Istanbul is a very interesting city that presents its rich cultural history to travelers from all over the world. Established in the Neolithic Age, Istanbul is today a modern city that is loyal to its historical heritage with its museums, basilica and cathedrals, antique bazaars. Turkey’s largest city, between East and West, offers aura with intrigue and charm to appeal to all visitors.
Let’s take a look at some of Istanbul’s top tourist attractions:
10 – Galata Tower
The Galata Tower, 67 meters high, offers spectacular views of the old city and the surrounding area, reflecting Istanbul’s silhouette. The medieval stone tower, also called the Christ Tower, was the tallest building in Istanbul in 1348. The tower, which was established to inform the fires once, is an important tourist attraction nowadays. Today, there is a café, restaurant and a nightclub on the upper floors, accessible by elevator in a nine-floor building with stunning views.
9- Istanbul Archeology Museum
The Istanbul Archeology Museum, which is one of the most important antique museums in Turkey, is actually three museums, namely the Archeology Museum, the Antique Orient Museum and the Chinese Pavilion Museum. These three museums incorporate more than one million people in the world’s civilizations. This museum was established in Topkapı Palace, which was founded in 1891 and was the first Turkish museum. Tile Goods dates back to 1472. The museum contains thousands of valuable works including the sarcophagus of Alexander.
8- Kariye Museum
Visitors to the Kariye Museum say that the beautiful Byzantine art is worth visiting. Kariye, dating back to the days of Constantine, was a monastery in its early years; A few centuries later it was turned into a gallery and converted into a museum in 1948.
7- Yerebatan Cistern
The Basilica Cistern was built in the 6th century by Roman Emperor Justinian I. Located just a few steps away from the Blue Mosque, the underground cistern is built in place of a basilica built in the third century.
6- Dolmabahçe Palace
Dolmabahçe Palace, which is one of Turkey’s most magnificent palaces built using 14 tons of gold leaf in the 19th century, blends traditional Ottoman architecture with European styles Neoclassical, Baroque and Rococo. From 1856 to 1924 six sultans were hosted.
5- Suleymaniye Mosque
Suleymaniye Mosque visitors say that the beauty and peace of the mosque gives them spirituality and inspiration. The mosque, located at the Third Hill of Istanbul, was built by Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent in 1550. The mosque is really magnificent. It is one of the best examples of Islam and Byzantine architecture.
4- Grand Bazaar
For those who want to shop, the Grand Bazaar is one of the places that must be seen. It is considered to be one of the largest indoor market areas in the world with 5.000 stores. The Bazaar is a market where more than a quarter of a million visitors are sold per day, many items such as jewelery, floating or non-existent carpets, spices, antiques and hand painted ceramics.
3- Topkapı Palace
Topkapi Palace is one of the most important and most valuable tourist places to be seen in Istanbul. The Topkapi Palace dates back to the 15th century and is located on a hill overlooking the Marmara Sea, the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. At one time, it was an official royal residence of the Ottoman Empire sultans and the Turkish government, but it is now considered the world’s oldest and oldest palace.
2- Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque)
One of the magnificent mosques built in the early 17th century, the Blue Mosque is one of the active worshiped mosques today. The mosque, built by Sultan Ahmet, takes its name from the blue tiles on the dome and from the upper floors of the inner surface.
1- Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia was a place of worship which served a long time for various religions. When it was built in 537, worship began as a Greek Eastern Orthodox basilica hosted by Constantinople Patriarchate. It became a mosque in 1453 and remained there until 1931, and later it was closed. It was reopened as a museum in 1935. It was once the largest cathedral in the world and once inspired by other camellia including the Blue Mosque for being an excellent example of Byzantine architecture.
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