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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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5 Star Istanbul Hotels
Hotel Four
Seasons -
Hotel Ciragan Kempinski -
Hotel Ritz-Carlton
- Swissotel
Istanbul -
Hotel Hilton Istanbul -
Hotel
Hyatt Regency -
Hotel
Ceylan Inter Continental -
Hotel The
Marmara Istanbul -
Hotel Polat Renaissance -
Hotel
Holiday Inn Crown Plaza -
Hotel Merit
Antique -
Hotel
Topkapi Eresin - Swiss
Hotel Istanbul - Akgun
Hotel Istanbul
4
Star Istanbul Hotels
Lares Park Hotel -
Hotel Elite -
Hotel Taksim Gonen
- Hotel Aygun
Plaza - Hotel
Crystal - Nippon Hotel
- Hotel Lion -
Grace Hotel -
Hotel Arcadia -
Hotel Yasmak
Sultan - Hotel
Prince -
Hotel Senator -
Hotel Adela - Sed Hotel
- Taksim Plaza Hotel
- Green Park Taksim -
Keban Hotel -
Armada Hotel -
Accura Hotel -
Dilson Hotel -
Grand Halic Hotel -
Kalyon Hotel -
Color Hotel
Charming Istanbul Hotels
Hotel Yesilev
- Hotel
Sultanahmet Palace -
Hotel Blue
House - Hotel
Arena -
Hotel Sokullu Pasa -
Hotel Alzer -
Hotel Nena -
Spina Hotel -
Erguvan Hotel
Istanbul - Amber Hotel
- Avicenna Hotel -
acropol hotel
3
Star Istanbul Hotels
Pierre Loti Hotel -
Hotel Antea -
Hotel Grand Yavuz -
Hotel Ferhat -
Hotel Sunlight
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