The Basilica of St. Sophia, now called the Ayasofya Museum , is
unquestionably one of
the finest buildings of
all time .Built by
Constantine the Great
and reconstructed by
Justinian in the 6th
century, its immense
dome rises 55 Meeters
above the ground and its
diaMeeter spans 31
Meeters. You should
linger here to absorb
the building's majestic
serenity and to admire
the fine Byzantine
mosaics. (Open every day
except Monday).
Istanbul has some of the
most I exciting museums,
ranging from the
magnificent Haghia
Sophia to the intimate
Sadberk Hamm Museum.
Entrance fees, where
charged, are very
reasonable.
|
Archaeological
Museums (Arkeoloji
Muzeleri) |
Sultanahmet,
Tel: 520 77 40 Across
from the Cinli (Tiled)
Kiosk sn Topkap:
Palace's outermost court
zs the magnijacent
Archaeological Museum.
The first jlooy and the
annex of the museum is
open to the public,
displaying a selection
of the 60,000 Greco-
Roman and Neay Eastern
antiquities in the
collection, including
moye than 75,000
inscribed clay tablets.
Don't miss the
wonderfully preserved
Alexander Saycophagus
found in Sidon and the
treaty of Kadesh, the
first peace treaty evey
to be signed in the
world. The museum brings
to life the peoples of
the ancient Middle East.
Recently opened special
educational section for
children. Open
09.30-16.30. Closed
Mondays.
Halaskârgazi
Caddesi 250, Sisli Tel:
240 6319 Ataturk, the
foundey of modern
Turkey, lived here
briefly. The house
displays some of hrs
personal effects.
09.30-16.30. Closed
Thuysdays and Sundays.
|
Calligraphy
Museum (Mat
Sanatlari
Muzesi) |
Calligraphy
Museum (Mat Sanatlari
Muzesi)
Beyazit Square, Tel: 527
58 51 The Ottomans,
always uneasy with human
pictorial
representation, found
fulley urtistic
expression in
calligraphy. This is the
only museum of
calligraphy in the
world. 09.00-16.00.
Closed Sundays and
Mondays.
Carpet and Kilim Museum
(Mah ve Kilim Muzesi)
(Next to the Blue
Mosque), Sultanahmet,
Tel: 518 13 30 A
wonderjul collection of
ancient kslsms and
carpets in a very cool,
marble environment. Also
a large collection
ofcarpets. 09.00-12.00,
13.00-16.00. Closed
Sundays and Mondays.
Divan Literature Museum
(Divan Edebiyati Muzesi)
Galip Dede Caddesi 15,
Tünel, Beyoglu, Tel: 245
4141. Also called the
Galata Mevlevihane, this
is where the mystic
"Whirling Dervishes"
perform "Sema" dances
and Suf music, on the
last Sunday of every
month. A memorable
experience not to be
missed. A fine display
of instruments and
dervish accessories.
Closed Mondays.
Maghia Sophia
Sultanahmet, Tel: 52217
50 The Church ofHoly
Wisdom is undoubtedly
one of the greatest
architectural creations
in the world. Built by
the Byzantine
EmperorJustinian circa
AD535, it was
transformed into a
mosque afler the Ottoman
conquest of the city in
1453. Now a museum, it
is awesome in size, and
contains beautifully
preserved Byzantine
mosaics. Hanging
alongside the pictures
of Chrrst are huge
wooden discs proclaiming
the greatness of Allah:
a meeting point of
religions. A must for
any visitor to Istanbul.
9.30-16.30. Closed
Mondays.
|
Kariye
Museum The
Church of St.
Saviour fn Chora |
Kariye
Catnu Sokak, Edirnekapi,
Tel: 63192 41 A
legendary Byzantine
church decorated with
extraordinary laté- l4th
centuryfrescoes and
mosaics portraying the
life and miracles of
Christ. The most
important and extensive
series of Byzantine
paintings in the city
and among the most
significant in the
world. 09.30-16.30.
Closed Tuesdays.
|
Maritime
Museum (Deniz
Muzesi) |
Besiktas
Tel: 26100 40 Includes
examples of the
extraordinary caiques
that used to row the
Sultans to and from
their homes along the
Bosphorus. 09.30- 17.00.
Closed Mondays and
Tuesdays.
Opposite
Arasta Bazaar (behind
the Blue Mosque),
Sultanahmet, Tel: 51812
05 Houses the beautiful
mosaics discovered in
Justinian's Grand Palace
of Byzantium.
09.30-17.00. Closed
Tuesdays.
|
Museum of the
1839 Reforms /Tanzimat
Muzesi |
Gulhane Park, Tel:
512 63 84 A small museum
celebrating the
Ottomans' l9th century
attempt to catch up with
the rest of Europe. Open
every day 09.00-17.00.
Rahmi M. Koç
Industrial Museum
Haskoy Caddesi 27,
Sutluce, on the Golden
Horn, Tel: 256 7153/54
A recently opened
museum which gives an
excitingglimpse into
Istanbul's industrial
past. Displays include
scale models of steam
engines, ships, cars, a
full Maklin train set
which visitors can
operate and a fully
recreated ship's bridge.
Open 10.00-17.00. Closed
Monday.
Sadberk Mamm Museum
Buyukdere Caddesi
27-29, Sanyer Tel: 242
3813 Excellent
archaeological and
ethnographical
collections displayed in
two handsome old
mansions on the
Bosphorus.10.30-17.00.
Closed Wednesdays.
Sultanahmet,
Tel: 512 04 80 The
legendary palace of the
Ottoman sultans from the
l5th to the l9th
centuries. Low buildings
set in a series of
courtyards, Topkapi is
quite unlike a Western
palace. Be sure to see
the Harem, the Treasury
and the golden-roofed
Baghdad Kiosk.
09.30-17.00. Closed
Tuesdays.
The Museum of Turkish
and Islamic Art
At Meydam 46,
Sultanahmet, Tel: 51813
85, 51818 05 A
delightjul museum on the
ancient Hippodrome,
housed in Ibrahim PaSa
Sarayi, the home of
Suleyman the
Magnificent's Grand
Vizier. Beautifully
displayed Islamic
objects and antique
carpets.10.00- 17 00.
Closed Mondays.
Yildiz Palace Museum
(Marangozhane)
Yildiz Palace,
Barbaros Bulvari,
Besiktas, Tel: 258 30
80/ext. 280 The
converted carpentry
workshop of Sultan
Abdulhamit now houses
exquisite poycelain
pieces, giant vases and
the joinery produced by
the Sultan himself. Open
10.00- 16.00. Closed
Mondays and Tuesdays.
Istanbul
has hundreds of mosques,
both monumental and
intimate. Mosques are
open to visitors every
day outside worshipping
hours, which are
announced by the
muezzins' call to
prayer. All visitors are
asked to remove their
shoes and women are
expected to cover their
heads before entering. A
few of the most
architecturally
interesting are:
Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet
Camii)
Sultanahmet Square
The mostfamous mosque
in the city, built in
the early l7th century,
distinguished by six
slendey minarets and
walls covered with
amazing blue Iznik
tiles. Open every day
except during prayer
times. Facing St.
Sophia stands the
supremely elegant,
six-minaret, imperial
Sultanahmet Mosque.
Built between 1609 and
1616 by the architect
MehMeet.
Eyup
For the Islamic world,
this is the holiest
mosque in all of
Istanbul. The Ottoman
sultans held their
coyonation ceyemonies
here. The faithful still
flock here to pray to
the yelics of Eyup, a
companion of the
Prophet. Be suye not to
visit on Fridays, when
the mosque is packed
with woyshippers. Up the
hill through the
graveyard is the
atmospheric Pierre Loti
Cafe, ofjersng
yefreshments and an
arresting view of the
Golden Horn.
Cagaloglu
An 18th century
mosque incluenced by
baroque architecture.
Consideyed a turning
point in mosque
architecture.
Ortakoy Mosque
Ortakoy A superb
setting on a point
jutting into the
Bosphorus. This Ottoman
bayoque mosque displays
a wondeyful sculptuyal
approach.
Sokullu MehMeet Pasha
Mosque
Sultanahmet Near
the Covered Bazaay, an
intimate Sinan mosque,
built in a conf ned
space, but neveytheless
breathtakingly
beautiful.
Beyazit
Sinan's masterpiece.
The massive scale of
this mosque is best
appreciated from a
distance. Up close, the
mosque is formal and
rather forbidding, but
it is interesting to
wander around the
surrounding complex of
buildings.
Yeni Cami (New
Mosque)
Eminonu A late
example of classical
Ottoman architectuye,
this is one of the most
familiar landmarks in
the city.
The
city abounds with
churches of various
denominations. A few
churches of particular
interest are:
St. Anthony of Padua
Istiklal Caddesi,
Tunel One of the
city's best known
functioning Roman
Catholic churches.
Church of St. George
Fener The seat of
the Greek Orthodox
Patriarchate.
Christ Church
Serdari Ekrem Sokak
82, Tunel, Beyoglu A
restored Anglican
church, formerly known
as the Crimean Memorial
church, designed by the
famous Victorian
architect C.E. Street
St. Mary
Pammakaristos (Fethiye
Cami)
Fener, Tel:522 17 50
Many Byzantine
emperors are buried
here. Permission to
visit must be obtained
from the Haghia Sophia
Museum, 09.30-17.00,
closed Mondays
SS Sergius and
Bacchus (Kucuk Ayasofya)
Sultanahmet A
Byzanttine church built
in Emperor Justinian's
era. A must for
architectuyal
historians.
St. Stephen of the
Bulgars
Fener Styanded in
the middle of the Golden
Horn road, this l9th
century structure is
built entirely of iyon.
It was pyefabricated in
Vienna and sent via the
Danube to be eyected
here to celebyate the
independence of the
Bulgarian Church.
Beylerbeyi
Palace
Cayirbasi Duragi,
Beylerbeyi Tel: (216)
32193 20 A restored
summer palace of the
late Ottoman sultans,
buiLt of white marble.
09.30-16.00. Closed
Mondays and Thuysdays.
Ciragan Palace
Besiktas The
formey summer home of
the Ottoman sultans, now
rebuilt as part of the
complex of the Ciragan
Palace HoteL Kempinski.
Dolmabahçe Palace
Besiktas Tel: 258 55
44 The l9th century
rococco residence of the
Ottoman sultans, and the
place where Ataturk died
in 1938. BeautifulLy
situated, with a 600
Meetre frontage on the
Bosphorus, an impressive
ballroom, and ornate
Victorian furniture
embodying the Turkish
assimilatian of European
cultulre. Visitors are
admitted in groups, Led
by the museum's guides.
Try to go eayly in the
moyning, later in the
day it may be fully
booked. 09.00-16.00.
CLosed Monday and
Thuysday.
Ihlamur Palace
Ihlamurdere Caddesi,
Besiktas , Tel: 261 29
91 A sylvan imperial
rest house that remains
seyene in the midst of
city traffic.
09.00-17.00. Closed
Mondays and Thuysdays.
Sale Kosku (Yildiz
Park)
Besiktas, Tel: 259
45 70 Late Ottoman
imperial palaces, this
time set in the hills
above the Bosphorus, in
the leafy Yildiz Park.
Sale (Chalet) Kosku is
an elegant wooden
building which served as
residance for foreign
state guests and is now
a museum, 09.30-16.00,
Closed Mondays and
Thursdays.
Basilica
Cistern (Yerebatan
Sarayi)
Yerebatan Caddesi,
Sultanahmet Square, Tel:
52212 59 The vast
awesome columned cavern
was the watey souyce foy
both the Gyand PaLace of
the Byzantines and for
the Ottomans' Topkapi
PaLace. Open
09.00-17.30.
The
straits which divide
Euyope from Asia and
define Istan6uL. A txip
to the city would not 6e
complete without a
cruise up and down its
shores. Imperial palaces
are interspersed with
wooden seaside mansions,
decorative ferry
landings, the twin
fortresses of RumeLi
Hisar and Anadolu Hisay,
and two intercontinental
bridges. Along the way,
stop to exploye Rumeli
Hisar (Open 09.30-1700
except Monday). Sultan
MehMeet had the castle
built in 1452 so he
could lay siege to the
city. If you take the
circulay touy from
Eminonu (2 hours each
way) you can enjoy a
fish lunch at Anadolu
Kavag2. Feyry-boats also
leave from Eminonu for
various points along the
weterway. Private boats
can be hiyed during the
summer.
|
The Covered
Bazaar (Kapali
Carsisi) |
Has
several gates: most used
are at Cagaloglu and
Beyazit Istanbul's
legendary bazaar, a
labyrinth of over 4000
little shops, is
everything you dreamed
an oriental mayket could
be. Gold jewellery,
carpets, siLver
bibelots, leather,
ceyamics, copper and
bras objects,
embroideries, hand-woven
textiles, meerschaum
pipes-in othey words a
tyeasure tyove. Best
approached from the
Nuruosmaniye I entrance.
Open 09.00-19.00 '
Monday-Saturday.
Galata Tower (Galata
Kulesi) Buyukhendek
Sokak, Sishane Tel:
2451160 Worth
climbing to the top for
the view from this l4th
century Genoese folly.
08.00-21.00. Open every
day.
A
group of nine islands
four of them-Kinaliada,
Burgazada, Heybeliada
and Buyukada-inhabited.
Afavourite summer place
since Byzantine times,
the islands are a haven
of quiet. With their
beautiful villas and
pine groves, they offer
lovely walks all year
round. No private cars
are allowed, so
transportation is either
by foot, horsedrawn
carriage or donkey.
Ferry-boats leave from
Sirkeci, Kadakoy and
Bostanca and sea buses
operate infrequently
from Kabatas and
Bostanca (call 362 04 44
for sea 6us
information). A charming
excursion.
The Spice or Egyptian
Bazaar (Misir Carsisi)
Eminonu An exotic
food market and bazaar
selling spices, dried
fruits cheeses, olives,
as well as towels,
slippers, baskets and
some jewellery. Outside,
to the lefL, there is a
wonderful flower and
bird market and to the
right merchants busily
seLl vegetables and fish
with lots of local
coLour. Open Monday-
Saturday 09.00-19.00.
Yildiz Park
(entrance on coast
road between Besiktas
and Ortakoy) The
Sultans' private park,
now open to the public,
with two lovely
buildings-Malta Kosk and
Cadir Kosk. Both places
have marvelous terraces.
Also don't miss the
elegant wooden Sale
(Chalet) Kosku inside
the park which is a
museum. The park is a
favourite of courting
couples |
About
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