Top 10 places to go in Istanbul

1. Hagia Sophia Museum

Hagia Sophia in 1997

Popularly known as a strategic place where corresponds to the "East", the "West", known in Istanbul Turkey, is a historical and fascinating city that bridges the continents of Europe and Asia. Situated on the west side of the Bosphorus, which is responsible for joining the Black Sea and Marmara Sea, Istanbul a checkered history that is packed with tradition and ethnicity of the various conquerors.

 The Hagia Sophia or Ayasofya, as is known in Turkish was actually a patriarchal basilica was, as an embodiment of the Byzantine architecture and also had the distinction of remaining the largest cathedral in the world to 1520th Built on the orders of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian, the interiors were decorated with mosaics of various rich artistic and religious scenes were supported by massive marble columns.

2. Blue Mosque




Blue Mosque Inside



Let us remember some important points about the Blue Mosque: the largest complex of Istanbul was in the heart of Istanbul, the Ottoman capital of the Mediterranean Sea was the world can be built in the south of the Hippodrome, expressed on the surface of five vizier palaces such as Evliya Celebi , on the orders of the 14th Ottoman Sultan Ahmed I, the throne went at the age of 14. The area of the Blue Mosque, equal to the area, was built where the Big Palace in the Byzantine period. It was for religious people to work behind a favor for the important left after her death. This was true for sultans and common people. Blue Mosque is one example of such work.

3. Maiden's Tower

Maiden's Tower in Night

There are many legends about the construction of the tower and its location. According to the most popular Turkish legend, a sultan had a much-loved daughter. One day prophesied by an oracle that by a poisonous snake on her 18th Birthday would be killed. The Sultan, in an attempt to his daughter's early death by thwarting off the land, so you keep away from any snakes, had built the tower in the middle of the Bosphorus, to his daughter until she was 18 Birthday protect. The princess was in the tower, where she was visited frequently placed by her father. On 18 Anniversary of the princess, the sultan brought her a basket with exotic fruits sumptouous as a birthday gift, delighted that he is able to prevent the prophecy. Upon reaching the place, however, an ASP shopping cart that had been hidden under the fruit-bit, the young princess, and she died in her father's arms, so as the oracle had predicted. Hence the name Maiden's Tower. The older name Leander's Tower comes from another story about a girl: the ancient Greek myth of Hero and Leander. Hero was a priestess of Aphrodite who lived in a tower at Sestos, on the edge of the Hellespont (Dardanelles). Leander (Leandros), a young man from Abydos on the other side of the strait, fell in love her and would swim every night across the Hellespont to be with her. Hero would lead to a light every night at the top of its tower, his way. To succumb to gentle words Leander and his argument that Aphrodite, the goddess of love, would scorn the worship of the Virgin Hero allowed him to make love to her. This routine lasted through the warm summer. But one stormy winter night, the waves tossed Leander in the sea and the breezes blew Hero's light, and Leander way got lost and drowned. Hero threw herself from the tower in grief and died. The name of Maiden's Tower might also its origins in this ancient history. Because of the proximity and similarity between the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus, Leander was attributed to history of the tower of the ancient Greeks and later the Byzantines.

4. Ortaköy Mosque (Buyuk Mecidiye Camii)

Ortaköy Mosque on the banks of Ortakoy pier square, one of the most beautiful places located on the Bosphorus. was created in 1854 by Sultan Abdülmecid the architect Nikogos Balyan, which in neo-Baroque style. The large, high windows let the ever-changing light reflections of the Bosphorus shine in the mosque.

5. Taksim Square - Istiklal Street

The most popular and busy square in Istanbul's Taksim Square. On Taksim Square, which is used for demonstrations for various purposes, the Atatürk Cultural construction of which commenced in 1950 and opened to the public in 1969. If you left the Atatürk monument is here, and that was going by the Italian sculptor Canonica in 1928 then in the Istiklal street sculptures. This street connects Taksim to Tunel (underground). During the Ottoman era foreign embassies were on that road. Even today there are several consulates in the street. There are shops, cafes, restaurants, bars, book shops in this street, which is rather crowded at any time of day. In addition, there is the historic tramway, between Taksim and Tunel. The historic building on the Istiklal Street are in the 19 Century was built. The road, which was named as Pera and Beyoğlu in the past, an important center of technology with the introduction of drawing studios during the late Ottoman period. The buildings in this street to attract attention with the reliefs on them and their architectural designs. There are two churches on the street that are still in use. St. Mary Draperis and the Italian Church of St. Antoine, which the Catholic Church most of Istanbul and coming again from 1906 to 1912. There are important places like Galatasaray High School, Galatasaray Bath, Çiçek Pasajı. Pera Palas, one of the oldest hotels in Istanbul is also located here.

6. Galata Tower

Galata Tower in Night

The Galata Tower (Galata Kulesi in Turkish) - called Christea Turris (Tower of Christ in Latin) by the Genoese - is a medieval stone tower in the Galata district of Istanbul, Turkey, just north of the Golden Horn. One of the city's most fascinating attractions, there is a high, cone-capped cylinder that dominates the skyline and offers a panoramic view of Old Istanbul and surrounding areas.

7. Topkapi Palace

8. Istanbul Archaeology Museum




Istanbul Archaeology Museum


The website of the museums were among the Topkapi Palace outer gardens. The museum was founded by decree as the Imperial Museum (İmparatorluk Müzesi) in 1891. It was the first museum of Turkish art [edit] function. The first curator and founder of the museum was Osman Hamdi Bey. As an imperial decree for the protection of cultural goods in the Ottoman Empire was enforced, many governors of the provinces would be found in artifacts to send the capital. In this way, the museum is able to amass a large collection was. After his 100th Birthday in 1991 the Museum received the European Council Museum Award, made especially for the renovations to the lower floor rooms in the main building and the new displays in the other buildings. The construction of the main building was started by Osman Hamdi Bey in 1881 and reached its present neo-Greek form in 1908. The architect was Alexander Vallaury. The facade of the building was inspired by the Alexander Sarcophagus and Sarcophagus of the Mourning Women, both housed inside the museum. It is one of the prominent structures in the neo-classical style built in Istanbul. The Museum of the Orient was given by Osman Hamdi Bey in 1883 as the School of Fine Arts in order. Then it was like a museum, which opened reorganized 1935th It was closed to visitors in 1963 and reopened in 1974 after the restoration of the interior. The tiled kiosk was built by Sultan Mehmed II in 1472, where in order. It is one of the oldest buildings in Istanbul, Ottoman civil architecture and became a part of the Topkapi Palace outer gardens. It was used as the Imperial Museum 1875-1891, before the collection moved into the newly constructed main building. It was opened to the public in 1953 as the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art, and was later incorporated in the Istanbul Archaeological Museum.

9.Haydarpaşa Terminal

The Haydarpaşa terminal or station Haydarpaşa (Turkish: Haydarpasa Gari) is an important inter-city railway station and transport hub in Istanbul. It is the largest train terminal in Turkey and the Middle East and one of the busiest in Eastern Europe. The terminal also has links to bus and ferry service IETT. The tram is Moda a few blocks south of the station. The station has a main building (opened 1909) houses the headquarters of the 1st District Haydarpasa Terminal is the western terminus of the Istanbul-Ankara Main Line and the western terminus was the former Baghdad Railway (Istanbul-Konya-Adana-Aleppo-Baghdad) and the Hejaz railway (Istanbul-Konya-Adana-Aleppo-Damascus-Amman-Medina ). The tracks do not cross the Bosphorus, but there is a train ferry that carries rail vehicles from Haydarpasa on the Asian side, Sirkeci on the European side

The Topkapi Palace (Turkish: Topkapi Palace), or Ottoman Turkey: طوپقپو سرايى, usually spelled "Topkapi" in English) is a palace in Istanbul, Turkey, is the official and primary residence in the city of the Ottoman sultans for 400 years was its 624-year reign from 1465 to 1856th

10.Çırağan Palace Kempinski

Çırağan Palace Kempinski

Ciragan Palace (Turkish: Çırağan Sarayi), a former Ottoman palace is now a five star hotel of the Kempinski Hotels chain. It is on the European shore of the Bosporus between Beşiktaş and Ortaköy in Istanbul, Turkey.

The palace, built by Sultan Abdulaziz, was designed by the famous Armenian architect Palace Nigoğayos Balyan and constructed by his sons and Sarkis Hagop Balyan zwischen 1863 and 1867. This was a time in which all Ottoman sultans used to build their palaces rather than this from their ancestors. Ciragan Palace is the last example from this period. The interior walls and roof were made of wood, the outer walls of colorful marble. The palace is connected behind with a beautiful marble with the Yıldız Palace on the hill. A very high garden wall to protect the palace from the outside world. The construction and furnishing of the castle lasted until 1872. After he moved in, Sultan Abdulaziz, but not in a position to live long in his magnificent palace. He was found dead in the palace on 30th May 1876, shortly after he was dethroned. His successor, his nephew, Sultan Murad V in Ciragan Palace drew, but reigned for only 93 days. He, by his brother Abdul Hamid II, deposed for alleged mental illness, lived here under house arrest until his death on 29th August 1904. During the Second Constitutional Monarchy, had Sultan Mehmet V Reşat Parliament to hold their meetings in this building. Just two months later, on 19 January 1910 a major fire destroyed the castle, so that only the outer walls intact. Called "Stadi Seref", the place for many years served as a football stadium for the club Beşiktaş JK. In 1989, the palace was destroyed by a Japanese company, which restored the palace and has bought a modern hotel complex next to him in his garden. Today it serves as luxury suites for the five star Kempinski hotel with two restaurants, the guests. The palace was renovated again in the first quarter of 2007, now the authentic castle resembles the Baroq style and soft colors.