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Hagia
Sophia (Ayasofya) |
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Hagia Sophia was, for nearly a
thousand years, the largest enclosed space in the world,
and still seen as one of the world's most important
architectural monuments. It is one of Turkey's most
popular attractions, drawn by the sheer spectacle of its
size, architecture, mosaics and art. For 916 years it was
a church, then a mosque for 481 years, and since 1935 has
been a museum.
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Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan
Sarnici) |
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The Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarayi)
is located near Haghia Sophia, at the beginning og the
Yerebatan Avenue. Byzantium was supplied with water
through the Aqueduct of Valens built in 375 and which
still can be seen between the Fatih district and the
Süleymaniye Mosque. Most of the cisterns were not used any
longer by the Ottomans who prefered running water. The
largest and the most beautiful in architecture is the
Basilica Cistern built by Justinian. It is 140m/460 ft
long and 70m/230ft wide. The vaults made of brick are
supported by 336 columns most of which are topped with
corinthian style capitals. Two beautiful heads of Medusa
coming from antique temples are used as bases. "Sound and
light" effects increase the strangeness of the place that
the Ottomans named the "underground palace".Not very far,
there is a dried underground cistern called "1001 columns
cistern" (Binbirdirek Sarnici). (open 09.00 - 17.00.)
closed Tuesdays
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Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue
Mosque) |
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This mosque was built by Sultan Ahmet
I during 1609-1616 in the square carrying his name in
Istanbul. The architect is Sedefkar Mehmet Aga. It is the
only mosque in Turkey with six minarets. The mosque is 64
x 72 m in dimensions. The central dome is 43 m in height
and is 33.4 m in diameter. 260 windows surround the mosque.
Due to its beautiful blue, green and white tilings it has
been named the "Blue Mosque" by Europeans. The
inscriptions were made by Seyyid Kasim Gubari.
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Topkapi
Palace |
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One of the most astounding and popular
places to visit in Istanbul is Topkapi Palace, the
symbolic and political centre of the Ottoman Empire
between the 15th and 19th centuries. It stands on the tip
of land where the Golden Horn, the Sea of Marmara and the
Bosphorus come together, and is a maze of buildings
centered around a series of courtyards, typical of Islamic
tradition. Such is the complexity of each building, it
will take many hours in order to be explored properly. It
was built between 1466 and 1478, a couple of years before
the death of Fatih. Unlike any European Palace, its
architecture is predominantly Middle Eastern in character.
The initial construction was Cinili Mansion, a Glass
Palace finished in 1472, and the imposing main gate facing
Sultanahmet, Bab-I Humayun, and the Palace ramparts, were
completed in 1478. There were originally 750 residents of
the Palace, during Fatih's period, which became
drastically more congested reaching 5000 during normal
days and 10,000 during festivals. Extensions had to be
built, and the harem was completed in 1595 during the
third Sultan Murad's era, after which the harem residents
were moved in from the palace at Beyazit, with a total of
474 concubines. Special tours of the Harem are available.
The Harem, literally meaning “forbidden” in Arabic, was
the suite of apartments in the palace belonging to the
wives, concubines and children of the head of the
household. Around the Harem were the Circumcision Room,
the apartments of the Chief Black Eunuch, and apartments
of the sultan – in total over 400 rooms. Other highlights
in the Palace are the Spoonmaker's Diamond (the fourth
largest diamond in the world), the Topkapi Dagger, (a gift
from Mahmut I), a vast collection of paintings and
miniatures, and the Pavilion of the Holy Mantle (including
a footprint, a tooth and a hair of the Prophet Mohammed).
Opening hours: Daily 09.00 – 17.00, winter closed Tuesday.
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Dolmabahce
Palace |
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Built in the reign of Sultan I
Abdulmecit during the 19th century, this over-ornate
palace lies along the European coast of the Bosphorus.
Dolmabahce Palace was constructed between 1843 and 1856,
mixing different European artistic influences and built by
Abdulmecit's architect, Karabet Balya. It was built over
three levels, and symmetrically planned, with 285 chambers
and 43 halls. It has a 600m long pier along the river,
with two huge monumental gates. The palace is surrounded
by well-maintained and immaculate gardens, with an immense
56-columned greeting hall, with 750 lights illuminated
from 4.5 tonnes of crystal chandelier. The entrance was
used for meeting and greeting Sultans, and opposite the
ceremonial hall was the harem. The interior decoration,
furniture, silk carpets and curtains all remain with
little defect. The palace has a level of luxury not
present in most other palaces, with walls and ceilings
decorated with gold, and European art from the period. Top
quality silk and wool carpets, southeast Asian hand-made
artifacts, and crystal candlesticks adorn every room. The
men's hamam (public bath) is adorned with alabaster marble,
and the harem also contains the Sultan's bedrooms and the
women and servants' divisions. One of the highlights is
the throne room, which stands at an amazing 36-metres high
– almost twice the height of the rest of the rooms. The
east wing is home to the Museum of Fine Arts. Opening
hours: Daily 09.00 – 16.00, except Monday and Thursday.
Telephone number to book guided tours: (0212) 23 69 600.
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Galata Tower
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The tower was built by the Genoese in
1348, during their occupation of the area, primarily to
prevent attacks. Originally known as the Tower of Christ,
it stood above the fortification surrounding the Genoese
city-state. There is a spiral rock staircase which ascends
to the top viewing platform, which today offers visitors
spectacular 360 degree panorama of the entire city. The
tower was restored in 1967, and an elevator was installed
to offer a less tiring alternative to the steep climb.
There is also a restaurant on the top floor.
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The New
Mosque (Yeni Cami) |
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It is at Eminönü. When mosque
construction, which is started on 1597 by III. Mehmets
mother, Safiye Sultan, had reached to window level, ruler
and his mother had died. Uncompleted construction is
completed with the desire of IV. Mehmet's mother, Turhan
Sultan on 1663.
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Sultanahmet |
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Many places of tourist interest are
concentrated in Sultanahmet, heart of the Imperial Centre
of the Ottoman Empire. The most important places in this
area, all of which are described in detail in the “Places
of Interest” section, are Topkapi Palace, Aya Sofia,
Sultan Ahmet Camii (the Blue Mosque), the Hippodrome,
Kapali Carsi (Covered Market), Yerebatan Sarnici and the
Museum of Islamic Art. In addition to this wonderful
selection of historical and architectural sites,
Sultanahmet also has a large concentration of carpet and
souvenir shops, hotels and guesthouses, cafes, bars and
restaurants, and travel agents.
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Beyoglu
Taksim |
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Beyoglu is an interesting example of a
district with European-influenced architecture, from a
century before. Europe's second oldest subway, Tunel was
built by the French in 1875, must be also one of the
shortest – offering a one-stop ride to start of Taksim.
Near to Tunel is the Galata district, whose Galata Tower
became a famous symbols of Istanbul, and the top of which
offers a tremendous 180 degree view of the city. From the
Tunel area to Taksim square is one of the city's focal
points for shopping, entertainment and urban promenading:
Istiklal Cadesi is a fine example of the contrasts and
compositions of Istanbul; fashion shops, bookshops,
cinemas, markets, restaurants and even hand-carts selling
trinkets and simit (sesame bread snack) ensure that the
street is packed throughout the day until late into the
night. The old tramcars re-entered into service, which
shuttle up and down this fascinating street, and otherwise
the street is entirely pedestrianised. There are old
embassy buildings, Galatasaray High School, the colourful
ambience of Balik Pazari (Fish Bazaar) and restaurants in
Cicek Pasaji (Flower Passage). Also on this street is the
oldest church in the area, St Mary's Draperis dating back
to 1789, and the Franciscan Church of St Antoine,
demolished and then rebuilt in 1913. The street ends at
Taksim Square, a huge open plaza, the hub of modern
Istanbul and always crowded, crowned with an imposing
monument celebrating Attaturk and the War of Independence.
The main terminal of the new subway is under the square,
adjacent is a noisy bus terminal, and at the north end is
the Ataturk Cultural Centre, one of the venues of the
Istanbul Theatre Festival. Several five-star hotels are
dotted around this area, like the Hyatt, Intercontinental
and Hilton (the oldest of its kind in the city). North of
the square is the Istanbul Military Museum. Taksim and
Beyoglu have for centuries been the centre of nightlife,
and now there are many lively bars and clubs off Istiklal
Street, including some of the only gay venues in the city.
Beyoglu is also the centre of the more bohemian arts scene.
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Kiz Kulesi
(Leander Tower) |
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Considered to be symbolic of Istanbul,
this tiny tower was established on a small island at the
entrance of the Bosphorus. In the past, it was used as a
watchtower and a lighthouse, until its present purpose of
a tourist attraction. Western sources describe this as
Leander's Tower, who was drowned while swimming, to reach
his lover Hera. Another story suggests that it was a tower
where an emperor's daughter put her there for security,
having dreamt that she would be bitten by a snake.
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The
Bosphorus |
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A stay
in Istanbul is not complete without a traditional and
unforgettable boat trip up the Bosphorus, the winding strait
that separates Europe and Asia. Its shores offer a
delightful mixture of past and present, grand splendour and
simple beauty. Modem hotels stand next to yali (shorefront
wooden villas), marble palaces alongside rustic stone
fortresses, and elegant compounds neighbour small fishing
villages. The best way to see the Bosphorus is to board one
of the passenger boats that regularly zigzag along the
shores. Embark at Eminonu, and stop alternately on the Asian
and European sides of the strait. The round trip excursion,
very reasonably priced, takes about six hours. If you wish a
private voyage, there are agencies that specialise in
organising these, day or night.
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Beylerbeyi Palace |
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Beylerbeyi, in which the Asian Tower
of Bosphorus Bridge was constructed, is a beautiful
district allotted for palaces since the Byzantium era.
Sultan Abdulaziz built the Palace, to replace the older,
wooden palace, between 1861 and 1865. Eastern and Turkish
motifs are used with Western design elements, on the sides
and for internal decoration, and the atmosphere is
something resembling that of Dolmabahce Palace. The
building comprises of three floors, and contains 26 rooms
and six halls, which includes the harem and mens greeting
rooms. The interior is decorated with Bohemian chandeliers,
valuable tiles and ceramic vases. Silver-edged furniture
and luxurious carpets add something to the beauty, and
even till today the authentic furniture, carpets, curtains
and other property have been well preserved. A huge pool,
terraces and stables, face the back cliff. A road and
tunnel, used until 1970, passed under the palace garden
and were used by the most distinguished foreign
dignitaries when visiting the palace. Open daily except
Monday and Thursday.
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Çiragan Palace
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The most picturesque spots along the
Bosphorus and Golden Horn were reserved for the palaces
and mansions for the Sultans, and other important
dignitaries, most of which have now gone. The huge palace
was constructed by architect Serkis Balyan in 1871, as
appointed by Sultan Abdul Aziz, from the ruins of the old
palace. The interior was rebuilt, at a cost of four
million gold coins, beginning with covering the ceiling
with wood and the walls with marble. The rooms were
decorated with rare carpets, furniture, gold and silver.
The sides of the building were decorated with coloured
marble, and monumental gates connected it to Yildiz Palace,
via a bridge, which is how the harem women went between
the two, in total privacy. It briefly housed the Turkish
Parliament from 1908, but was destroyed by a fire two
years later, and was only rebuilt in 1991. Now, it is
Istanbul's premier luxury hotel, and has retained
something of its former glory.
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Museum of Turkish and Islamic
Art |
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Built in 1524 by Ibrahim Pasa, the
Grand Vizier to Suleyman the Magnificent, this was
originally a palace and the grandest private residences in
the Ottoman Empire – and one of the few which have
survived. Some of it, however, was destroyed and rebuilt
in stone to the original designs in 1843. Now home to the
museum, this is considered one of the finest collections
of Islamic art in the world, with a superb display of
ceramics, metalwork, miniatures, calligraphy and textiles,
as well as some of the oldest carpets in the world.
Equally as impressive is the grace of the building, with
the central courtyard giving something of an insight into
the atmosphere of the residence. Opposite is the Great
Hall, which houses a collection of Turkish carpets, with
exquisite antique carpets and kilims and one of the finest
collections in the world, the oldest exhibit dating back
to 13th century. Opening hours: 09.00 – 17.00, closed
Mondays
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