Tourist Attractions In Istanbul

Sightseer’s Delight. Istanbul’s variety fascinates its visitors because one gets to see the remnants of three empires – Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman. The museums, churches, palaces, great mosques, bazaars and sights of natural beauty seem inexhaustible. For the purpose of this guide, we will divide the sights to see into Museums, Palaces, Mosques and Monuments. Whatever you decide, remember it takes more than a visit to see it all!

Museums
Located within the gardens of the Yildiz Palace is the City Museum that preserves the history of Istanbul since the Ottoman conquest. (Open every day except Thursday.) The gorgeous Chora Church near the Edirnekapi (Adrianople Gate) is a Byzantine building (made in 11th century but restored later) with beautiful 14th century mosaics. It was converted into a mosque and is now a museum.  Chora Church

The Archaeological Museums are inside the first court of Topkapi Palace. See the celebrated Alexander Sarcophagus among its antique treasures. The Museum of the Ancient Orient houses artifacts from the Sumerian, Assyrian, Hatti and Hittite civilizations – that dates back 3000 years! (Open every day except Monday.)

St. Irene Museum, originally a church, was the first church to be built in Istanbul, commissioned by Constantine (4th century) and restored by Justinian (6th century). (Open every day except Monday.)
Hagia Sophia  The Ayasofya Museum (originally The Basilica of St. Sophia) is a mingling of the Christian Constantinople and Muslim Istanbul.

Built by Constantine the Great, its immense dome rises 55metres above the ground and its diameter spans 31metres.Ataturk converted Aya Sofya into a museum from a mosque. Linger here to absorb the building’s majestic serenity and to admire the fine Byzantine mosaics. (This museum is open every day except Monday.)

Originally built as a pavilion by Mehmet the Conqueror in the 15th century, the Cilini Kosk houses the Museum of Turkish Ceramics. It contains beautiful Iznik wares from the 16th century and excellent examples of Sejluk and Ottoman pottery and tiles.

The Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art holds a superb collection of ceramics, metalwork, miniatures, calligraphy, textiles, woodwork and some of the oldest carpets in the world. This was the residence to Ibrahim Pasa, Grand Vizier to Suleyman the Magnificent, and built in 1524. It is the grandest private residence ever built in the Ottoman Empire.

Across the street is the Museum of Turkish Carpets that contains exquisite antique carpets and kilims gathered from al over Turkey. (Open every day except Sunday and Monday.)

The Mosaic Museum houses a collection of fine mosaic pavements that remain from the Great Palace of the Byzantine emperors. The amazing underground cistern, Yerebatan Sernici, a remnant of the Byzantine era, has 336 massive Corinthian columns supporting the fine brick vaulting of the immense chamber.

Palaces
Inside Topkapi Palace  The Topkapi Palace that was a residence of the Turkish sultans from 15th century to early 18th century is a must for you. It is a collection of gardens, houses and libraries and a harem with 400 rooms.

The Church of Divine Peace, Aya Irini, constructed around 540 AD is in the vast outer courtyard of the Topkapi. In the park-like Second Court, priceless exhibits of porcelain, silverware, crystal, arms and calligraphy can be seen. The harem is situated here and the imperial family quarters in the palace resemble a small village where about 500 people, including 300 concubines, could reside. The Third Court has exhibits of the sultan’s ceremonial robes, and the imperial treasury that has oodles of gold, diamonds and other precious stones. The shrine of the Holy Relic that has the Prophet Mohammed’s cloak and other Islamic relics inside a solid gold casket is also in the Third Court. If the opulence and sheer grandeur of the Sultans’ lifestyle and residences interest you, here are a few more palaces – Beylerbeyi Palace, Yildiz Palace, Goksu Palace, the Ihlamur Pavilion, the Merasim Pavilion, the Maslak Pavilion and the Florya Ataturk Sea Pavilion.

Mosques
Considered the most beautiful of all imperial mosques in Istanbul, the Suleymaniye Mosque was built between 1550 and 1557 by Sinan, the renowned architect of the Ottoman golden age. On the crest of a hill, this building dominates the skyline. Inside, the mihrab (prayer niche) and the member (pulpit) are of finely carved white marble; and the stained glass windows paint the incoming light into divine colorful streams.  Suleymaniye Mosque at sunset

The Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii) built by Sultan Ahmet between 1609-1616, is very delicate, in comparison to the Aya Sofya, and splendid with its combination of harmony, proportion and elegance. Its interior gleams with a magnificent paneling of blue and white Iznik tiles. During the summer, a light and sound show entertains and informs. Make a small donation when you visit the Blue Mosque and also leave your shoes outside.  The great Mosque of Eyup lies outside the city walls, near the Golden Horn, at the supposed place where Eyup, the standard bearer of Prophet Mohammed, died in the Islamic assault on Constantinople in 670 AD. This is a shrine of pilgrimage for the Muslims and is the first mosque built in the Ottoman era. The Yeni (New) Mosque stands over the harbour at Eminonu greeting the incoming ferries and welcoming tourists to the old city. Hundreds of pigeons have made their homes in its graceful arches and domes. The Rustem Pasa Mosque, another of architect Sinan’s masterpieces, was built in 1561. Go there to see the small and superbly proportioned interior paneled by exquisite Iznik tiles.

Monuments
The Obelisk of Theodosius  The Obelisk of Theodosius is an Egyptian column from the temple of Karnak, resting on a Byzantine base. The hieroglyphics that are 3500 years old are very clear even now. Obelisk of Constantine Porphyrogenitus was earlier covered with bronze that was stolen from it by the Crusaders.

The Hippodrome (Atmeydani) the scene of the ancient chariot races and where the Byzantine riots occurred, is in front of the Blue Mosque. It was started in 203 AD and was enlarged by Constantine. Only three of its ancient monuments remain today. There is a spiral column called Serpentine Column of intertwined snakes between these two monuments. It was erected in Delphi by the Greeks to commemorate their victory over the Persians. It was transferred to the Hippodrome, though the snakeheads disappeared. The Theodosian Walls stretch for seven miles from the Golden Horn to the Sea of Marmara. Several portions of this restored wall date back to 420 AD. At Yedikule, nearby is the infamous Byzantine-Turkish fortress where inconvenient people were imprisoned.

The Grand Bazaar or the Kapali Carsi (covered market) is a maze of confusing 65 streets, with 4400 shops, where you can buy just anything and also enjoy haggling over it. Very likely you’ll get lost but then that’s the fun. Think how it must have been at the height of its popularity!! The bazaar is divided into areas for specific things like carpets, jewellery, clothing etc. There is an old book market as well. Uzuncarsi Caddesi and Istiklal Caddesi are two of the famous roads where you could perhaps live in the past. The bazaar is open from Monday to Saturday, 8am to 7pm. For Turkish Baths the most famous is the Cagaloglu Hamami, with separate entrances for men and women. The baths are open daily from 7am to 10 pm for men and 8am to 9pm for women.