Top 4 Tourist Attractions In Istanbul
Throughout history, Turkey has been a great country. Istanbul, which is the capital of Turkey, is one of the most important and most significant metropolises in the whole world.
The Byzantium Empire, the Ottoman Empire and many great events happen in Turkey. Istanbul was named when the modern Turkish Republic was founded.
Any visitor to Istanbul will be impressed by the long, great history of this city so let’s explore the most significant sights there.
1. Aya Sofya:
“Glory to God that I have been judged worthy of such a work. Oh Solomon, I have outdone you.” These were the words that Justinian, the Byzantine Emperor, said when he entered Aya Sofya for the first time. It was called the Hagia Sophia and it was the greatest place of the whole empire that made it the center of the world.
When the Ottoman era began, they converted it into a mosque then in the 20th century, it was converted into a museum to be one of the most important landmarks of Istanbul.
Visit Aya Sofya at Aya Sofya Medanı, Sultanahmet. It is totally worth visiting.
2. Topkapı Palace:
Mehmet the Conqueror built this palace in the 15th century and from this time to the 19th century; the Ottoman sultans ruled the empire from this palace. This palace is one of the best examples of the Islamic art. The most significant place in the palace is the Harem where the kids and the concubines of the sultan used to spend their time. You also can walk in the Second Court where you will find the vast kitchens and the Imperial Council Chamber.
The Third Court has the sultans’ private rooms and the Sacred Safekeeping room where you will find an impressive collection that belongs to the Prophet Muhammad and the Imperial Treasury.
The palace that is located at Babıhümayun Caddesi, Gülhane Park with its significant places is one of the most significant places that you must visit.
3. Blue Mosque:
This mosque is a very special one in the whole Islamic world. It was built between 1609 and 1616 in the era of Sultan Ahmet Camii. It is commonly known nowadays as the blue mosque that has 6 minarets as the Great Mosque of Mecca. It is considered one of the greatest architectural achievements of the ottoman ear because of the whole spatial and color effect. It is called the blue mosque because of the thousands of the İznik tiles that decorate the interior of the mosque.
The gardens between the blue mosque and Aya Sofya make the whole place one of the greatest sightseeing in Turkey and probably in Europe.
Arasta Bazzar is located behind the blue mosque where you can shop for high-quality souvenirs.
4. Basilica Cistern:
It is considered one of the hugest palaces in Turkey. The palace, that is located in Yerebatan Caddesi, Sultanahmet, is supported by 336 columns in 12 rows. It was used as storage for the water supply during the Byzantine era.
