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General Info

Istanbul is Turkey's most populous city, and its cultural and financial center. The city is located on the Bosphorus strait, and encompasses the natural harbor known as the Golden Horn in the northwest of the country. Istanbul extends both on the European (Thrace) and on the Asian (Anatolia) side of the Bosphorus, and is thereby the only metropolis in the world which is situated on two continents. Istanbul is also the only city in the world which served as the capital to three different Empires: The Roman Empire (330-395), Byzantine Empire (395-1453) and the Ottoman Empire (1453-1923). In 1923, following the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, Ankara became the capital of the new state. The city was chosen as joint European Capital of Culture for 2010. The "Historic Areas of Istanbul" were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985. Istanbul is an old city, you can see the remains of many ancient civilizations and their culture in harmony with Turkish culture. The old versus the new, the traditional versus the modern is a conflict a visitor often observes. The city is full of contrasts, and colorful views: the museums, churches, palaces, great mosques, bazaars and sights of natural beauty seem inexhaustible.

• Municipality of Istanbul: http://www.istanbul.gov.tr/

Main Sights

The Süleymaniye Mosque: built in the 16th century, is considered to be the most beautiful of the imperial mosques in İstanbul. This huge complex was completed in a comparatively short time between 1550 and 1557 which illusturates, beyond all else, the might and organisation of the Ottoman state at the time. Haliç - The Golden Horn: this horn-shaped estuary, divides European Istanbul. One of the best natural harbors in the world, the Byzantine and Ottoman navies and commercial shipping interests were centered here. Istanbul Boğazı (Bosphorus): a stay in Istanbul is not complete without the traditional and unforgettable boat excursion up the Bosphorus, the winding strait that separates Europe and Asia. Its shores offer a delightful mixture of past and present, grand splendor and simple beauty. Modern hotels stand next to yalı (shorefront wooden villas), marble palaces abut rustic stone fortresses, and elegant compounds neighbor small fishing villages. The best way to see the Bosphorus is to board one of the passenger boats that regularly zigzag along the shores. You embark in Eminönü and stop alternately on the Asian and European sides of the strait. During the journey, you pass in front of the magnificent Dolmabahçe Palace; farther along rise the green parks and imperial pavilions of Yıldız Palace. Overshadowing Istanbul's traditional architecture is the Bosphorus Bridge, one of the world's largest suspension bridges linking Europe and Asia. The beautiful Beylerbeyi Palace lies just past the bridge on the Asian side. Behind the palace rises Çamlıca Hill, the highest point of Istanbul. Hagia Sofia: originally a basilica constructed on the sixth century for the Byzantine Emperor Justinian. A masterwork of Roman engineering, the huge 30 m diameter dome covers what was for over 1000 years the largest enclosed space in the world. All the richest and most costly materials were used in the construction: marble, silver, gold, ivory....The basilica became a mosque in the 15th century when the minarets were added. It was turned into a museum in 1930's. Don't miss the excellent mosaics, including those in the gallery, reached by a stone ramp to the left of the entrance. Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque): with its six minarets and sweeping architecture the Sultanahmet impresses from the outside. Since it is beautifully adorned by blue, green and white encaustics, it was named by the Europeans as “Blue Mosque”. Unlike Haghia Sophia, this is still a working mosque. No shorts or bare shoulders (shawls are provided) and you will need to remove your footwear. Topkapı Palace: a maze of buildings, pavillions and gardens at the center of the Ottoman Empire between the 15th and 19th centuries, stands on a spot of land at the confluence of the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn and the Marmara Sea. In these opulent surroundings the sultans and their court lived and governed. Today, it houses an exhibition of imperial costumes worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the treasury and a priceless collection of miniatures from medieval manuscripts. In the center of this innermost sanctuary, the Pavilion of the Holy Mantle enshrines the relics of the Prophet Mohammed brought to Istanbul when the Ottomans assumed the caliphate of Islam. A visit to a hamam (Turkish bath) is an essential part of any trip to Istanbul.

• Ministery of Culture and Tourism: http://www.kulturturizm.gov.tr/

Museums

The Museum of Archeology: is one of the greatest museums of the world. Included among the displays are the famous Alexander Sarcophagus. The Museum of the Ancient Orient displays artifacts from the Sumerian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Hatti and Hittite civilisations. The Museum of Turkish Ceramics, contains beautiful Iznik wares from the l6th century and fine examples of Seljuk and Ottoman pottery and tiles. The Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art was built in 1524 by Ibrahim Paºa, Grand Vizier to Süleyman the Magnificent, as his residence. It was the largest private residence ever built in the Ottoman Empire. Today, it houses a superb collection of ceramics, metalwork miniatures, calligraphy, textiles, and woodwork as well as some of the oldest carpets in the world. The Museum of Turkish Carpets contains exquisite antique carpets and kilims gathered from all over Turkey. The Mosaic Museum preserves in situ exceptionally fine mosaic pavements of the fifth and sixth centuries which remain from the Great Palace of the Byzantine emperors.

• Istanbul Museum of Modern Art: http://www.istanbulmodern.org/
• Istanbul Museums: http://www.sanalistanbul.com/

Food

The Turkish cuisine, which is one of the richest in the world, appeals to the eye as well as the palate. Turkish food that is found today in Istanbul is truly a living synthesis of Eastern and Western cultures. Kebab is a typical South Eastern Turkish food. Raki is a traditional alcoholic beverage made wit anise and grapes. It is called "Lion's Milk" by the locals, so give this combination a try in one of the many kebab houses in Istanbul. You may finalize this feast, with the unique taste of Turkish coffee "Afiyet olsun".