Note, some of the main historical
attractions are only open on certain days of the week. Many are open
from Tuesday through Sunday and are closed Mondays. The following
attractions were visited by Dave in January 2004.
The Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii) was constructed in the early
1600's. Admission is free but donations are accepted. Because this is
such a heavily visited tourist destination tourists are only allowed to
enter from one of the main side doors (instead of through the main
door). This is one of Istanbul's most recognizable buildings from the
outside. The Blue Mosques huge dome and tall spires can be seen from all
over Istanbul. The name of this Mosque is taken from the many blue tiles
that line the walls. Huge pillars support the inside of this mosque.
This mosque is located directly across from the Hagia Sofia.
The Dolmabahce Palace in Besiktas costs $5 for the escorted tour.
If you plan on using your camera inside the palace expect to pay another
$5 and you will be given a special ticket for this privilege. Note, you
are required to wear green plastic booties over your shoes - this helps
preserve the rugs and other walkways in the palace. This palace sits on
the European side of Istanbul right next to the water. It was built in
the mid 1850's as a home to some of the last Sultans. Mustafa Kemal
Attaturk (the Father of the Turks) died here in 1938. This is a guided
tour among very elaborately furnished rooms, hamams, and the Throne
room. The Throne room is an immense room which is where you end your
tour. Note the huge chandelier hanging in this room. When this room was
used for ceremonies and important gathering, It took 3 days to fully
heat the room before it was ready for use.
The Clock Museum is located on the grounds of this palace and you
usually receive a free admission ticket to this museum with your main
entrance fee.
The Hagia Sofia located in the historical section of Istanbul
called Sultanahmet, is simply one of the most amazing buildings in the
world. Its breathtaking because it is such an old building but also in
the way that it has been constructed. It is an immense dome supported
only by the walls that surround it. There are no visible columnar
structures like in the neighboring Blue Mosque (the dome actually rests
on huge pillars hidden inside the walls). Construction on the The Hagia
Sofia was completed in the
year 537 by the emperor Justinian as a
Church, but was later converted to a Mosque in the year 1453.
Kemal
Attaturk in 1935 converted it into a historic museum. Walking in this
building is like walking into a building unlike any building you've been
in before. The doors are 4x the height of a person. There are huge
marble columns supporting small side rooms. The main dome towers many
feet above you and you will see the sun shining through high up stained
glass windows. In early 2004 restoration was being undertaken on the
main dome and a series of steel girders and trestles were in place from
the floor to the ceiling.
One advantage of visiting the Hagia Sofia in the wintertime is that
there are very few visitors. This is in vast contrast to the summer when
you may not even get into his building because the crowds are so big.
When I was there in January, there were very few people in this building
and because its such a large building, you hardly notice the presence of
the other visitors.
Be sure to walk up to the second floor. A sloped ramp instead of stairs
leads to the second floor; this ramp is very medieval looking.
Restoration of the ceiling on the second floor has already been done,
and you can clearly see a difference in brilliance of the restored art
work. Admission is $10.
The Istanbul Archaeology Museum is often missed by tourists and
is under visited for the treasures it holds. Admission is about $4. This
museum is located just down the hill from the Topkapi palace well within
walking distance and is composed of several buildings situated on the
side of a hill. The main buildings hold the best treasures. You enter
the doors of the main museum by climbing up about 20 marble steps and
then entering through 4 very tall columns. A great collection of Greek
and Roman antiquities including many well preserved marble statues are
contained within this building. (the only defects to these statues is
that many of the noses on the faces are chipped or broken off entirely)
Be sure to view the Sarcophagi from the city of Lebanon. These huge
stone tombs are extremely detailed and well preserved. This is one of
the main highlights of this museum.
The Topkapi Palace is well worth visiting and you need at least a
full day to visit. This palace was home to Ottaman sultans for many
centuries and is the main attraction in Istanbul. This palace was built
in the mid 1400's. Admission is separated out into three main areas, the
main palace, the Harem, and the Treasury. All of these sections are well
worth seeing; the downside is that it costs $10 to get into each
section. If you are a student and have a student card, discounts apply.
The main palace is a collection of courts, kitchens, and a variety of
special rooms all surrounding garden courtyards and open spaces. Many
historical government items are on display including clothing, weaponry,
paintings, silverware and porcelain. Archeology exhibits also rotate.
The Harem is quite interesting - tours are guided here. Over three
hundred rooms exist in the Harem and your tour will only touch on a
small number of these. Some of the walls are exquisitely painted and or
laid in beautiful tile. You will see the main greeting rooms and the
private rooms all on the first level.
The treasury is well worth your visit. An amazing collection of gold,
silver and gemstones are on display. The highlight of the treasury is an
86 carat diamond which is surrounded by many other smaller stones. A 7
pound uncut emerald is also worth seeing as are the incredible displays
of golden crowns.
The Grand Bazaar is a collection of over 4500 shops - with this
many shops located in one area its quite easy to get lost (part of the
fun of shopping in The Grand Bazaar). The main walkways of this Bazaar
tend to be a little more touristy than the side roads and as a result
the prices are a little higher. Try to walk down some of the less
visited back alleys for an authentic Grand Bazaar experience. Bargaining
is accepted here unless the shops say "fixed price". Jewelry,
carpets, Turkish Nargile (water smoking pipes), Turkish antiquities,
clothing, kitchen items, and most anything you can think of are sold
here. Be very very careful with your money, purse, wallet, camera or any
other valuable you are carrying here. I have heard several stories from
friends who have had their valuables stolen here. Some of the vendors
can also become verbally aggressive with trying to sell you their wares.
If you are interested in something, shop around for it and remember,
always bargain.
The Maiden Tower is one of the smaller less visited highlights of
Istanbul. It is located in the Sea of Marmara on a very small Island
just off the coast of the Anatolian side of Istanbul. Its amazing to
think when you are standing on this island that the original tower was
built here in 600BC - thats over 2600 years ago! This is a popular
romantic getaway for Turkish lovers. The current tower contains a
restaurant and a bar. A free non alcoholic drink at the bar is included
with the price of a ticket. Boats depart from the Anatolian side of
Istanbul. You can hike up to the walkway on the top of the tower for
great views of Istanbul.
Hidiv Kasri is a large building that sits on a hill. Its worth
visiting not only for the neat interior halls of this building, but also
for the great views of Istanbul across the water. There are three main
halls, the Marble Hall, the Konkav Hall, and the Crystal Hall. Each
contains fountains, carved marble and other artwork.
A nargile smoking restaurant is available outside of the main building.
Nargile pipe smoking is becoming more and more popular in Turkey and is
a form of 'water smoking'. There are many different types of flavors you
can smoke - these flavors are put in the bowl of the pipe, which leads
to hot water - so whenever you inhale you hear a bubbling sound. This
restaurant is a good place to meet many young Turkish people. Sometimes
live music will be played also; you can request your favorite songs.
The Galata Tower is located in the district of Beyoglu and was
built in 1348 by Italians. There is an observation deck on top which
provides great views of Istanbul. Admission is $3.50. You can also eat
dinner here, but have deep pockets. Dinner is a set meal at $80 per
person!
