Istanbul & More
Istanbul Toy Museum: Housed in a historical villa, the Istanbul Toy Museum in Göztepe is a great place to spend a rainy afternoon with the kids. Over 4,000 toys are on display, including many antique ones. Miniatürk: Miniatürk houses about 120 miniatures of Turkish and Ottoman monuments and historical sites, such as the Hagia Sofia and the Galata Tower. Vialand: Vialand is a grand theme park with roller coasters, shops, and a movie theatre, welcoming both children with fantasies of meeting their favorite cartoon characters, as well as adults rushing to be the first in line to enjoy the rides. Sealife Aquarium: Istanbul SEA LIFE Aquarium is located in Forum Istanbul Shopping Mall and home to an exciting collection of sea creatures. With an amazing 83m long underwater Ocean Tunnel, 270 degree panoramic viewing Sea Bed, 21 themed zones with 47 display tanks and more than 15,000 sea creatures, the aquarium is the perfect stop for family fun! To get any closer you would have to get... read more
The Grand Bazaar: The Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı) in Istanbul is one of the largest covered markets in the world with 60 streets and 5,000 shops, and attracts between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. It is well known for its jewellery, hand-painted ceramics, carpets, embroideries, spices and antique shops. Monday to Saturday 9:00 – 19:00. Closed Sundays and bank holidays.Visit http://www.grandbazaaristanbul.org for more information. The Spice Bazaar: The Spice Bazaar, the second largest covered market in the city, was part of the mosque complex. Other surviving parts of the complex are the tombs and the magnificent fountain. On the mosque side of the L-shaped Spice Bazaar, there is a popular flower market and cafes, and fish, vegetable and grocery stores occupy the other side. Once all of the shops inside the bazaar used to sell spices, but over the time some have turned into dried fruit, grocery and gift shops or jewelers. It is one of the attractive sites in Istanbul with its vivacious and distinctive atmosphere. Open daily 8:00 am – 7:30 pm. Visit http://www.misircarsisi.org/default.asp?LanguageID=2 for more information. Arasta Bazaar: The Arasta Bazaar is a tidy market street in the heart of Sultanahmet’s historical district. This modest bazaar was built in the 17th century by savvy Ottoman officials; rental revenues from its vendors were meant to finance the upkeep of the neighboring Blue Mosque. Today the street caters to tourists, its wooden-facade shops filled with carpets, mock Ottoman artifacts and all manner of nazar merchandise. The Mosaic Museum is the street’s standout attraction, displaying an ornamental pavement mosaic from the Byzantine Great Palace that was uncovered at the site in... read more
* Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople: Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, part of the wider Orthodox Church, is one of the fourteen autocephalous churches within the communion of Orthodox Christianity. It is headed by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, currently Bartholomew I. Because of its historical location at the capital of the former Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire and its role as the Mother Church of most modern Orthodox churches, the Ecumenical Patriarchate holds a special place of honor within Orthodoxy. The Ecumenical Patriarch enjoys the status of “Primus inter pares” (first among equals) among the world’s Eastern Orthodox prelates. Unlike the Catholic Pope, he does not exercise control over the individual autocephalous churches, which are fully autonomous. He is, however, widely regarded as the representative and spiritual leader of the world’s 300 million Orthodox Christians. * Saint Mary of the Mongols Church: Bloody Church, is an Eastern Orthodox church in Istanbul. It is the only Byzantinechurch of Constantinople that has never been converted to a mosque, always remaining open to the Greek Orthodox Church. * Hagia Irene: Holy Peace, sometimes known also as Saint Irene, is a former Eastern Orthodox church located in the outer courtyard of Topkapı Palace in İstanbul, Turkey. It is open as a museum every day except Tuesday. * Hagia Triada: Hagia Triada is a Greek Orthodox church in Istanbul, Turkey. The building was erected in 1880 and is considered the largest Greek Orthodox shrine in Istanbul today. It is still in use by the Greek community of Istanbul. It has about 150 parishioners. * St. Anthony of Padua Church: Along with the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit (1846) in the Harbiye district, St. Louis of the French (1581) and Santa Maria Draperis in Beyoğlu, Sts. Peter and Paul (1841) in Galata, Assumption Church in the Moda quarter of Kadıköy, St. Stephen in Yeşilköy and Bakırköy Church in Bakırköy, St. Anthony of Padua is one of the most... read more
* Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque): The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is a mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. It is also known as the Blue Mosque, but that name can also refer to other mosques. It was built between 1609 and 1616, when Ahmed I ruled the Ottoman Empire. Like with many other mosques, the founder of the mosque is buried in it. There is also a madrasah and a hospice associated with the mosque. Today it is one of the greatest tourist attractions in Istanbul. * Yeni Mosque (New Mosque): The Yeni Cami, meaning New Mosque; originally named the Valide Sultan Mosque (Turkish: Valide Sultan Camii) and later New Valide Sultan Mosque (Turkish: Yeni Valide Sultan Camii) after its partial reconstruction and completion between 1660 and 1665; is an Ottoman imperial mosque located in the Eminönü quarter of Istanbul, Turkey. It is situated on the Golden Horn, at the southern end of the Galata Bridge, and is one of the famous architectural landmarks of Istanbul. * Süleymaniye Mosque: The Suleymaniye Mosque is an Ottoman imperial mosque located on the Third Hill of Istanbul, Turkey. It is the largest mosque in the city, and one of the best-known sights of Istanbul. * Rüstem Paşa Mosque: The Rustem Pasha Mosque was designed by Ottoman imperial architect Mimar Sinan for the grand vizier Rüstem Pasha (the husband of one of the daughters of Suleiman the Magnificent by Hürrem Sultan (Roxelana), Mihrimah Sultan). Rüstem Pasha died in July 1561 and the mosque was built after his death from around 1561 until 1563.The mosque complex hosts now a religious school. * Kılıç Ali Paşa Mosque: The... read more
* Kılıç Ali Paşa Hammam: Commissioned to the great architect Sinan by the famous Ottoman Admiral Kılıç Ali Paşa as part of the mosque and school complex, Kılıç Ali Paşa Hammamı was constructed in between 1578-1583 to serve the levends (marine forces in the Ottoman navy). Famous for its architectural lines and majestic dome, the Hammam is one of the symbolic buildings in Tophane, Istanbul’s harbor district. Kılıç Ali Paşa Hammamı has opened after seven years of meticulous and intensive restoration, and endeavors to provide you with an experience to remember within its amazing historical atmosphere. http://kilicalipasahammami.com/ * Ayasofya Hürrem Sultan Hammam: The Ayasofya Hurrem Sultan Hammam in Istanbul was designed and built by Mimar Sinan, the chief Ottoman architect. It was built at the request of Hurrem Sultan (Roxelana), the wife of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in the 16th century (1556-1557 AD). It was built where the ancient public baths of Zeuxippus (100-200 AD) used to stand, between the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia. The area is also particularly significant as the site where the Temple of Zeus once stood. The hammam was operational until 1910 when it closed for many years. It was restored for the first time between the years 1957-1958 and was a carpet bazaar until 2007. Although the hammam was built in the classical period Ottoman bath style, it was an innovation in Turkish bath architecture to have the sections for men and women constructed on the same axis as mirror images of each other. http://www.ayasofyahammami.com/?rel=2 * Galatasaray Hammam: Galatasaray Hammam, is in the building of Galatasaray Mosque – (Kulliye), it was originally built,... read more
* Topkapı Palace: After the conquest of Istanbul by Mehmed the Conqueror at 1453, construction of the Topkapı Palace was started at the year 1460 and completed at 1478 . Palace was built upon a 700.000 sq m area on an Eastern Roman Acropolis located at the Istanbul Peninsula between Sea of Marmara, Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. After the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, Topkapı Palace, was transformed into a museum at the date April 3th 1924 and it was also the first museum of the Republic of Turkey. Topkapı Palace Museum is covering approximately 400.000 sq m at the present day. Open everyday except Tuesdays. Visit http://topkapisarayi.gov.tr/en for more information. * Dolmabahçe Palace: The palace was built in 19 th century is one of the most glamorous palaces in the world. It was the administrative center of the late Ottoman Empire with the last of Ottoman Sultans was residing there. The Palace has a great meaning for Turkish people since the supreme leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk had used the palace as a residence and spent the most serious period of his illness and he passed away in this palace on November 10, 1938 at 9:05 am, all the clocks in the palace are stopped at this time. * Dolmabahçe Palace: The palace was built in 19 th century is one of the most glamorous palaces in the world. It was the administrative center of the late Ottoman Empire with the last of Ottoman Sultans was residing there. The Palace has a great meaning for Turkish people since the supreme leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk had used the... read more
* The İstanbul Archaeological Museums: The Museum is housing various artifacts from civilizations that had left their traces to different periods of the history, is one of the 10 most important world-class museums designed and used as a museum building. Open daily between 9:00 am – 5:00 pm except Monday. Visit http://www.istanbularkeoloji.gov.tr for more information. * Hagia Sophia Museum: Hagia Sophia is the one of the most visited museums and most prominent monuments in the world in terms of art and the history of architecture. It has also been called “the eighth wonder of the world” by East Roman Philon as far back as the 6th century. The current Hagia Sophia is the third construction, done in a different architectural style, even though it occupies the same location as the previous two. The original building was constructed by the most important architects of the period (527-565), Anthemios (Tralles) and Isidoros (Miletus), under the order of Emperor Justinianos. It is mentioned in the resources that during its construction period, the two prominent architects each had 100 architects working under them, who in turn had 100 workers each working under them. visit http://www.ayasofyamuzesi.gov.tr * Chora Museum: Originally the main church of the Chora monastery, the building now known as the Kariye Museum, or traditionally as the Kariye Camii (Mosque), represents one of the oldest and most important religious foundations of Byzantine Constantinople. The mosaics and frescoes in the Chora are the most beautiful examples dating from the last period of the Byzantine painting (14th century). Open daily between 9:00 am – 5:00 pm except Wednesday. Visit: http://www.choramuseum.com for more information. *... read more
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