Explore amazing Istanbul on 2 continents
Istanbul straddles Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus Strait. Its Old City reflects cultural influences of the many empires that once ruled here. In the Sultanahmet district, the open-air, Roman-era Hippodrome was for centuries the site of chariot races, and Egyptian obelisks also remain. The iconic Byzantine Hagia Sophia features a soaring 6th-century dome and rare Christian mosaics.
1. BASILICA CISTERN
The Basilica Cistern is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city. The cistern, located 150 metres (490 ft) southwest of the Hagia Sophia on the historical peninsula of Sarayburnu, was built in the 6th century during the reign of Byzantine emperor Justinian I. Today it is kept with little water, for public access inside the space.
2. BLUE MOSQUE
The Blue Mosque in Istanbul (official name: the Sultan Ahmed Mosque) is an Ottoman-era historical imperial mosque. It was constructed between 1609 and 1617 during the rule of Ahmed I and remains a functioning mosque today.
3. CAMLICA HILL
Çamlica Hill (aka Big Çamlica Hill to differentiate it from the nearby Little Çamlica Hill) is a hill in the Üsküdar district of the Asian side of Istanbul. At 288 m above sea level, Çamlica Hill offers a panoramic view of the southern part of Bosphorus and the mouth of the Golden Horn.
4. DOLMABAHCE PALACE
Located on the European coast of the Bosporus strait, Dolmabahce Palace Istanbul paints a vivid picture of the Ottoman Empire's glory days. The construction of the palace was the idea of Sultan Abdülmecid I, who was fuelled by an ambition to encapsulate the contemporary essence of his era. In doing so, he also wanted a monumental shift from the old-world allure of Topkapi Palace.
5. GALATA TOWER
The Galata Tower is an old Genoese tower in the Galata part of the Beyoglu. Built as a watchtower at the highest point of the Walls of Galata, the tower is now an exhibition space and museum, and a symbol of Beyoglu and Istanbul.
6. GRAND BAZAAR
The Grand Bazaar is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops on a total area of 30,700 m2, attracting between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. In 2014, it was listed No.1 among the world's most-visited tourist attractions with 91,250,000 annual visitors.The Grand Bazaar at is often regarded as one of the first shopping malls of the world.
7. HAGIA SOPHIA
An important Byzantine structure and one of the world’s great monuments Hagia Sophia, was built as a Christian church in the 6th century CE (532–537) under the direction of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. In subsequent centuries it became a mosque, a museum, and a mosque again. The building reflects the religious changes that have played out in the region over the centuries, with the minarets and inscriptions of Islam as well as the lavish mosaics of Christianity.
8. MAIDEN’S TOWER
The Maiden's Tower, also known as Leander's Tower (Tower of Leandros) since the Byzantine period, is a tower on a small islet at the southern entrance of the Bosphorus strait, 200 m (220 yd) from the coast of Üsküdar in Istanbul. Private boats ply back and forth between the tower and the shore throughout the day.
9. SULEYMANIYE MOSQUE
The Süleymaniye Mosque is an Ottoman imperial mosque located on the Third Hill of Istanbul, Turkey. The mosque was commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent and designed by the imperial architect Mimar Sinan. The Süleymaniye Mosque is one of the best-known sights of Istanbul and from its location it commands an extensive view of the city around the Golden Horn. It is considered a masterpiece of Ottoman architecture and one of Mimar Sinan's greatest works. It is the largest Ottoman-era mosque in the city.
10. SULTANAHMET SQUARE
The Hippodrome of Constantinople, was a circus that was the sporting and social centre of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire. Today it is a square in Istanbul, known as Sultanahmet Square.
11. THEODOSIAN WALLS
The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. The double Theodosian Walls, located about 2 km (1.2 miles) to the west of the old Constantinian Wall, were erected during the reign of Emperor Theodosius II (r.d 402–450), after whom they were named.
12. TOPKAPI PALACE
The Topkapi Palace, or the Seraglio, is a large museum and library in the east of the Fatih district of Istanbul. From the 1460s to the completion of Dolmabahçe Palace in 1856, it served as the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire, and was the main residence of its sultans.
EAT BAKLAVA
EAT A BALIK EKMEK (FISH SANDWICH)
EAT MISIR (CORN ON THE COB)
DRINK COFFEE
DISCOVER YOUR DREAM PLACE TO STAY
DISCOVER AMAZING PLACES TO EAT
DISCOVER FUN PLACES TO PLAY
WHEN TO GO: The best time to visit Istanbul is mid-spring, in April and May, and also fall, from September to October. During these times the Turkish capital enjoys pleasantly mild weather.
HOW TO GET THERE: Turkish Airlines and many other have daily flights to Istanbul.
HOW TO GET AROUND: Buy an Istanbul Kart and pay for the buses, metro, trams, boats and the funicular.
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