This Eurasian city attracts tourists from all over the world with its many attractions. One of the wonders of the Middle Ages is such an attraction, namely the Hagia Sophia mosque. Another, in turn, is the dance of whirling dervishes which, to the sounds of the flute, takes the listener to a world full of peace and joy.
But old Istanbul is first of all a great history, it is a strategic place located on the Bosphorus peninsula between the Balkans and Anatolia, the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, which at different times was the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire and the Ottoman Empire.
Istanbul is a place where political, religious and artistic threads intertwine over the course of over 2,000 years. The city is located on a peninsula surrounded by the so-called Golden Horn (Haliç), which is a natural harbor, between the Bosphorus to the east and the Sea of Marmara to the south.
It was on the walled peninsula built in the early 5th century by Theodosius that the former Byzantines and Constantinople developed. Old Istanbul is a wealth of monuments. The most important and famous are the Hagia Sophia Basilica from the 6th century and the Blue Mosque from the 16th century.
The Blue Mosque or the Sultan Ahmed Mosque
The mosque was designed by Sedefkâr Mehmed Ağa and was built at the beginning of the 16th century, during the Classicism period. The mosque is full of unusual ceramics from Iznik, lots of blue and blue paint, stained glass windows, which make this place extremely beautiful, elegant and unusual.
The interior of the Blue Mosque is surprising
Anyone can enter the mosque for free, provided that they are properly dressed, as it is a place of religious worship. If you forget about the appropriate outfit, you can get everything at the entrance. You can take photos and make movies, you even have to because it is an unforgettable, majestic and wonderful space.
Church, Mosque, Museum - Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia has a long religious history, first it was a Christian church, only later, when the Ottomans conquered Constantinople, this place became a mosque and now becomes a museum.
Unfortunately, there is an entrance fee here, but it is worth paying for this attraction, because it is another beautiful journey through the history of Turkey. We will see unusual ceilings and domes with Greek letters and symbols as well as images of Jesus Christ.
Grand Bazaar
On the Bosphorus, one of the oldest and most popular bazaars in the world exists and functions, and at the same time it is probably the most populated and crowded. The bazaar is over 600 years old, and its area has over 5,000 stores where you can literally get everything.
This gigantic bazaar is an ocean of people in which it is very easy to get lost, it is visited by about 500,000 people every day. This place is mainly famous for the world-famous Turkish rugs, ceramics and spices.
Istanbul is a place where there are hundreds of places to discover. It is impossible to see everything in a few days, but it is worth seeing at least the basic monuments that will leave a lasting, unforgettable and pleasant mark in our heads.
The Bosphorus Strait and the bridge connecting Europe with Asia
Enjoy 😉