shore of the Bosphorus, it was built as a showplace by the
Ottomans. The luxurious interior features a ceremonial room with the
heaviest chandelier in the world. The royal bathroom has silver fixtures
with Egyptian alabaster. There are many halls and rooms containing gifts
from foreign dignitaries. You will see exquisite crystal items, even a
piano! This three-story building has 285 rooms, four large salons, six
galleries and six bathrooms. This is a fine representation of a wealthy
lifestyle.
Atmeydani
(Hippodrome)
Once
the scene of competitions (such as chariot races and massacres) between
political parties, the first track was built in 203 AD. The structure was
modeled after the Circus Maximus in Rome with an enlargement done by
Constantine in 324. Many obelisks, monuments and statues were built or
acquired by the victorious party. Today, only three are still standing.
This area is now a square which is the center of historical and cultural
activities.
Rumeli
Hisari (Rumeli Fortress)
Built
by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452 in preparation for the Ottoman siege, the
fortress was completed in four months. The purpose of the fortress was to
block ships from going in an out of Istanbul. Another fortress, Anadolu
Hisari was built on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. Here you will
find a museum and an amphitheater where events are held for the Istanbul
Music Festival
Aya
Sofya (Basilica of St. Sophia)
Built
by Constantine the Great, then upgraded by Justinian, the architecture was
way ahead of its time. The central dome has a half-dome at either side and
seems to be suspended in space. In the 19th century, extensive work was
done to make the church more resistant to earthquakes. The interior is
rich with mosaic tiles and arranged in murals. This is one of Istanbul’s
best know landmarks.
Yerebatan
Palace (Basilica Cistern)
Also
known as the Sunken Palace, it was used as the water reservoir for
the Byzantine Great Palace during the reign of Justinian in 532. Inside
the huge building, there is a few feet of water but wooden walkways have
been built for visitors. There are 336 columns supporting a cathedral
ceiling and some of them were taken from torn-down temples. The interior
of the building has special dim lighting and classical music is played to
create an eerie atmosphere. It is used as a gallery during the
International Istanbul Arts Biennial held September-October
Beyazit
Mosque (Beyazit Camii)
Styled
after Ayasofya with a large central dome and semi-domes, it was
built in the early 1500s on the site of the Forum of Tauri. Materials from
the forum were used in the mosque. This is one of the oldest mosques in
Istanbul and was the start of establishing a distinctive Ottoman
architecture. Sultan Beyazit II is buried at the rear of the gardens.
Eyüp
Sultan Camii (Eyüp Sultan Mosque)
Built
by Mehmet the Conqueror , this is one of the most sacred places in the
Islamic world. This mosque covers the tomb of Halid bin Zeyd Ebu Eyyûb
(known as Eyüp Sultan) who was the standard bearer for the Prophet
Mohammad. He was killed while serving as commander of the Arab forces
during the siege of 668. Masses of pilgrims attend this mosque to see this
sacred burial site
Fatih
Camii ve Külliyesi (Fatih Mosque and Complex)
The
first mosque was built between 1463 and 1470 over the ruins of the Church
of Apostles. The mosque and complex were rebuilt after the earthquake of
1766 destroyed the previous building. This was the home of Fatih Mehmet
the Conqueror who founded a university at the site. Today, this large
complex consists of schools, religious buildings, library, hospice and a
hospital.
Süleymaniye
Camii ve Külliyesi (Süleymaniye Mosque and Complex)
The
famous Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan built this mosque for Sultan Suleyman
the Magnificient in the 16th century. The mosque was a tribute to the
Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem because the name Süleyman is the Islamic
version of Solomon. In the complex there was a kitchen, stables, schools,
a hospital, cemetery and a harem. The sultan and his wife are buried in
elaborate tombs on the site and Sinan’s tomb is next to the garden
house.
Yildiz
Sarayi ve Parki (Yildiz Palace and Park)
Built
by Selim III for his mother at the end of the 18th century, this is one of
the last palaces built by the Ottoman sultans. In 1877, Abdulhamid II took
over the palace and set up the Royal Gardens that connected to the Ciragan
Palace. He planted rare flowers and trees in addition to building
fountains and pools. The sultan’s carpentry workshop, Marangozhane
is now a museum where you can see some of his woodworking projects. The
park is a popular spot for the locals who want to enjoy the gardens and
get away from the bustle of the city.
Kariye
Muzesi (Kariye Museum
The
original church was named Church of St Saviour in Chora and means
the church in the countryside. Built in the 11th century, it was converted
to a mosque in 1453. It is now longer used as a mosque and the original
mosaics have been preserved. You will also see lovely frescoes depicting
the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary. This museum contains the finest
display of Byzantine mosaics in the city.
Turk
ve Esleri Müzesi (Turkish and Islamic Art Museum)
Built
in 1524, it was once the residence of Ibrahim Pasa who was the Grand
Vizier to Süleyman the Magnificent. It contains over 40,000 items and
some date back to the 17th century. Included in the collection are
textiles, metalwork, calligraphy and woodwork. The feature of this museum
is the carpet display that has some exhibits dating back to the 13th
century
Archeoloji
Müzeleri (Archaeological Museums)
The
Istanbul Archaeology Museums are housed in three buildings just inside the
first court of Topkapi Palace. Besides the archaeology collection
in the main building, there are separate buildings for the Museum of
the Ancient Orient and the Cinili Kösk. The museums were
opened in 1891 as a result of Osman Hamdi Bey, a 19th century painter and
archaeologist who fought the government in order to stop the smuggling of
antiques out of Turkey. There are over 1 million items in this large
collection of artifacts from Egypt, Mesopotamia, Lebanon, and Turkey.
Mosaic
Museum
This
is a display of the flooring from the Bucolean Palace, which was first
discovered by excavators in 1933 underneath the Arasta Bazaar.
Later, in the 1950, further digs were done and more mosaics were
discovered and identified. These tiles are believed to originate from the
reign of Justinian (around 527 to 565) or even earlier. Several stores
that were on top of the flooring were closed down and the museum was built
to enclose the site.
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