Turkey Travel Points

Although it is one of the unique historical heritages of Istanbul, one of the lesser known values is the Kariye Museum . The history of the museum dates back to 500 years. First constructed as a monastery, the building underwent several repairs and renovations, and its present condition was restored by Teodor Metokhites in the late 1300s. The church, which had some impressive examples from the last works of Byzantine art, continued to be used as a church for a long time after the conquest of Istanbul. The church, which was decided to be transformed into a mosque by Atik Ali Pasha in 1511, has long been known as Atik Ali Pasha Mosque. No frescoes were damaged in the church during the transformation, only the plaster was covered on art. For this reason, with the restoration work that started in 1948, it was possible to reach these frescoes with almost as the first day. The museum opened its doors to its guests in 1954 and has had a unique place among the memories of many locals an...

Arasta Bazaar is a bazaar in Istanbul that dates back to the Ottoman period. Behind the Blue Mosque, there are many places selling carpets, rugs, jewelery and handmade products in the bazaar. There are about 70 shops on both sides of the bazaar, also known as Sipahi Bazaar. "Arasta" is the old name of covered bazaars. The Arasta Bazaar, believed to have been built on structures belonging to the Byzantine period, was burnt down in 1930. After that, the bazaar which was not used for a long time was restored in 1980 and opened to service again. The long and thick planks between the roofs of the shops create a different image. There is a café where you can relax after visiting the Arasta Bazaar , and the Mosaic Museum, where the mosaics are displayed in the 1950s. Places to visit in Istanbul around the bazaar include the Hagia Sophia Museum , the Blue Mosque and the Yerebatan Cistern , which are the most important sightseeing points of our list. Arasta Bazaar Visit Inf...

III. Ahmet Fountain in 1729. Mehmet Aga is the architect of the fountain, he built it for the mothers of the Sultan. The fountain, built with Turkish rococo architecture, has five small domes that make the floral reliefs striking. III. The Ahmet Fountain is not a squirt, but a fountain. There are fountains on the four corners of the building. At the front side of these fountains it should be seen signed line works of 17th century by Ottoman poet Seyit Vehbi Efendi. Also on the structure Sultan III. Ahmet has a handwriting. It is known that three windows in the corners and the saplings underneath it were provided with sherbet instead of water. The fountain which was located at the sea front has been moved to the present place with the arrangement of the plaza. At the intersection of the fountain you can see Topkapi Palace and Soğukçeşme Street. you can add places toyour visit list. III. Ahmet Fountain Visiting Information Address : Cankurtaran Str.., Soguk Cesme Road...

Gulhane Park is one of the most beautiful parks of Istanbul. It was in the palace area in Ottoman Empire . The area, which has been neglected for a long time, has attained its present appearance after being renovated in 2003. The section and works to be seen in the park include the Goths Column dating from the 3rd century, Kennedy Caddesi in the north-east and its unique view. Gulhane, which is one of the biggest and most famous parks of Istanbul, is also important in terms of witnessing many history. It was used by the Byzantines as a barracks and as a celebration area during the Ottoman period. After the conquest of Istanbul, the Gospel of Gulhane was built. The Hatt-i Sharif of Gulhane (tanzimat fermanı) known as the first democratization movement in the Ottoman Empire was read here. In the Republican period Mustafa Kemal Atatürk introduced the Latin Letters here. Gulhane Park , which was used as a palace garden for a period, was opened to the public in 1912. A zoo was opened ...

Serpentine Column is a work of art located in Sultanahmet Square. Built in the 5th century BC as a monument of victory, the work consists of serpents encircling one another. This work was done by melting the bronze collected from the area that was invaded by the victory of the Battle of Pletea. That's why it's known as a victory monument. There is also a mythological story of Serpentine. In mythology, it was believed that the three-headed serpent was killed by Apollo. When it was first built, there was a fire-burning boiler on the top of a column on a bell-shaped foot. Afterwards, this boiler was separated from the milk and melted and spent in war expenses. Another story about the Serpentine Column, one of Istanbul's most famous works, is brought here by the famous emperor Constantine to protect it from urban insects and reptiles. It is even said that Constantine faced many difficulties and lost his sanity in this process. Today, only 5 meters of the Serpentine Column...

The Blue Mosque is one of the most famous spots in Istanbul. This building, also known as " Blue Mosque " due to Blue Iznik tiles, was built by Ahmet I between 1609 and 1616. This work by Mehmet Ağa was highly criticized in those days due to the fact that it was built so splendidly during the Pause of the Ottoman Period. Another reason for the criticism of the Blue Mosque is the fact that there are 6 minarets and that it is against Mecca architecture. Despite everything, the Blue Mosque is an enchanting building, which ranks first in the list of places to visit in Istanbul. At the beginning of this world famous museum you should definitely see the Iznik tiles used at the beginning of decoration, the minbar dating from the 17th century, the dome decoration adorned with eye-catching designs, the hexagonal fountain, the ablution house located in avudary. The Sultan Ahmet Mosque , which carries traces of both Ottoman and Byzantine architecture, is dominated by the Marmara S...

Obelisk is a building located in Sultanahmet Square of Istanbul and dated in 390. The Obelisk , built by Emperor Theodosius, was originally from Egyptian pharaohs in the 16th century BC. It is one of the two obelisks made in front of Amon Ra Temple for Tutmois. With the end of the Pharaohs period, the Egyptian handicrafts and monuments were used by the Romans to decorate the cities. This monument has been found elsewhere for a while, and finally it has been successfully erected by Theodosius to replace it today. It is thought that the 19.6 meter long structure is actually the 3rd floor. The Obelisk, which is one of the oldest monuments in the city, weighs about 200 tons. Hieroglyphic processes can be seen on the granite. There are also Greek and Latin writings on the monument. The Obelisk was damaged in an earthquake in 865 and was not replaced by a sphere that was separated from the monument. The monument, loaded with different meanings throughout its history, was described...

The German Fountain is a fountain situated between Hippodrome and Sultanahmet in Istanbul. The German Fountain , German Emperor II. gave it as a gift to Abdulhamit after the expedition to the east by Wilhelm in the nineteenth century. The top of the fountain is open and it has a single dome. Each part of the dome of the octagonal domed structure has a medallion on the green ground. The fountain was brought here after it was built in Germany. German and Italian architects worked together. The fact that the Turkish administrators before the World War I bear German admiration makes it interesting and makes it a gift. There are many important structures around the city such as the Blue Mosque , the Haghia Sophia Museum , the Obelisk and the Serpent Column. German Fountain Visiting Information Address : Binbirdirek Str. 34122 Fatih Istanbul Transportation : You can reach the trams between Eminönü and Zeytinburnu by landing at Sultanahmet Square.

Suleymaniye Mosque is one of the most famous mosques in Istanbul. The mosque, built between 1551 and 1558, is the masterpiece of an architect Sinan. This masterpiece, made for Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, has a mosque, a madrasa, a library, a mansion and other social buildings. The mosque was basically built using Ottoman architecture. A large dome supports two small domes and is likened to Hagia Sophia in structure. In fact, according to a custom, Süleymaniye Mosque was built because an Ottoman structure was needed to compete with Hagia Sophia . This building, which was built by the great architect Sinan who was a famous architect in the world, was built with the last technology of the era when it was built. Even though there are many catastrophic disasters, it has survived in a magnificent way without any damage and it is an indispensable list of places to visit in Istanbul. One of the symbols of Istanbul, Suleymaniye Mosque, two minarets 76, the other two minarets 56 meter...

Yıldız Palace is a complex of treasures, pavilions, greenhouses and fountains built in the 19th and 20th centuries. The palace built as the residence of Abdülhamit, but fact the main purpose was to built a more stable place against attack from the sea. On the left of the palace courtyard is the Great Mabeyn, the City Museum where the porcelain and kitchenware are displayed on the corner, and the Gun Shop which is used as an arsenal. Located in the palace complex, Yıldız Palace Museum has a collection of objects and art products. The Yıldız Palace Theater, founded in 1889, was built during the reign of Abdülhamit. Sultan Abdülhamit was an administrator known for his support of art and he watched many games from the locals in this theater. The lake in the palace is likened to the brick of Abdulhamit's shape. There was also a small-scale zoo built here. It is known for being the favorite place of Abdülhamit. Apart from this, there are many workshops in Yıldız Palace, a place ...

Dolmabahçe Palace was built by Sultan Abdülmecit in 1856. The palace, designed by architects Garabet Balyan and his son Nikogos, is quite magnificent. It is striking that it is so splendid despite the fact that it was built during the difficult days of the Ottoman Empire. Dolmabahçe, which reflects the traces of Ottoman rule for hundreds of years, is a place where the traditions and western traces unite. The palace built with debts from large foreign banks is only open to guided tours. The palace built upon the insufficiency of the Topkapi Palace for the necessary meetings, has been divided into two sections as haremlik (for women only) and selamlik (or men only). There are official rooms and ceremony hall in the salutation part and private living areas of the sultan and his family in the part of for only women. At the beginning of the Dolmabahçe Palace , you should definitely see the Crystal Staircase, the Bab-i Humayun gate used by the sultan and viziers only once, the Kuğul...

Founded as the Imperial Museum by the famous painter and museum artist Osman Hamdi Bey in the late 19th century, the Istanbul Archeology Museum is regarded as one of the world's greatest museums, with more than a million artifacts from various cultures. The collections of the museum include works belonging to the civilizations of the Ottoman Empire, from the Balkans to Africa, from Anatolia and Mesopotamia to the Arabian Peninsula and Afghanistan. The works exhibiting the development of sculpture art from the Archaic Period to the Byzantine Period can be followed in chronological order. On the top floor of the main building are small stone works, pottery, terracotta figurines, treasury department, 80,000 coins, seals, engagements and medals. Istanbul Archeology Museum consists of three museums; The Museum of Archeology, the Museum of Ancient Oriental Art, and the Chinese Pavilion Museum. Archeology Museum Main building It was started to be built by Osman Hamdi Bey i...

The Egyptian Bazaar is made up of many shops in Istanbul. The bazaar in the first place of the list of places to visit in Istanbul is in the form of an "L" and was built in the 17th century as part of the New Mosque Complex. The bazaar where the income was transferred to charitable institutions for a period of time is also known as " Spice Bazaar ". The " Egyptian Bazaar " comes from the fact that the name of the bazaar is made with the taxes from Egyptian products. Turhan Sultan is the owner of the bazaar built by architect Kazım Ağa at the time. The building has experienced several disasters several times throughout its history. The greatest of these disasters is the fire incident in 1940. The building, which suffered great damage in this fire, has been renovated by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. The bazaar has two main and five side doors. The Egyptian Bazaar, one of the most famous bazaars in Istanbul , is located near the New Mosque in ...

Istanbul , which is the most important city of Turkey, is undoubtedly one of the important cities of the world in terms of its location over the globe. Istanbul has developed on both sides of the Istanbul Strait, which separates Asia and Europe from each other and is one of the most important waterways of the world. It has been the capital to Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman civilizations. Starting from the day when it came to the stage of history, Istanbul continues to be a world city; Geographical position, unique natural beauties and the richness of cultural heritage integrated with them, the love and peace of the whole humanity, not only the Turkish people, but also the whole world. It can be said that there are many factors in protecting the superiority of Istanbul as a world city for many years. These are the facts that the city was founded on two sides of the Bosphorus, which links the countries along the Black Sea to the rest of the world. The second is that it has the Gold...

Ihlamur Pavilion , which is located between the Besiktas and Nişantaşı, was built by Sultan Abdülmecit (1839-1861) to Nikogos Balyan. Nikogos Balyan built two buildings into a 24.724 square meters of wooded area, surrounded by high walls. These buildings are called Merasim Pavilion and Maiyet Pavilion. Merasim Pavilion is the main Ihlamur Pavilion. The area where the crescents are located is known as "Hacı Hüseyin Bağları" in the 18th century, while it was transformed into a "Has Bahçe (beautiful Garden)" in the period of III. Ahmet (1703-1730). Sultan Abdülhamid (1774-1789) and III. Selim (1789-1807) also attracted interest in the period, the first half of the 19th century Sultan Abdulmecit used it for rest and guest hospitality. Abdülmecit built this big one between 1849 and 1855, replacing this simple and small one. The Ceramics Mansion, which was originally designed for ceremonies and is now known as the Linden Gate, was built on a high basement with a cu...

Topkapi Palace is a palace built on a high hill in Istanbul, Sarayburnu. The Ottoman Empire was ruled here for four centuries. After Fatih Sultan Mehmet took Istanbul, he built a palace and settled there, the palace, in the present Beyazıt, where the university is located. The leaders of the state began to make the Topkapi Palace when they suggested that it would not be right for the sultan to sit in the middle of the city in a seized city. At that time Sarayburnu was a promenade covered with olive trees. Several separate circles, pavilions, pooled gardens were built once; There was a wall around it. Old Palac is left to the relatives of the sultans, servants and maids. The name of "Topkapı" comes from one of the gates of Sarayburnu in Istanbul during the Byzantine period. The palace is supposed to be completed in 1478. There were seven large Gates four of them overlooking to land and three to the sea. The palace was entered from the so-called "Bab-i Hümayun...

The oldest and largest covered bazaar in the world is located in the center of Istanbul, in the middle of the Beyazit, Nuruosmaniye and Mercan districts. The Grand Bazaar has 60 streets, nearly 4,000 shops. The bazaar, which was built as two covered bazaars with the order of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, has greatly expanded during the reign of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent. The year 1460, the beginning of the construction, was accepted as the foundation year of the Grand Bazaar. The main bazaar was built by Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent as wood. Like a giant labyrinth, the 66 streets of 30,700 square meters and the Grand Bazaar with 4,000 shops have become a unique center for Istanbul to be seen. Some of the features of the old times have been changed, even if they have been repaired in the past like the Grand Bazaar, which had an earthquake and a few big fires. In old times, there were certain occupations on every street. Commercial ethics and customs, where ...

The wanderer from different religions or sects came to Istabul wondering about the Saint Antoine Church , which had not a very flamboyant entrance. Now that we have briefly reviewed the history of the church, and then let's examine its architectural features. The Location of Saint Antoine Church Saint Antoine Church is located on Istiklal street in Beyoğlu, on the left side of Galatasaray High School's road to Tunnel. At the beginning of the 1230's the priests built their church in the name of St. Francis of Assisi. This architectural masterpiece was recognized as the Hagia Sophia of the Latin at that time. In the 1300s, the priests, who were removed from the first churches of the Greek part, joined their brothers in St. Francis in Galata. The Church of St. Francis, who fled twice in the fires of 1639 and 1660, and rebuilt, survived a miracle from the fire of 1696, swallowing all around. Mustafa II. turned to the mausoleum as a result of her mother's pressure...

St. Irene Church is both the first church and the first museum of Istanbul! The name of the Hagia Irini comes from the name of Hagia Eirene (Aziz İren) which means "Sacred Peace". Let's take a look at the legendary history and architectural structure of this mosque, which has a history of about 2,500 years. The influence of Saint Iren on Rome It is a young woman named Penelope who gave the name to the St. Irene Church . According to the legend, like many other Romans, she came to Constantinople at the time when Great Constantine rebuilt the city as a capital. Penelope, a faithful Christian, endeavors to introduce the people of Rome to Jesus. However, the pagan Romans who refuse this do various denials to the woman to deny Mother Mary and to be subject to Paganism. First they throw her to a well filled with snakes, but the snakes do not go to it overnight. Then they accuse the woman with witchcraft. Finally they tie her to horses and drift for hours... The Romans...

Built in 532 by Emperor Justinianus, the Yerebatan Cistern is also known as the Basilica Cistern because it is located under the Stoa Basilica. The cistern is 140 m long. Width 70 m.and it is a gigantic structure that covers a rectangular area. This cistern, which is laid with a staircase of 52 steps, has 336 columns in height of 9m. These columns rising in the water remind of a giant forest, and the visitors are fastinated as soon as they enter the cistern. The ceiling weight of the cistern is cruciform, the vaults are rounded, transferred to the pillars by arches, the bulk of the columns of granite cuts from various marble types, which are understood to have been gathered from older buildings, consist of one part and two parts on top of each other. The titles of these columns sometimes have different properties. While 98 of these reflect Corinthian style, rest of them reflects Dor style. The cistern is made of bricks, 4.80 m. Thick walls and brick-paved floors were plastered with a ...