Istanbul
Istanbul
Undeniably, Istanbul is one of the world’s great cities. Majestically situated either side of the blue ribbon of the Bosphorus Strait separating Europe from Asia it is, unlike any other major city in the world, split between two continents.
Originally founded by the Greeks in the seventh century BC, Byzantium officially became a part of the Roman Empire in 73 CE. In the fourth century CE Istanbul became Constantinople, and during the middle ages was the largest and wealthiest city on the European continent and at times the largest in the world. After being sacked and pillaged by the Crusaders, the Byzantine Empire was restored but weakened. In 1453 Constantinople fell to Sultan Mehmed II the Conqueror and became the new capital of the Ottoman Empire.
On 29 October 1923 the Grand National Assembly of Turkey declared the establishment of the Turkish Republic, with Ankara as its capital. Istanbul remains a cultural hub with its streets and old quarter studded with monuments, churches, mosques and palaces, relics of these powerful dynasties.
Highlights
The Hagia Sophia mosque is among Istanbul's most popular and iconic historic sites. The original building, constructed in 360 CE, was a basilica with a wooden roof. Rebuilt in the 6th century on the orders of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, Hagia Sophia remained the world’s largest cathedral for nearly a millennium until the completion of Seville Cathedral in 1520. During the 4th Crusade in 1204, it was converted into a Catholic cathedral before being returned to the Eastern Orthodox Church upon the restoration of the Byzantine Empire in 1261.
The Hagia Sophia was used as a church for 916 years and as a mosque for 481. In 1934, by order of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and the decision of the Council of Ministers, it was converted into a museum and in 2020, it became a mosque once more.
Among the jewels of the historic peninsula, the Topkapı Palace reigns over the point where the Golden Horn and Marmara Sea meet. The palace was the primary residence of the Ottoman sultans for more than four centuries, and its extensive rooms, chamber houses and fascinating artefacts make the museum a must-see.
Among the world's oldest and largest covered markets, the Grand Bazaar features thousands of shops spread across dozens of streets.
The Sultanahmet Mosque, better known as the Blue Mosque due to the distinctive colour of its majestic tiled interior, is a historic mosque built in the early 17th century during the reign of Ahmed I.
Recently renovated, the Basilica Cistern was built by Emperor Justinian I in the 6th century to store up to 80,000m3 of water and channel it to nearby palaces.
The Spice Bazaar, also known as the Egyptian Bazaar, was built in the 16th century and features rows of stalls selling spices, sweets, Turkish delight, herbal remedies, dried fruits and other souvenirs.
Take a boat trip down the Bosphorus, the strait that separates Europe and Asia and uncover the heartbeat of Istanbul, the very essence of this mystical city. A Bosphorus Cruise reveals palaces and luxury residences as they were created to be seen: from the waterway. Dolmabahce Palace, Ciragan Palace, Ortaköy Mosque, Beylerbeyli Palace, Rumeli Fortress, Galata Tower, Küçüksu Palace, all line the shores of the Bosphorus.
