Topkapi Palace Museum

On a finger of land at the confluence of the Bosphorus, The Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara stands the Topkapi Palace, that maze of buildings that was the focal point of the Ottoman Empire between the 15th and 19th centuries. Cosntruction of New Palace (Topkapi Palace)
is started after 1466, and completed on 1478, a couple of years before the death of Fatih.
This palace is not a building like other European Palaces, and composed of various mansions and chambers. Initially constructed Cinili Mansion is a Glass Palace and concluded on 1472. Mansion with Middle East architecture character and two layers become Archeology Museum on 1875 and Turkish Islam Pieces of Art Museum on 1908.
It is also opened as Fatih Pieces of Art Museum on 1953. Cinili Mansion, Kubbe alti Arzodasi (Under Dome Submission Room), Hasoda, Treasury, Pantries and Expeditionist like barracks, a part of kitchens, patients room, hamam, now a library, Agalar Mosque, stables and other buildings construction is followed and finally structure is completed with the construction of main gate at Sultanahmet direction, known as Bab-i Humayun and Palace ramparts on 1478.
Palace residents, which were approximately 750 persons during Fatih period, become more crowd and during XIXth century, it reached to 5000 during normal days and extraordinary days like festivals 10.000. For this reason, new additions had been made to this palace.
Topkapi Palace Harem division is constructed between 1574 -1595 during IIIrd Sultan Murad period and then Harem residents in Bazayit had been moved to this place.
Harem residents were 474 persons at the beginning of XIXth century. There were Black Eunuch in Sultans Palace Chamber while entering the Harem, and on the upper level of it, Prince's School for little princes. In the course of time, Enderun School, Master Doctor's Room, Enderun Pharmacy, mansions within internal courtyards and summer mansions at Sarayburnu coasts are constructed in the Palace, kitchens and stables are widened, and new mosques and libraries had been added.
Telephone and Fax Numbers of Topkapi Palace Museum

Tel : (0212) 522 44 22 / 512 04 80-5 lines
Fax : (0212) 528 59 91

St.Sophia, (Hagia Sophia) Church/Museum
Hagia Sophia, which is assumed as the first and the only unique application in connection with its architecture, magnificence, size and functionality; is a product of east - west synthesis which inspired the Ottoman mosques on the basis of thoughts. This piece of art is one of the most important monuments, remained till today of the world architectural history. For this reason, Hagia Sophia had drawn attention of all humans with its architecture, mosaics and Turkish era structures besides its historical background during centuries. Hagia Sophia was church for 916 years, and mosque for 481 years, and now functions as a museum since 1935.

Open every day except Mondays from 9.30 - 16.30. 0212 528 4500

The Blue Mosque - Sultanahmet Camii
This mosque was built by Sultan Ahmet I during 1609-1616 in the square carrying his name in Istanbul. The architect is Sedefhar Mehmet Aga. It is the only mosque in Turkey with six minarets.
The mosque is 64 x 72 m in dimensions. The central dome is 43 m in height and is 33.4 m in diameter. 260 windows surround the mosque. Due to its beautiful blue, green and white tilings it has been named  the "Blue Mosque" by Europeans.
The inscriptions were made by Seyyid Kasim Gubari.The interior furnishings of Sultan Ahmet Camii are typical of those of the other imperial mosques in Istanbul.
The most important element in the interior of any mosque is the mihrab, a niche set into the center of the wall opposite the main entrance.The purpose of the mihrab is to indicate the kible, the direction of the holy city Mecca, toward which the faithful mast face when they perform their prayers.In the great mosques of Istanbul the mihrab is invaribly quite grand, with the niche itself made of finely carved and sculptured marble and the adjacent wall sheathed in ceramic tiles.
To the right of the mihrab we see the mimber, or pulpit, where the imam stands when he is delivering his sermon at the time of noon prayer on Fridays or on holy days.
The mosque is flooded with light from its 260 windows.

Open every day

Little St. Sofia Mosque or Ss. Sergius and Bacchus Church… Wonderful tiles…
Just a 10-minute walk from the Armada is what was originally the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, constructed by Justinian and Theodora in 527, a few years before the construction of the present church of Haghia Sophia was begun. Belonging to the same great innovative period architecturally, Ss. Sergius and Bacchus served as a church for nearly a thousand years before being converted to a mosque in 1504. It is called "Little Haghia Sophia" because of its resemblance to the Great Church.
 

Hippodrome
The ancient Hippodrome, the scene of chariot races and the center of Byzantine civic life, stood in the area that is now in front of the Blue Mosque.
The area is now named for the mosque, Sultanahmet. Of the monuments which once decorated it only three remain: the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine. Remains from the curved end of the Hippodrome wall can be seen on the southwest side of these three monuments.
Today the square forms the center of Istanbul's historical, cultural and touristic pursuits.
Take particular note of the surrounding wooden houses, especially the 18th century homes on Sogukcesme Street.
Delightfully restored, they have a new lease on life as small hotels; one houses a fascinating library of books on Istanbul.
 

Yerebatan Sarnıcı (Underground Cistern)

Near Hagia Sophia is the sixth-century Byzantine cistern known as the Yerebatan Sarnici.
Three hundred and thirty-six massive Corinthian columns support the immense chamber's fine brick vaulting.
Open days for visitors: Open every day except Tuesday

Grand Bazaar
The oldest and biggest closed bazaar in the world, also known as the Grand Bazaar, has around 4000 shops and over 60 alleyway, covering a huge labyrinth in the city centre. Grand Bazaar The original two structures, covered with a series of domes and remains of the 15th century walls, became a shopping area by covering the surrounding streets and adding to it over the following centuries. In Ottoman times this was the centre of trading, and a vital area of town. The Sandal Bedesten was added during Suleyman’s reign, to cope with the rising trade in fabrics, during the 16th century.
Traditionally the more valuable goods were in the old central area, called Ic Bedesten, because it was more secure. Grand Bazaar As quite typical of the area, most streets are laid out and devoted to a particular trade, for example gold on Kuyumcular Caddesi, leather on Bodrum Han, and shoes on Kavaflar Sokak. But the trade has also spilled out onto the surrounding streets, and it is very common to see Russian traders buying up huge sacks of leather jackets or shoes outside the main entrance. Grand Bazaar Istanbul Even the streets leading to the Golden Horn are lined with outdoor stalls, which have traditionally been controlled by strict trading laws to reduce competition between traders.
Istanbul Grand Bazaar Apart from the usual shops selling clothes, textiles, jewellry and carpets, there are small workshops where craftsmen cast and beat silver or brass, in a skilled trade handed down through the generations. If all that shopping, bargaining and fending off persuasive salesmen is a little too tiring, there are also traditional cafes dotted inside the bazaar in which to relax, eat and sip tea. There are also money-changing booths inside and out. It is slightly less crowded during weekdays, as most locals shop at weekends.  
 

Egyptian Bazaar
Also known as the Spice Market, this is Istanbul’s second bazaar, constructed in the same complex as Yeni Camii (or New Mosque). In Egyptian Bazaar Istanbul There are six gates, which make it an attractive exterior. The L-shaped market, together with the mosque, were built for the mother of Mehmet IV, a powerful woman who ruled the harem and, some would say, much of the empire.
Although no longer the prime spice trading area of the city, there is still the aroma of ginger, cardamom, pepper and saffron from the piles of spices sold from many stalls. Egyptian Bazaar These days it is also popular for great varieties of lokum (turkish delight), small souvenirs, flavoured teas and local delicacies – including the dubious sounding “Turkish Viagra”. Locals come here to shop for bed linen and towels, as well as for fruit and vegetables, coffee, clothes, pots and pans in the surrounding cramped backstreets. Outside the Egyptian Bazaar Istanbul on the Galata Bridge end, is this is the best place to choose olives from huge barrels, and many varieties of beyaz penir (white cheese).

Archaeology Museum
Neighbouring Cultures Of Istanbul (Thrakia-Bithynia) and Byzantium
The Directorate of Istanbul Archaeology Museums that is dependent on the General Directorate of Monuments and Museums of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Turkey is on the Osman Hamdi Bey Ascent that opens to the Topkapı Palace Museum from the right of the Gülhane Park Entry which is in the Sultanahmet district.
Istanbul Archaeology Museums consist of three museums. Those are Archaeology Museum, Old Eastern Works Museum and Enameled Kiosk Museum.
Istanbul Archaeology Museums, which were established as Müze-i Humayun (Empire Museum) by the famous artist and museum director Osman Hamdi Bey at the end of the 19th century, were opened to public on June 13, 1891. Besides its importance as the “first Turkish museum”, it has an importance and specialty of being one of the museum buildings that are constructed as a Museum in the World. Today, it still protects its outstanding place in the World’s biggest museums with its works more than a million belonging to various cultures.
In the museum collections, there are rich and very important works of art belonging to various civilizations from the regions from Balkans to Africa, from Anatolia and Mesopotamia to Arab Peninsula and Afghanistan that were in the borders of the Ottoman Empire.
 

Sokullu Mehmet Pasha Mosque & Complex- Extraordinary tiles...
Another beautiful, smaller mosque…This was built by Sinan in 1571-2 for Esma Sultan, daughter of Selim II and wife of Grand Vizier Sokullu Mehmed Pasha, after whom the mosque was named. Above the door, surrounded by a design in gold, is a fragment of black stone from the holy Kaaba in Mecca, while some of the walls are covered in beautiful Iznik tiles. This charming mosque is a short walk from the Armada on Şehit Mehmet Paşa Street in Sultanahmet near the main road (Divanyolu) that leads to the Grand Bazaar.
 

Rüstem Pasha Mosque"Proving of the power by decoration..."
Eminönü, Tahtakale. Open every day during prayer time…
The most beautiful of Sinan's smaller mosques, it was commissioned in 1561 by Rüstem Pasha, twice Grand Vizier under Suleyman the Magnificent and husband of Princess Mihrimah, the Sultan's favorite daughter. This mosque, which can only be visited during prayer times, is of an unusual design, built on a terrace with a beautiful courtyard; but it is most famous for the fine Iznik tiles which cover almost all of the walls.

Carpet and Rug Museum
Sultanahmet Mosque Complex, Sultanahmet, 0212 518 1330.
Mostly Turkish carpets and kilims (flat weave rugs) important in the history of carpet weaving and design.

Haghia Irene Museum - One of the Istanbul Festival venues…
The Church of Haghia Irene (now known as the Aya Irini Museum) has been one of the most important performance venues for the Istanbul Festival since 1973, the year that the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and the Arts organized the very first edition of the festival. Haghia Irene, like Haghia Sophia, is one of the largest and most striking of all the Byzantine churches. Most historians, including the early ones like Theophanes and Codinus, attribute the commissioning of Haghia Irene to Constantine the Great. This great church was gutted by fire during the Nika Revolt, but was later rebuilt by Justinian. Although the church has remained essentially unchanged since that time, the surviving monument has been through many restorations due to fires (397, 404, 564, etc.) and earthquakes (768) which caused significant damage. After the Ottoman conquest in 1453, Haghia Irene was never converted to a mosque, as were many Byzantine churches, but instead was used as an imperial arsenal. In 1846 it became a museum of antiquities, and in 1874 it was converted to a museum of military history. In 1946 the collections of armaments were removed and archaeological excavations revealed the remains of two ancient temples, dedicated to Apollo and Aphrodite, within and around the church grounds.
The Haghia Irene Museum has an audience capacity of 1,123.
Listening to music here is a very special privilege and a great pleasure during the International Istanbul Music Festivals.

Topkapı Palace, Sultanahmet, 0212 522 0989. Open daily except Mondays and Tuesdays until 17.00. Visit requires a special permit.
 

The Mosaic Museum
The marketplace behind the Sultanahmet Mosque is situated on the remains of a great palace of the Byzantine Emperors. The mosaics discovered are thought to decorate the floor of a large hall in the palace. Scenes depicted by these realistic mosaics panels show a variety of wild and domestic beasts and includes some hunting and fighting scenes. Following the discovery of these mosaics, other mosaics unearthed in other sections of the city were framed by concrete panels and brought to the museum to be displayed.

Arasta Carsisi, Sultanahmet Telephone: 90-212-5181205
Open daily except Tuesdays , 09:30-17:00

Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts
Located in Ibrahim Pasa Palace, the palace contains a famous collection of carpets, sculpture, ceramics and metalwork: a collection of over 40.000 items. On the ground floor, an ethnographic section focuses on the lifestyles of different Turkish people.
Ibrahim Pasa Sarayi, Sultanahmet - Telephone: 90-212-5181805
Open daily except Mondays , 09:30-17:00

Caricature and Cartoon Museum
For something different try the Caricature and Cartoon Museum in Fatih on Ataturk Boulevard under the Bozdogan Aqueduct in the 16th century Gazanfer Aga Medrese. (Open daily 9:00 am to 6:00 p.m.)