Turkiye
Istanbul
The Historic Areas of Istanbul hold unique monuments from the Byzantine and Ottoman civilizations.
Strategically located on a peninsula, the cityscape reflects the meeting of Europe and Asia over many centuries. The Eastern Roman Empire is represented by the Hagia Sophia and the terrestrial wall of Theodosius II, while the Ottoman Empire contributed the Topkapi Palace and Süleymaniye Mosque among its architectural masterpieces.
Community Perspective: Istanbul is a highly appreciated city and has gathered a significant number of reviews so far. Tony lived there for a year, Kyle and Jay were ‘just’ being tourists taking it all in, Ian ‘did’ the Topkapi Palace and Chola Church, Nan has added a lot of practical info, Els on a revisit covered a number of ‘secondary’ sights, while Ilya added the perspective of visiting on a layover.
Site Info
Official Information
- Full Name
- Historic Areas of Istanbul (ID: 356)
- Country
- Turkiye
- Status
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Inscribed 1985
Site history
History of Istanbul
- 1985: Inscribed
- Inscribed
- WHS Type
- Cultural
- Criteria
- i
- ii
- iii
- iv
Links
- UNESCO
- whc.unesco.org
All Links
UNESCO.org
- whc.unesco.org — whc.unesco.org/
Related Resources
- visit.istanbul — UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Istanbul
- choramuseum.com — Chora Church
- muze.gen.tr — Archeological Museums of Istanbul
- yerebatan.com — The Basilica Cistern or Sunken Cistern: Yerebatan
- muze.gen.tr — Hagia Sophia Museum
- sultanahmetcamii.org — Blue Mosque
- archnet.org — Suleymaniye Mosque
- muze.gen.tr — Topkapi Palace Museum
News Article
- Aug. 25, 2022 ekathimerini.com — Greek archaeologists express concerns to UNESCO over Hagia Sophia
- July 12, 2020 bbc.com — Hagia Sophia: Turkey turns iconic Istanbul museum into mosque
- May 31, 2020 middleeasteye.net — Turkey goes back to the future as Hagia Sophia set for Islamic prayers
- Dec. 4, 2019 theartnewspaper.com — Court ruling converting Turkish museum to mosque could set precedent for Hagia Sophia
- Feb. 28, 2017 hurriyetdailynews.com — Historic city walls covered with roof, converted for wedding hall in Istanbul
- June 9, 2016 ibtimes.co.uk — Greece furious over Muslim prayers held at Hagia Sophia
- Feb. 26, 2014 theartnewspaper.com — Turkey plans to rebuild religious school next to Hagia Sophia
- May 10, 2011 todayszaman.com — UNESCO science committee approves construction of Haliç metro bridge
- June 26, 2010 hurriyetdailynews.com — Istanbul teeters on brink of UNESCO's troubled list
- Feb. 25, 2010 todayszaman.com — Istanbul's traditional wooden houses under threat
- April 19, 2008 todayszaman.com — A team from UNESCO will visit Istanbul in May to evaluate progress in preventing some of the city's historical areas from placement on a list of endangered sites
- July 30, 2007 turkishdailynews.com.tr — The Istanbul Greater Municipality in collaboration with UNESCO will restore Istanbul's historic city walls.
Community Information
- Community Category
- Archaeological site: Civilizations of Sub-Saharan Africa
- Urban landscape: Urban continuity
Travel Information
One million visitors or more
Undergoing Restoration or Repair
Recent Connections
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Perfect Inscriptions
1985 -
Creative Cities
DesignSee www.unesco.org
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Muqarnas
Blue Mosque: "The transitions between t…
Connections of Istanbul
- Individual People
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Helen of Constantinople
"Her body was brought to Constantinople and laid to rest in the imperial vault of the church of the Apostles." -
Leonardo da Vinci
In 1502 Leonardo da Vinci produced a drawing of a single span 720-foot (240 m) bridge over the Horn. In 2006 it was decided that an exact copy of da Vinci's design will be resurrected -
Attila the Hun
In 408 Emperor Theodocius II started constructing the walls which today bear his name. In 443 Attila and his brother Bleda "encountered and destroyed the Roman force outside Constantinople and were only halted by their lack of siege equipment capable of breaching the city's massive walls." (Wiki) -
Naser ed-Din Shah
""We arrived at the beginning of the habitations of the city of Islambul. On the left hand is the land of Europe ; on the right, the land of Asia.. We breakfasted at home ; after which we went to the city of Islambul to pay visits to the mosque of Saint Sophia and the residence of the Persian mission." -
Emperor Justininian
Hagia Sophia was the third Christian church on the site - the 2nd was burnt down in the Nika Revolt on 13/14 Jan 532. The new construction was ordered within days by Justinian himself and took only 5 years to build. He was present at the consecration and, according to legend, commented "Solomon, I have surpassed thee". -
Belisarius
Belisarius "was a military commander of the Byzantine Empire under the emperor Justinian I" and "was given permission by the emperor to form a bodyguard regiment." As such, he spent some time of his life in Constantinople. After his victory in the Vandalic Wars, Belisarius was granted a triumph in Constantinople.See en.wikipedia.org
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Frederick Barbarossa
During the Second Crusade, Frederick stayed in Constantinople as part of Conrad III's army. (Wikipedia)See en.wikipedia.org
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Gertrude Bell
Photo taken July 1907 -
Baha’u’llah
In exile in Constantinople for four months in 1863 -
Marco Polo
Passed through on his return to Venice -
Rabban Bar Sauma
1287: he had an audience with Andronicus II Palaeologus. Bar Sauma's writings give a particularly enthusiastic description of the beautiful Hagia Sophia. -
Elias Burton Holmes
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Ibn Battuta
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- Geography
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On a Continental Border
Asia/Europe -
Cape
Sarayburnu (includes Topkapi Palace) -
Straits
BosphorusSee en.wikipedia.org
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- Trivia
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Dubbed as another WHS
Constantinople was dubbed the Second Rome -
Built or owned by Germans
German Fountain at the northern end of old hippodrome (Sultanahmet Square) -
Modern Board Games
Istanbul (2014) and 7 Wonders (expansion) -
In Video Games
Assassin's Creed Revelations – Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace; Painkiller (2004) - Hagia Sophia; Age of Empires II: Byzantines: Hagia Sophia; Civilization VI: Hagia Sophia -
Out-of-place artifacts
Piri Reis Map at Topkapi Palace -
Role of Women
Topkapi Palace - Women of the Imperial Harem -
Former Largest Cities
From 350-550 A.D. -
One million visitors or more
rose from 3.7 million in 2019 to 13.6 million in 2022. // Hagia Sophia: 1.436.577 (2016) -
Google Doodles
15 January 2010, Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture & 13 April 2018, Orhan Veli Kanık's 104th BirthdaySee www.google.com
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Moved from location of original construction
The Serpent Column was removed from Delphi to the Hippodrome at Constantinople on the orders of Constantine in 324. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serpent_Column The Obelisk of Theodosius was removed from Karnak initially as far as Alexandria in 357 by Constantius II. In 390 Emperor Theodosius I ordered it to be erected in the Hippodrome at ConstantinopleSee en.wikipedia.org
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In the Istanbul museum
Several -
Major City Centres
12,5 milion 678 ha -
Built elsewhere as a full size replica
There?s a full size copy of the Blue Mosque in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan
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- History
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Pisan colonies
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Eunuchs
Topkapi Palace -
Diplomatic Missions of Joseon Envoy Min Yonghwan
13 May 1897 (Lunar date: 12/4) Bright and cold like yesterday. "At 6:00 A.M. we passed the old capital of Turkey, Constantinople. It is situated along the western shore. Continuously for several hundred leagues there is luxuriant, bright countryside. The fields are like inlay or embroidery. Moreover, we passed two royal palaces. These were many-storied buildings that rose up halfway to the sky with whitewashed brick battlements. They were exceedingly marvelous. There were gun batteries on both shores, scattered like stars or chess pieces. It is rightly called a great wonder." -
Silk Roads
Turkey/Aegean route connecting to Classic Silk Route; "during the first two or three centuries of the Silk Road (perhaps until 200 AD), from the 4th century onwards, the “Rome” to which all roads led in the Mediterranean world was “Eastern Rome” or Constantinople." (Silk Roads Programme)See en.unesco.org
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The Crusades
The Fourth Crusade resulted in the sack of Christian Constantinople -
Byzantine Empire and Civilization
Istanbul bears unique testimony to the Byzantine and Ottoman civilizations through its large number of high quality examples of a great range of building types, some with associated artworks. (OUV) -
Celtic history
Plundered by Celts -
Located in a Former Capital
Byzantine Empire 330-1453, Ottoman Empire 1453-1920 -
Residences of Roman Emperors
Great Palace of Constantinople "When Constantine I moved the Roman capital to Constantinople in 330, he planned out a palace for himself and his heirs. The palace was located between the Hippodrome and Hagia Sophia." Wiki - seeSee en.wikipedia.org
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Sieges and Battles
(Constantinople) Umayyads 674/8 (lifted) Umayyads 717/8 (lifted), 4th Crusade 1204, Mehmet 1453 -
Gypsies
The Sulukule district (within the inscribed area was the traditional area for Roma/Romani etc. Istanbul has just been criticized for not protecting it. -
Republic of Genoa
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Ottoman Empire
Capital of the Ottoman Empire. -
Thomas Cook Round the World tour 1872-1873
April 1873 "Round the world I have found no place so wretchedly provided with hotels as Constantinople and I shall be glad when, on the Sea of Marmara, "homeward bound" we turn our backs on the Golden Horn"
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- Architecture
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Palaeologan Renaissance
Chora Church "It is mainly famous for its outstanding Late Byzantine mosaics and frescos. The mosaic-work is the finest example of the Palaeologian Renaissance." - Wiki -
Mosaic art
Hagia Sophia -
Octagons
German Fountain in the northern end of the old hippodrome (Sultanahmet Square) has an octagonal dome -
Designed by or influenced Le Corbusier
Visited Hagia Sophia in 1911 and later wrote about it (see link). Thought to have influenced his ideas on the importance of interior space, use of light, the cupola and of silouhettes. e.g Chandigarh? -
Glazed tiles
Blue Mosque -
Muqarnas
Blue Mosque: "The transitions between the smaller exedrae and the supporting walls or arches are covered by muqarnas (stalactite-like sculpting) made of stucco." (wiki) -
Domes
31.5m. Worlds 1st "Pendentive dome" AD 543 -
Wooden architecture
Zeyrek houses -
Designed by Mimar Sinan
Suleiman Mosque; also designed changes to the Hagia Sofia
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- Damaged
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Terrorist Attacks
On 12 January 2016 a suicide attack in Istanbul's historic Sultanahmet Square district killed 11 people, all foreigners.See en.wikipedia.org
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'Threatened' by bridges
Golden Horn Metro Bridge. Statement of concern (see link):See whc.unesco.org
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Iconoclasm
At all churches the frescoes and mosaics were plastered over by the Ottomans (on the basis of belief on the prohibition of image and icon worship)
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- World Heritage Process
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Minor modifications after inscription
2017: The boundaries have been slightly extended to include (among others) the Marmara Sea Walls; Historic grounds of the Topkapi Palace; Remains of the Boukoleon Palace, The Süleymaniye Hamam which is an integral part of the Süleymaniye social complex, The Marble Tower, Fragmentary surviving sea walls extending northeastwards from the Marble Tower. -
Perfect Inscriptions
1985 -
First inscriptions
Turkey: three inscriptions in 1985, with Historic Areas of Istanbul as the lowest number
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- Religion and Belief
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Karaites
The medieval centre of Karaism -
Religious Relics
(Topkapi) The Sacred Trusts (inc a Hair from the beard of Mohammed) -
Cathedrals
Hagia Sophia (Former Cath) -
Notable mosques
Suleymaniye Mosque (1557 - Sunni), Sultan Ahmet Mosque (1616 - Sunni, also known als Blue Mosque) and many more -
Converted Mosques
"Hagia Sophia" became "Ayasofya Mosque" from 1453 -1935 (Now a museum); "Saint John the Forerunner by-the-Dome" (12th C) became the "Hirami Ahmet Pasha Mosque" in late 16th century -
Relics from John the Baptist
Topkapi Palace has an arm and part of the skull -
The Magi
The remains were previously kept at Haghia Sophia -
Axis Mundi
Hagia SophiaSee en.wikipedia.org
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Multiple Religions
Christianity and Islam, Capital of Byzantium (Hagia Sophia) and of the Ottoman Caliphate (Blue Mosque) -
12 Apostles
By tradition Saint Andrew established the See of Byzantium, later known as Constantinople, then Istanbul. Former cathedral churches of the patriachate include Hagia Irene and Hagia Sophia.
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- Human Activity
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Famous tapestries
Numerous Seljuk carpets -
Historical Graffiti
Runic inscriptions in Hagia Sophia, made by members of the Varangian Guard in Constantinople in the Viking Age.See en.wikipedia.org
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Petrosomatoglyphs
Several footprints of Mohammed are collected in the Topkapi MuseumSee www.usna.edu
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Via Egnatia
The road started at the "Milion" from where distance were calculated. It exited the walls at the Porta AureaSee en.wikipedia.org
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Famous Palimpsests
Archimedes PalimpsestSee en.wikipedia.org
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Tramways
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Invention of sweets and pastries
Turkish delight or lokum, a family of confections based on a gel of starch and sugar. "According to the Hacı Bekir company, Bekir Efendi, named Hacı Bekir after performing the Hajj, moved to Constantinople from his hometown Kastamonu and opened his confectionery shop in the district of Bahçekapı in 1777. He produced various kinds of candies and lokum, later including a unique form of lokum made with starch and sugar." However, this 'invention' is debated and the exact origin of these sweets is yet to be definitively determined. (wiki)See en.wikipedia.org
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Locations for playing sport
Roman hippodrome. Its remains are close to the Blue Mosque. -
Irrigation and drainage
See en.wikipedia.org
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Spice Route
Spice BazaarSee en.wikipedia.org
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Armouries
At the Topkapi Palace
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- Constructions
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Harem
Topkapi PalaceSee en.wikipedia.org
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Baths
Several historic hammams -
Walled cities
Theodosian walls -
Notable minarets
Süleymaniye Mosque - 72m -
Zero Mile or Kilometer Markers
The "Milion" was a "mile marker" erected in early 4th century AD in Constantinople as the starting point for measurement of distances in the Byzantine Empire. Originally a building with arch, dome and statues it became a location for imperial ceremonies. It survived until early 16th century when the Ottomans demolished it. Fragments were rediscovered in the mid 1960s and a pillar from it stands in Hagia Sophia Square. -
Monumental Fountains
German Fountain at the northern end of old hippodrome (Sultanahmet Square) -
Obelisk
The Obelisk of Theodosius (Turkish: Dikilitaş) is the Ancient Egyptian obelisk of Pharaoh Thutmose III re-erected in the Hippodrome of Constantinople (wiki)See en.wikipedia.org
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Bazaars and Market Halls
Grand Bazaar -
Monumental Columns
Serpent Column - "The Serpent Column also known as the Serpentine Column, Plataean Tripod or Delphi Tripod, is an ancient bronze column at the Hippodrome of Constantinople (known as Atmeydanı "Horse Square" in the Ottoman period) in what is now Istanbul, Turkey. It is part of an ancient Greek sacrificial tripod, originally in Delphi and relocated to Constantinople by Constantine the Great in 324. It was built to commemorate the Greeks who fought and defeated the Persian Empire at the Battle of Plataea (479 BC) & Column of the Goths - "The Column of the Goths is a Roman victory column dating to the third or fourth century A.D. It stands in what is now Gülhane Park, Istanbul, Turkey" &. Column of Theodocius - "The Forum of Theodosius (today Beyazıt Square) was an area in Constantinople. It was originally built by Constantine I and named the Forum Tauri ("Forum of the Bull"). In 393, however, it was renamed after Emperor Theodosius I.....In the middle of the forum was a Roman triumphal column erected in honour of emperor Theodosius I by his son Arcadius, who ruled as the Eastern Emperor after his father's death in A.D. 395. Its shaft, decorated with relief sculpture depicting this emperor's victory over the barbarians, was surmounted by a marble effigy" -
Mausolea
Sultan Ahmet Mausoleum at the Blue Mosque (in the complex, but outside the mosque) -
Cisterns
Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarayı). Next to Hagia Sophia. Was built during reign of Justinian ISee en.wikipedia.org
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Aqueduct
aqueduct of Valens -
Tetrapylon
MilionSee en.wikipedia.org
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- WHS on Other Lists
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European Capital of Culture
2010 -
World Monuments Watch (past)
Istanbul Historic Walls (2008) Kariye museum (2004) Hagia Sophia (1998, 1996), Zeyrek Mosque (2000), Küçuk Ayasofya,"Little Hagia Sophia" Mosque (2006, 2004, 2002) -
Located in a TCC Territory
Turkey in Europe -
Europa Nostra Award
Kılıç Ali Paşa Hamam in Istanbul (2017) -
Memory of the World
Works of Ibn Sina or Avicenna (980-1037) in Suleymaniye Mosque; Evliya Celebi's "Book of Travels" in the Topkapi Palace Museum Library and the Süleymaniye Manuscript Library -
Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks
Hagia SophiaSee www.asce.org
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Creative Cities
DesignSee www.unesco.org
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- Timeline
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Built in the 6th century
Byzantine Empire: Hagia Sophia (532-537) -
Built in the 4th century
Period of the Eastern Roman Empire: hippodrome of Constantine (324), aqueduct of Valens (378) -
Built in the 15th century
Capital of the Ottoman Empire from 1453: Topkapi Saray (1465). Developed further in 16th and 17th centuries: Blue Mosque (1609-1616), the Sehzade and Süleymaniye mosques, constructed under Süleyman the Magnificent (1520-66)
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- Science and Technology
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Libraries
(Topkapi) Enderun Library
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- Visiting conditions
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Undergoing Restoration or Repair
Chora church (only the Narthices are open)
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- 18
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History of the World in 100 objects
No 71. Tughra of Suleiman the Magnificent 1520-66 ADSee www.bbc.co.uk
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Famous Love Stories
Topkapi Palace in Istanbul for Suleyman the magnificent and Roxolana -
James Bond in books
From Russia with Love -
Location for a classic movie
Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque in Argo (2012, Best Picture at Academy Awards, Best film at BAFTA, Best foreign film at César awards) -
James Bond in Movies
From Russia with Love (1963), Skyfall -
Works by Nobel Prize winning authors
Istanbul, memories of a City by Orhan Pamuk
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News
- ekathimerini.com 08/25/2022
- Greek archaeologists express conce…
- bbc.com 07/12/2020
- Hagia Sophia: Turkey turns iconic …
- middleeasteye.net 05/31/2020
- Turkey goes back to the future as …
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Previous reviewers have already covered the main points of visiting Istanbul, so I'll stick to the specific angle of visiting the city on an intraday layover. In November of 2019, while flying to Israel from the United States, I used the connection in Istanbul to plug a gap on my travel résumé, if only a little.
I had under five hours to explore central Istanbul. That is about enough for a “scratching the surface” type of tour. I visited the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cisterna, Nuruosmaniye Mosque (which has a separate tentative entry on the WH list), the Grand Bazaar, Suleymaniye Mosque, and the Galata Bridge and the surrounding waterfront area, interspersing that with stops at rooftop cafés for coffee, sweets, and views, as well as one döner stop. Topkapi Palace, unfortunately, could not fit into that timeframe, since I am told it requires at least a couple of hours by itself. I suppose overall that is sufficient to firmly consider the WHS site as "visited", but I certainly did not come anywhere near getting to know Istanbul on par with my familiarity with other great European capitals. I suspect that two or even three full days must be the absolute minimum to achieve that level of exposure to Istanbul.
The new Istanbul airport is located much further out of the city than the old Ataturk Airport was – the ride between the airport and the city takes no less than 40 minutes and can last over …
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Between the 5 new WHS in north-eastern Bulgaria and the next one in Bursa (Asiatic Turkey), I had planned a full day to spend in Istanbul. I had been in this city once before: that was already in 1992 during my aptly named All Turkey Tour. So I gave myself a leisurely program this time, including only a few sights not too far from my hotel. I skipped the biggest crowd magnets such as the Hagia Sophia and the Topkapi Palace and I also entered places selectively.
My first stop was the Sirkeci train station. This used to be the final destination of the Orient Express, the train that travelled from London to Istanbul in some form between 1883 and 1977. The old station has been preserved as a monument, next to it lies a new station that is in full use. The abandoned station is now ‘owned’ by stray dogs and cats. I found one cat even entrenched on the dashboard of an old locomotive and another one sleeping on a table in the railway museum. Nevertheless, the building is well maintained and the stained-glass windows in the waiting areas are still beautiful.
Walking towards the most historic part of the city of Istanbul, you encounter a historic building every 100 meters or so. Each of these are explained by a handy column with information in 3 languages. One example is Paşakapısı, the gate of the Pasha. This beautiful entrance from 1799 led to the …
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Erdogan must have had a master plan to spoil my trip to Istanbul as much as possible. Now I am not referring to the recent escalation of the conflict with the Kurds and in Syria or the overall political situation in Turkey, both of which had me postponing my long planned trip to Turkey for a year or two. No, I am referring to the (re)construction frenzy that has gripped most of Istanbul.
While I couldn't care less about another skyscraper being built in the suburbs, it felt as if each and every key tourist site of Istanbul was hidden in scaffolds. Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Hagia Irene, the Harem of the Topkapi Palace and the Chora Church, all were only partially accessible. If I were running the joint I would focus on one or two sites, finish and move to the next sites. My Turkish hairdresser back in Germany only rolled his eyes at my suggestion: Construction sites are good for your pocketbook, the more the merrier, the longer the better.
The scaffolds may have been one of the reasons why Istanbul didn't come together for me. Another was the traffic which makes it hard to just wander around in Istanbul as a pedestrian. Last but not least, I was left wondering how much had been lost when the city first fell to the 4th Crusade in the 13th century and finally to the Ottomans in the 15th century. This is best exemplified by the Hagia Sophia.
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Certainly this is one of Europe's most impressive cities, with an astonishing history displayed in one of the greatest built environments on the World Heritage List. Throw in a welcoming atmosphere, some excellent food and bustling nightlife it really was a rewarding four day stay for us.
However things changed a fair bit after we left. Within hours of us flying home a bomb went off just outside the Grand Bazaar, a week later an explosion hit the International airport. Within a month there had been an attempted coup and subsequent clampdown on civil liberties. I wonder how much this would affect the visiting experience.
The sights in Sultanhamet have been covered here extensively. Though I will say, amazingly the Topkapi Palace managed to be a distinct highlight for me, even with my renowned loathing of such complexes, the Harem really was a bit special and well worth making the time to visit.
Additionally I wanted to point out the review of Tony H, who inspired perhaps the best patch of our whole trip. We headed up to the city walls for these sweeping panoramic views.
From there it was on to the Chola Church and staggeringly beautiful pearl of byzantine art and certainly it should not be missed. We ventured on a walk in vain to try and catch a ferry, but unexpectedly ended up in a surprisingly hip and trendy area of Fener. Istanbul felt very human in scale and finding distinct and intriguing neighbourhoods made the …
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My highlight of the Istanbul site is definitely the juxtaposition of the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia.
The two buildings look across the crowded square at each other. Like Istanbul itself, they both divide and join the citizens and their history. Represented within these two great landmarks is the core of the city’s heritage. If the buildings were people, historical figures even, they would be eyeing each other off with an acceptance of contemporary diplomacy but with memories of a violent past.
A wonderful WHS that captures the history of this region so perfectly!
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I went to Istanbul with friends in January 2014. Due to a lack of preparation we ended up only visiting 2 of the 4 inscribed components. The first was the beautiful Süleymaniye Mosque. A prayer had just finished, so we went up to the entrance, took off our shoes and went inside. You don’t have to pay to get into the “working mosques”, and it is well worth doing – don’t just go to the inactive Hagia Sofia! Inside the mosque the floor is covered in a rich carpet, and the walls and ceilings are exquisitely detailed.
It was a nice day outside, so after the Süleymaniye we went for a beer on a rooftop café we had spotted from the gardens. Except we didn’t get a beer. That’s one thing we learned about Istanbul – it’s very difficult to buy a beer within sight of a mosque. Which, in a city as richly endowed with them as Istanbul, is a lot of places!
The other subsite we went to was the Archaeological Park's museum.
We also visited the Basilica Cistern, the Galata Tower, the Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque.
I suppose we also saw the 'Land Walls of Istanbul', but only whilst driving past, so I don't count it as 'visited' properly.
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Istanbul was Constantinople, now it's Istanbul not Constantinople, and I have to say the city is just about as addictive as the song. I visited Istanbul twice on a trip to Turkey in 2007, and once on a trip in 2014, and it ranks high on my list of favorite cities worldwide. The Ottoman architecture of the Süleymaniye Mosque and the Sultan Ahmed Mosque are extremely impressive, as is the Byzantine architecture of the Hagia Sophia, a former Orthodox basilica that was converted into a mosque and now serves as a museum. The history of the Ottoman empire can be explored through tours of the Topkapı Palace, while below the surface of the Sultanahmet neighborhood are impressive cisterns which I'm glad other reviewers have enjoyed as much as I did. A bus ride to the Edirnekapı neighborhood grants access to the exquisite mosaics of the Chora Church as well as a well-preserved section of the city walls. Perhaps the best way to see the city of Istanbul, though, is by water via a ferry ride across the Bosphorus strait. Istanbul is a city which I'd love to return to some day.
Logistics: Istanbul has an extensive transportation system, including trams, buses, and ferries. Many famous sites in the Sultanahmet neighborhood are easily accessible on foot.
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I feel myself lucky as I've been able to call Istanbul my home for one year. It has given me the possibility to explore the city slowly and especially it's vast historic areas on Fatih peninsula.
The World Heritage site is made up of 4 different quarters. The most famous of them is the Sultanahmet area at the tip of the peninsula. From here you can find the biggest attractions: Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya), Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii), Topkapi Palace (Topkapi Sarayi) and Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarayi). This is the area you want to avoid visiting while you live in the city as it is overrun by tourists for most of the year and prices are higher than elsewhere in the city. After visiting the attractions (which are magnificent, there’s no denying in that) I prefered admiring this part of city from the ferries going between Asia and Europe. Interesting museum to visit in this quarter is the small Great Palace Mosaic Museum at Arasta Bazaar. In this museum you can see Byzantine pavement decorated with amazing mosaics.
2nd inscribed quarter is around Süleymaniye Mosque. Süleymaniye is the biggest mosque in Istanbul and gets also quite a lot of tourists but is much more calmer place to visit than Blue Mosque (no need to line up to get inside for example). Also I prefer myself the style and decorations of this mosque over Blue Mosque. Other bigger mosque in this quarter is Sehzade Mehmet Camii which is located next to Valens …
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I visited this WHS in December 2013 before Christmas and in January 2014. The highlights of this WHS were the landmarks and unmissable Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace. Their interior and exterior beauty is sublime. Other noteworthy sites are the Basilica Cisterns, Chora Church (Byzantine jewel!), Galata Tower, Byzantine City Walls, the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar. The Sultanahmet area alone is definitely worth a visit even though there are plenty of other sites to visit.
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An incredible city with a wide variety of things to see and do. Delicious food, interesting people, and exquisite Byzantine & Ottoman sites. Hagia Sophia is a magnificient work of architecture, the Blue Mosque is impressive, the intricate designs are easy to get lost in. The cisterns are worth a visit as well. For some the Ottoman Palace is a slight letdown, however I felt it was still worth my time, but I agree it was not my highlight. I enjoyed 5 days in Istanbul and I wish I only had more time. Kabab's everywhere, the Great Bazaar, the call to prayer. All good memories in experiencing a unique and beautiful city.
There has been concerns in recent years about the preservation and management of Istanbul. When I visited the iconic walls, they were in a sad state, but the remaining monuments to my untrained eye looked quite well protected.
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The historic areas of Istanbul are great to visit. The Aya Sofya and the Blue Mosque are obviously the center pieces, but there is more in the area; the underground cisterns, Topkapi and Dolmabahce palaces, the Chora Church. All these are nice to go to except perhaps for Topkapi, which I felt was overpriced and over-rated (The Harem is not at all worth it!). The Bosphorous is always there, and wonderfully accents all of these places. Give Istanbul at least 3 days!
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We walked past a line of sidewalk vendors selling bread and pastry, fishing boats offering fish for sale, and a ferryboat terminal, disgorging crowds of people.
We had only a precious too few hours to visit Süleyman (Blue) Mosque, St. Sophia Mosque, and shop in the 4,000 stall Grand Bazaar. As we walked back to the ship we again crossed the bridge over the Golden Horn. It was meal time, the restaurants were filling with hungry patrons, fishermen were still selling fish, street stands were still selling pastries, the ferryboat terminal was still disgorging passengers.
Those street scenes will be there for us to enjoy when we return to this city, the most enthralling of the 124 ports we have arrived at, or departed from, on a ferry or cruise ship.
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