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Best Historic Locations in Istanbul

, 11 Options Found

The minaret of the Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Mosque punctuates the heart of Kadirga. Mimar Sinan is the Ottoman architectural force behind the majestic structure built on a slope and completed in the 16th Century. Named after Grand Vizier Sokollu Mehmet Pasha, the beautiful establishment is a commemorative token to his wife Princess Esmahan. The dome encloses a courtyard, prayer hall and a hexagon-shaped mosque. The interior facades are tiled with the special İznik kind in intricate floral handwork in cool hues. In addition, a white marble stand for the prayer leader, glass-stained windows and calligraphic panels are significant features.

Boasting of hundreds of opulent rooms, lavish Turkish baths and entrances which look like gateways to heaven, Dolmabahçe Palace is ostentatious. Nestled along the picturesque coast of Bosphorus, this elegant palace was built close to the mid-1800s, under the orders of the then-Sultan Abdülmecid I. Bearing a stately Neoclassical visage adorned with finial decorations, and fronted by ornamental gardens and jubilant fountains, the palace boasts an interior which is a different world in itself. Flamboyant, and unabashedly luxurious, the insides of this palace are a paradisaical mosaic of gilded ceiling work, effervescent chandeliers, crystal stairways and authentic bearskin rugs. Particularly noteworthy are the Pink Hall, the Medhal Hall, the Blue Hall and Ataturk’s Room, where the revered revolutionary took his last breaths. Also lodged on the palace grounds is the glorious Dolmabahçe Clock Tower and the ornate Dolmabahçe Mosque, both of which hearken back to the palace's bygone, yet everlasting splendor. A canopy of unhindered extravagance, the waterfront Dolmabahçe Palace reserves a special place in the hearts of the Turkish people.

Perhaps the most recognizable structure in Istanbul's skyline, Galata Tower was constructed originally in 1348 by a community comprising Italian immigrants, most of whom belonged to Genoa. Initially built as a defensive structure, the tower has since been designated a historical site. Located near the Karaköy stop of a tiny subway called the Tünel, it is a prominent tourist destination because of the incredible panoramic views from the top. Here, you can also enjoy a traditional Turkish meal at the restaurant. The restaurant entertains in the form of live music, sometimes accompanied by belly dancing.

A vision soaked in cavernous magnificence, Yerebatan Sarnıcı or Basilica Cistern is the largest of many cisterns thriving in the underneath Istanbul. Constructed in the 6th-century during Emperor Justinian I's reign, this cistern served as an incredible nexus of water filtration systems for many medieval empires. Historical records establish that once situated on the grounds of the cistern was a basilica, complete with an ornate facade and ornamental gardens. Filled with traces of timeworn Middle-Eastern architecture, curious explorers wander along wooden pathways, ancient pillars, carved columns and mystical arches. To the northwest lie the bases of two Medusa-headed beams that can be traced back to the Roman era. Such is its allure that the cistern has also been a setting for Hollywood blockbusters including one from the James Bond series. Permeated with a transcendental aura, this subterranean cistern is the only site of its kind which has been restored for public viewing.

Dubbed the “Blue Mosque” by Europeans because of its rich blue interior ceiling tiles in the Iznik tradition, Sultan Ahmed Mosque, with its six minarets and series of elegant domes, is a one of a kind. Built at the behest of Ahmet I between 1609 and 1616, the mosque was designed by the architect Sedefkar Mehmet Ağa, one of Mimar Sinan's most prominent students. Inside, the entrance illuminated by a wrought iron chandelier, gives way to the central prayer space, that evokes wonder with its intricate interiors adorned with thousands of tiles and filtered natural light from arched stained glass windows. The shrine near the mosque houses the tombs of Ahmet I and his wife Kosem Sultan. The Blue Mosque is a working mosque, so non-worshiping tourists are not permitted to enter during prayer times, which occur 5 times daily for 30 minutes each.

Resting on a peninsular hilltop in Istanbul with sweeping views of the Golden Horn, the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus strait, the grand Topkapı Sarayı was once the exalted seat of the Ottoman sultans. The palatial structure was built at the behest of Sultan Mehmet II in 1453, in the wake of the Conquest of Constantinople. From the 15th to the 19th Century, the palace was the cornerstone of the Ottoman Empire, until its gradual decline in the later years, when its power was relinquished to the newer Dolmabahce Palace on the Turkish waterfront. As is the case with any palatial residence, the Topkapi also underwent a slew of additions and renovations as various sultans reigned over the city over a 400-year-old span, but the core architectural form of the palace remained predominantly Middle Eastern. When the sun set on the Ottoman Empire in 1923, the palace was promptly converted into a museum by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The essence of this bygone empire still lingers in various corners of the palace's chambers, its treasury, and its imperial harems. Several items from the peak of the Ottoman Empire adorn the museum today, from illuminated manuscripts and age-old weaponry, to diamonds and intricate miniatures. The Topkapı Sarayı Museum is part of the Historic Areas of Istanbul.

From swathes of silk to intricately designed carpets, from filigreed Turkish tea pots to ornate Ottoman lamps, the lantern-laced alleys of Istanbul's Grand Bazaar are home to the city's finest treasures. Vaulted archways are covered with wall-to-wall wares of traditional Turkish souvenirs and products in this historic retail paradise. A walk through the medieval alleys brings on as much awe and delight as it does a smidgen of entertainment. The bedesten, or warehouses date back to the thriving times of the 15th Century, when the Grand Bazaar was first proposed to be built by Sultan Mehmet, in a bid to encourage economic progress in the then-city of Constantinople. Today, the bazaar is one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world, its meandering alleys filled with as many as 4000 shops, and its grand sprawl consisting of nearly 61 shopping streets and alleys.

The Kılıç Ali Pasha Cami was built in the late 1500s by renowned architect of the 16th Century, Mimar Sinan. It is christened after the Grand Admiral during the Ottoman period. Its splendid architecture lends to common recognition of its resemblance to the historic Orthodox-basilica-turned-mosque, the Hagia Sophia. The central dome is flanked by exedras on either side and the structure boasts a solitary minaret. Iznik tiles are inscribed with holy verses from the Koran, while six marble columns above the prayer hall are topped with five domes. In addition to a mosque, the complex features a madrassah, a tomb, and Turkish bath or hamam.

A graceful medieval marvel, Maiden's Tower lies nestled in the middle of the glimmering blue waters of the Bosphorus. Having served as a toll booth, watchtower, lighthouse, quarantine site, and in today’s date, an upscale Turkish restaurant, the tower is enshrouded in many legends which speak of emperors, oracles and a Greek goddess. Since its construction by Alexius Comnenus in the year 1110, the tower has been an important landmark and a continuous source of myth in Istanbul. Several private ferries shuttle guests to and from the island throughout the day from multiple points along the Bosphorus. Fringed by a tapestry of distant, verdant hills and Turkish minarets, this historic tower is entrenched in legendary Ottoman and Athenian roots. A mellow, effervescent wonder come night, the tower affords outstanding views of the Bosphorus, and across the charming old city.

Thriving amid a patchwork of well-pruned lawns, the Hippodrome of Constantinople is one of the most revered landmarks of Turkey. During the Byzantine heyday, this site was a famed recreational and entertainment venue and played host to an array of events like festivities, political parades, horse racing as well as chariot racing. Having stood the test of time, this ceremonial square is deeply entrenched in a legendary and long-standing Roman and Ottoman history. Although conceived in 203 BCE, the actual construction of the Hippodrome was not executed until 324 BCE, under the command of the Emperor Constantine the Great. Here is where the bronze-built Serpent Column unravels many a Greek secret with each bend of its sinuous course. However, the centerpiece of the Hippodrome is, perhaps, the towering Obelisk of Theodosius. Standing on an elaborately-carved pedestal and adorned with historic inscriptions, the Hippodrome has aged gracefully for thousands of thousands of years. Lodged on the southern recesses of the Hippodrome is the timeworn Walled Obelisk, whose gilded facade was razed by Latin crusaders, hence, what remains of it today is a ramshackle stone skeleton. Also home to the ornate German Fountain, the fabled Hippodrome of Constantinople is the crowning glory of Istanbul.

The Armenian Patriarchate of the Oriental Orthodox Church is one of the smallest of its kind, but holds a significant religious and political status among the Armenian community in Turkey. The seat lies in the majestic Holy Mother of God Patriarchal Church, located in the heart of Kumkapı, a neighborhood populated with Turkish Armenians. Hovakim I was the first of the longstanding list of spiritual leaders established back in 1461. Over the five and a half centuries there have been 84 patriarchs and counting, that represent the Ottoman era, the Young Turks reign in the early 1900s, and the Republic Of Turkey in the present day.

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