About Istanbul

Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul, once known as the capital of capital cities, has many unique features. It is the only city in

the world to straddle two continents, and the only one to have been a capital during two

consecutive empires - Christian and Islamic. Once was capital of the Ottoman Empire, Istanbul still

remains the commercial, historical and cultural pulse of Turkey, and its beauty lies in its ability to

embrace its contradictions. Ancient and modern, religious and secular, Asia and Europe, mystical

and earthly all co-exist here. Its variety is one of İstanbul’s greatest attractions: The ancient

mosques, palaces, museums and bazaars reflect its diverse history. The thriving shopping area of

Taksim buzzes with life and entertainment. And the serene beauty of the Istanbul strait, Princes

Islands and parks bring a touch of peace to the otherwise chaotic metropolis.

Places of Interest Topkapı Palace Overlooking the Golden Horn stands the mare of buildings that was the great palace of the

Ottoman Sultans from the 15th to the 19th century. Today it is one of the richest museums of the

world. Topkapı was not just the private residence of the Sultan and his court. As home of Divan, it

was the meeting place of the supreme executives and the judicial control of a great empire as well.

It is now housing the most astonishing collection of rare objects that once belonged to the sultans.

Beylerbeyi Palace This palace was constructed in the same style as Dolmabahçe Palace. It is situated on the Asiatic

Shore of the Bosphorus and was built during the reign of Sultan Abdülaziz in the year 1865. The

palace consists of the 24 rooms and 6 walls. Italian, French and Turkish artists created the ceiling

decorations. The palace was used as the summer palace of the sultans.

Sultan Ahmed Mosque (The Blue Mosque) It is known as the Blue Mosque because of its magnificent interior decoration with the İznik tiles

with their dominating blue color. The Blue Mosque stands firmly opposite of Hagia Sophia. Blue

Mosque is the supremely elegant imperial mosque of Sultan Ahmed I with its 6 minarets. It was

built by the architect Mehmed Aga.

Hagia Sophia Hagia Sophia is one of the world’s most important buildings from the architectural point of view.

The ancient basilica was built by Constantine the Great. The first church was destroyed by a fire. A

new church was built at the same place by Theodosius II, but this was also burned down. It was

then re-constructed by Justinian in the 6th century. The construction of Hagia Sophia witnessed

sixteen hundred years of the history.

Süleymaniye Mosque The mosque of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent, where he and his wife are also buried, is

considered to be the most beautiful and splendid of all the imperial mosques in Istanbul. It was

built in among 1550 and 1556 by the famous architect Sinan, whose dearest wish was to surpass

the builders of Hagia Sophia.

Archeological Museum This extraordinary museum was established in the reign of Sultan Abdülhamit II, by Osman Hamdi

Bey who was also a painter and a collector. It now houses the best antique in the world. The

antiquities mostly originate from Anatolia, the Middle East and North Africa that were all was the

part of the Ottoman Empire.

Grand Covered Bazaar In 1461, Sultan Mehmed II built the first bazaar and used wood as the material, which is now

called as “Eski Bedesten”. It is oldest section of the bazaar. After several fires the bazaar was

reconstructed in 1894. Today the buildings are surrounded by a wall occupying an area of 200.000

sq. m. Approximately 5.000 shops are spread out in a giant labyrinth of small streets and

passages, which are mostly arranged according to their trades; antiques, gold, silver leather etc.

Egyptian Bazaar This was built by Hatice Sultan with the taxes collected from Cairo for the trade of Egyptian

commodities, especially herbs and spices. The bazaar with its domes is L shaped and belongs to

the complex of the mosque of the Sultan’s Mother.

Golden Horn The Golden Horn is an inlet of the sea and a natural harbor, dividing the European Side of Istanbul

into two as, the Old Istanbul and the Modern Istanbul. This arm of the Bosphorus is called “Golden

Horn” due to its horn-like shape and the golden color of the water surface at sunset.

Pierre Loti Cafe Having a magnificent view of the Golden Horn, the cafe is located high above a hill. It has been

called by the name of a French author Pierre Loti. Pierre Loti, (1850-1923) was one of the few

writers who came into prominence and enjoyed and outstanding success during his lifetime. His

real name was Julien Viaud and as a naval officer he had opportunity of visiting many foreign

countries. Turkey seems to have had a very special attraction for him. During his visits to Turkey,

Loti dressed and acted like a Turk, with a fez upon his head and a rosary in his hand, he roamed in

the intricate streets of İstanbul, rested in coffeehouses smoking a gurgling pipe, or sipping a cup of

thick Turkish coffee. He liked to stroll around the mosques of Fatih or Selim but Eyüp was his

favorite place. He frequented this cafe, admiring the magnificent panorama of the Golden Horn,

absorbing the quiet and peaceful atmosphere that reigned there. No one knows exactly how or

where it started but the place has been called after him ever since: Pierre Loti Kahvesi.

Source: http://www.tcmb.gov.tr/yeni/konferans/fms/Istanbul.htm