11 Historical Places You Should See in Istanbul

Istanbul has developed under the rule of the many states and has been the middle of varied cultures. Connecting Europe and Asia through the Bosphorus Strait, Istanbul is one in every of the foremost cosmopolitan metropolises within the world. Undoubtedly, the foremost striking feature of the history of Istanbul is that it had been the capital of three empires, the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires. The cultural legacy of Istanbul is vast, and also the historic peninsula could be a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

While Muslims conjure most of the population, town could be a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities. you'll be able to experience the cultures of the center East and West all directly. it's developed its modern cultural offering after becoming the eu Capital of Culture in 2010. to totally experience Istanbul takes a lifetime with its beautiful parks, corners, museums, mosques, churches, and lots of more.

 

That is why we prepared a listing for you to get the historical places in Istanbul!

1. Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque)

Sultan Ahmed Mosque, also called Blue Mosque, is an Ottoman-era historical mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. The mosque is an example of the excellence of Ottoman architecture. The Ottoman architect Sedefkar Mehmed Agha built the mosque within the 17th century during the rule of Ahmed I.

It is the middle of Old Istanbul and is one in all the highest sights visited by tourists. The foreigners call it Blue Mosque thanks to the high ceiling lined with 20,000 blue tiles.

 

The mosque dominates the spectacular skyline of Istanbul with its beautiful blend of ascending domes and 6 slender soaring minarets. The Blue Mosque is additionally a novel place due to its interior decorations and interior lighting.

The entrance to the Blue Mosque is free, and also the sound of prayer is soothing to the ears of the four finest muezzins in Turkey. you ought to enter from the side of the Hippodrome to experience the wonder of the mosque. Before entering, you've got to hide your head and come out your shoes.

2. Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia is one in every of the foremost visited tourist attractions in Istanbul. it's accepted because the 8th wonder of the planet. it's skilled various changes, from a Eastern Church to a museum. Hagia Sophia has had an eventful existence, becoming rebuilt and repurposed over and over, and it's among the highest three most vital historical places of Istanbul.

 

The Hagia Sophia could be a combination of Byzantine and Islamic architecture. While the minaret, calligraphic roundels, and mihrab have Islamic features, mosaics and frescoes, marble columns, and artistically significant covers have Byzantine features.
It is open and freed from charge for anyone who wants to go to, except during prayer times. Furthermore, it's a requirement to get rid of your shoes and canopy your head before entering the mosque.

3. Basilica Cistern

The Basilica Cistern or Cisterna Basilica is one in every of the magnificent historical structures of Istanbul, located southwest of Hagia Sophia. it's one among the foremost amazing pre-Ottoman unique places in Istanbul. Basilica Cistern could be a mystical and impressive historical place most visited by tourists for its legendary Medusa heads. it's the biggest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath Istanbul. it had been inbuilt the 6th century during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian.

 

The cistern may be a giant structure covering an oblong area of ​​140 meters long and 70 meters wide . The cistern incorporates a water storage capacity of roughly 100,000 tons. There are 336 columns, each 9 meters high, inside this cistern, which is descended by a 52-step stone staircase.

The Basilica Cistern met the water needs of the palace where the emperors resided and other residents during the Byzantine Emperor. the 2 Medusa Heads used as pedestals under the 2 columns within the northwest corner of the cistern are masterpieces of Roman sculpture art.

4. Topkapi Palace

Topkapi Palace is on the historical peninsula of Istanbul between the Marmara Sea, the Bosphorus, and therefore the Golden Horn. the development of the Topkapi Palace was started in 1460, seven years after the conquest of Istanbul, at the request of Fatih Sultan Mehmet. Topkapi Palace was the executive, educational and artistic center of the empire for pretty much 400 years.

 

There are four courtyards within the palace: the primary courtyard is Alay Square, Hagia Irene Church. The second courtyard is Divan Square, the administration center. the doorway to the Harem is on the western side of the Second Courtyard. The third courtyard is Enderun Courtyard, the principal educational center of the reign. The fourth courtyard comprises pavilions and hanging gardens of the sultans.

Harem was home to over 1000 women, and there have been rooms dedicated to the mothers and wives of the sultan, his courtesans, Turkish baths, and apartments of the sultan, in total over 400 rooms.

Topkapi Palace was converted into a museum in 1924, after the founding of the Republic of Turkey. The palace holds the title of being the primary museum of Turkey. Today, it's one in every of the most important museums within the world with its buildings, architecture, collections, Sacred Relics, Chinese and Japanese porcelains, and approximately 300,000 archive documents. The richness of the Topkapi Palace makes it an attraction point for tourists and locals.

It was included within the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1985. The ticket fee for the Hagia Irene Museum entrance and therefore the audio guide is 200 Turkish Liras. to go to the Harem section, you have got to pay an additional fee of 100 TL. Admission is free for youngsters under eight years.

Topkapi Palace is open on a daily basis except Tuesdays from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Taking photos and baby strollers don't seem to be allowed inside, and it's worth visiting the palace to experience the magnificent history of the Ottoman Empire. If you're curious about the historical places of Istanbul, your travels are incomplete without seeing them.

 

5. The Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar was built by Mehmet the Conqueror within the 15th century in Fatih district, between the Beyazit Mosque and Nuruosmaniye Mosque. it's one among the most important and oldest covered markets, with over 4000 stores and 61 alleys. it's considered the primary shopping precinct within the world. There are banks, restaurants, cafes, a post office, a police office, a health dispensary, and a tourist information center. The Grand Bazaar is one in all the foremost historical places in Istanbul with its busy stores and colorful streets.

 

It is one among the simplest destinations to experience the Ottoman culture. The Grand Bazaar incorporates a dynamic atmosphere at any hour of the day. the large stores offer the majority the products produced and exported in Turkey. Handmade carpets and jewellery are the most effective samples of traditional Turkish art. additionally to carpets and jewellery, famous Turkish works, souvenirs, decorative items, and ceramics are sold within the Grand Bazaar. The Grand Bazaar can easily be reached from Sultanahmet and Sirkeci by tram.

6. Suleymaniye Mosque

Suleymaniye Mosque was built by Mimar Sinan, the foremost celebrated of all Ottoman architects. it absolutely was inbuilt Istanbul between 1551 and 1557 within the name of Suleiman the Magnificent. Suleymaniye Mosque was built as part of the Suleymaniye Complex that consists of a seminary, library, hospital, school, Turkish bath (hammam), charity, memorial park, and shops.

 

Even though over 100 earthquakes have occurred in Istanbul since its construction, not the slightest crack appeared on its walls. Suleymaniye Mosque encompasses a simple structure in terms of decorations. The mihrab is roofed in fine Iznik tiles, and therefore the windows on the mihrab wall are decorated with glass.

The cemetery, located to the proper of the most entrance, contains the octagonal tombs of Sultan Suleiman and his wife, Hurrem Sultan. The tomb of Mimar Sinan is simply outside the walled garden, next to a disused seminary building.

7. Spice Bazaar (The Egyptian Bazaar)

The Spice Bazaar, also referred to as The Egyptian Bazaar, was inbuilt 1664. it's one in all the oldest covered bazaars in Istanbul. it's famous for its herbalists, natural medicines, spices, flower seeds, rare plant roots and shells, products following the old tradition; dried nuts, delicatessen products. Furthermore, it's one in every of the foremost colorful bazaars of Istanbul that gives numberless spices, Turkish delights, caviar, dried nuts, honeycombs, dried figs, mature hard Turkish cheese, and plenty of more.

 

The Spice Bazaar is behind the New Mosque in Eminonu and next to the Flower Market. The Spice Bazaar, one in every of the oldest covered bazaars in Istanbul, was built during the development of the New Mosque to get income for this mosque. It got the name Egyptian Bazaar because the story goes that it absolutely was constructed with money paid as duty on Egyptian imports. Spice Bazaar is open each day from 8 am to 7 pm. No visit to Istanbul is complete without passing by the Spice Bazaar.

8. Galata Bridge

Galata Bridge could be a bridge built over the Golden meddle with Istanbul, connecting Karakoy and Eminonu. Galata Bridge, which has become one in all the standard icons of Istanbul today, carries the symbolism of “the bridge connecting two cultures” because it connects New Istanbul (Karakoy, Beyoglu, Harbiye) and Old Istanbul (Sultanahmet, Fatih, Eminonu).

 

It is said that Sultan Bayezid II commissioned Leonardo designer to style a bridge to span the Golden interpose 1503. the nice artist and engineer did the planning, but the bridge was never built. it's a scale bridge 490 meters long with an 80-meter part which will be opened. it's one amongst the rare bascule bridges over which a tram passes within the world.

Today, Galata Bridge has cafes and restaurants underneath, where people enjoy their time watching the ferry boats, fishermen, and seagulls.

9. Galata Tower

The Galata Tower is found within the Beyoglu district of Istanbul. It takes its name from the Galata district where it's situated. Galata Tower was first built by the Byzantine Emperor Anastasius between 507-508 as a lighthouse and rebuilt as a Genoese Tower in 1348. it's one in every of the oldest towers within the world, contains a height of 69.90 meters. The tower is now used as an exhibition space and a museum. it's one in all the symbolic structures of both Beyoglu and Istanbul. Rumor has it you'll marry the person you move to together to Galata Tower. This legend dates from Roman times.

 

The top floor of the Galata Tower, which was one amongst the tallest buildings in Istanbul until the center of the 20th century, has one in every of the foremost beautiful panoramic views of Istanbul. The tower is on UNESCO's tentative heritage list.

The tower is open a day from 9.30 am to 12 am in summer; from 10 am to eight pm in winter. the doorway fee is 100 Turkish liras per person.

10. Istiklal Street

Istiklal Street, once referred to as Grand Rue de Pera, is one in every of the foremost famous streets within the world, with over 3 million visitors a day. it's in Taksim, Beyoglu district, and without a doubt is one among the foremost colorful streets within the world. it's a must-visit attraction for its vivid nightlife, discos, meeting points, great stores, bars, cafes and restaurants, innovative art galleries, side streets, neoclassical and school buildings, historic cinemas, passages, museums, and art galleries.

 

The street is that the destination of nightlife and entertainment in Istanbul. There are rooftop bars, underground live music discos, and nostalgic cinemas like Atlas, Pera, and Beyoglu Cinema. one in every of the foremost delightful ways to work out Istiklal Street is to use the Nostalgic Tram. Since it's the middle of arts and culture, you'll be able to always see a flood of locals and tourists.
Top Tourist Attractions on Istiklal Street:

• Flower Passage
• Nostalgic Tram
• Atlas Arcade
• Majestic Cinema
• Church of the Divine (Hagia Triada)
• French Consulate
• Madame Tussauds Wax Museum
• Fish Market
• Historical Galatasaray Turkish Bath
• French Street
• St. Antoine of Padua Church
• Pera Museum

 

11. Dolmabahce Palace

Dolmabahce Palace, the elegant palace of the Bosphorus, is that the most opulent of the symbolic structures of the transformed identity of the Ottoman Empire within the 19th century. it's located on 110 thousand square meters of a field with a powerful view overlooking the Bosphorus.

Topkapi Palace was the headquarter of the dynasty from the 15th to the 19th century. But this case began to vary within the 19th century. With the ultimate settlement of Sultan Abdulmecit in Dolmabahce Palace, this became the official residence and quarters of the Ottoman Empire. Dolmabahce Palace witnessed every step of the empire that opened to the west and has seen many reforms and revolutionary political moves since its establishment.

 

The last person living in Dolmabahce is Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the nice founder and first President of the Turkish Republic. Kemal Ataturk Ataturk lived in Dolmabahce between 1927-1938, dispensed his official works here, and died in Dolmabahce Palace.

The interior and exterior decorations of the palace, which didn't stray too removed from the old traditions as a building plan, were intensely prepared supported western styles. it's famous for its magnificent crystal chandeliers. Dolmabahce Palace, which reflects Rococo, Baroque and Neo-classical architectural styles, also differs in terms of the drawing in Topkapi Palace.

The palace was opened to visitors in 1984 as a museum palace. it's receptive visitors from 9 am to six pm a day except Monday.