Highlights for tourists Istanbul Golden Horn, Sultanahmet, Ortakoy, Uskudar, Prince's Islands, etc. Golden Horn This horn-shaped estuary divides European Istanbul. One of the best natural harbors in the world, the Byzantine and ottoman navies and commercial shipping interests were centered here. Today, lovely parks and promenades line the shores where the setting sun casts a golden hue on the water. At Fener and Balat, neighborhoods midway up the Golden Horn, whole streets full of old wooden houses, churches, and synagogues date from Byzantine and Ottoman times. The Orthodox Patriarchy resides here at Fener. Eyup, a little further up, reflects Ottoman architecture. Cemeteries dotted with dark cypress trees cover the hillsides. Many pilgrims come to the Tomb of Eyup, in the hope that their prayers will be granted. The Pierre Loti Cafe, atop the hill overlooking the shrine is a wonderful place to enjoy the tranquility of the view.
PRINCES' ISLAND The Princes' Islands, an archipelago of nine islands in the Sea of Marmara, were places of exile for Byzantine princes. Today, during the summer months, wealthy Istanbulites escape to then- cool sea breezes and elegant 19th-century houses. Buyukada is the largest of the islands. Here you can enjoy a ride in a horse-drawn phaeton (carriage) among the pine trees, or relax on a beach in one of the numerous coves that ring the island. The other popular islands are Kinali, Sedef, Burgaz, Heybeliada, Buyukada. Regular ferry boats connect the islands with both the European and Asian shores. A faster sea bus service operates from Kabatas in the summer.
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Events& Culture cinemas, literature, museum, theatre, opera, concerts
City tours All informations about a Tours in Istanbul and surrounding.
Historic Buildings Archeological Works, Antique Cities of Turkey and Holy Lands, etc. in Turkey
Sultan Ahmet Mosque ( Blue Mosque) The last great imperial mosque, The Blue Mosque, was founded by Sultan Ahmet I and constructed by the architect Mehmet Aga between 1609 and 1616. Sultan Ahmet wanted to surpass Justinian and his Hagia Sophia, and on the other hand architect Mehmet Aga wanted to surpass his master Sinan. Sultan Ahmet was given little time to enjoy his mosque, for he died the year after its completion, when he was only twenty seven years of age. The Sultan Ahmet Mosque differs from the other mosques in Istanbul because of its six minarets. The courtyard of the mosque is almost as large as the prayer hall and makes one notice the elegance of the building with 26 granite columns covered by 30 small domes. At the center of the courtyard there is an octagonal sadirvan which serves only as decorative purpose.
The elegance of the interior is overwhelming. It is very nearly a square 51 meters long and 53 meters wide, covered by a dome 23.5 meters in diameter and 43 meters in height, resting on four semi-domes, those again by smaller domes. The Blue Mosque is flooded with light from its 260 windows. The dominant color is blue, from which the building derives its popular name of the Blue Mosque. The tiles up to the windows and the walls and the ones in the sultans box are the most beautiful Iznik tiles. Iznik produced ceramics of high quality and these ceramic decorations often showed magnificent floral designs such as the traditional lily, carnation, tulip and rose motifs, cypress trees and animals motifs. These are painted with blues and green as dominant colors.
Turkish rugs have always played an important role inside mosques. They have not only covered floors and walls, they have also been used as cushions, pillows and bed covers. The kulliye of Sultan Ahmet consists of a medrese, turbe, hospital, primary school, market , public kitchen, and kervansaray
Rumeli Hisar The great fortress of Rumeli Hisar, built by Sultan Mehmet II in the year 1452, is located immediately opposite Anadolu Hirasi, which was built by Yildirim Beyazit I sixty years earlier. With a fortress on either side of the Bosphorus, it was the first step in Mehmets plan to capture the Byzantine capital.
Mehmet had sent out orders throughout his Empire for 1000 skilled masons and 2000 workmen to collect wood and building stone and to assemble here in the spring, Stone was brought from Anatolia. Mehmet himself laid out the design, dictated by the lie of the land, and each of his three Vezirs, the Grand Vezir, Candarli Halil Pasa, Zaganos Pasa, and Saruca Pasa were made responsible for building a tower, while the Sultan himself undertook the walls and bastions, introducing a healthy sprit of competition. When it was completed a garrison of 400 Janissaries was stationed in it and here they tried out the range of their new cannons by training them on any ships rash enough to try to pass.
After the Conquest, the fortress found a new role as a prison before gradually falling into disrepair. In 1953, 500 years after the Conquest, Rumeli Hisar Fortress was well restored, and the space inside laid out with lawns and paths. The cistern on which the mosque once stood still marked by the stump of its minaret was opened up and converted into an open air theatre where plays and folk dancing are performed during the summer, especially at the time of the Istanbul Festival.
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Museums Links to Museums of the General Directorate of Monuments / Museums and Private Museums in Turkey
Adana Archeological Museum The Archrological Museum, the jewel of the city with antiquities collected from all over the country and stored in one building, was constructed between the years 1891-1908 by the architect, Valaury. It is one of the most important arceological museums in the world and it was Turkey's first museum,. Before its opening all valuble antiquities were brought to Istanbul and exhibited in the church of Hagia Eirene. The collection consists of archeological pieces from the period 2500B.C. to 500A.D. On display are Greek, Roman and Byzantine architecture and sculpture, earthware, bronz and glassware. coins and medaillions. The most valubable object of the collection is The Alexander Sarcophagus which originates from the 4th century B.C.
The Mosaic Museum Excavations which began in 1935 by Prof. Baxter. The fragments of the mosaic pavements which wewill see were once part of the Great palace. The mosaics belonging to the palace are from the fourth and fifth century A.D. The mosaics are extremely tactile in effect, among them are the figures of a lion devouring a lizard, a stag entwined with a snake, a woman giving breast to a child, the combat of a spear bearing hunter and tiger, a child feeding a donkey, a young girl carrying an amphora, a camel with children mounted on its back, and a monkey pacing a banana from the tree.
Hagia Sophia Hagia Sophia is the most renowned Byzantine cathedral and the best known Christian church in Istanbul. The church of the Divine Wisdom, the first church of Hagia Sophia was planned by Constant?ne the Great, but it was built by his son and heir, Constantius . For almost a thousand years Hagia Sophia served as the cathedral of Constantinople of the Byzantine Empire.The name, Hagia Sophia, means sacred wisdom.
Hagia Sophia has been restored several times during the Byzantine and Ottoman period. On the Turkish Conquest of Istanbul. Sultan Mehmet The Conqueror entered the city on 29 May 1453. The Conqueror lead the first Friday prayers and ordered it be converted into a mosque. Four minarets of the building were placed at different times after the Conquest. The southeastern minaret was added during the reign of Sultan Mehmet II, the northeast minaret by Beyazit II and the two minarets were added by Murat III. The major restoration to the building was done during Sultan Abdulmecit's reign in 1847, by a Swiss architect Gaspar Fossatio. Mehmet the Conquerer added the mihrab and Suleyman the Magnificent donated the two gigantic candles on each side of the mihrab. The building was used as a mosque until 1934.
For almost five hundred years after the Turkish Conquest it served as the imperial mosque of Istanbul. Hagia Sophia served as a mosque during the early years of the Turkish Republic, then declared a national monument and converted into a museum by the order of Atatuk on 24 October 1934.
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Activities Informations of Sport Activities in Turkey, Hunting, Winter Sports, Yachting, Airsports, Mountaineering, Unterwater Diving, etc....
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