SULEYMANIYE MOSQUE
Suleymaniye Mosque was constructed by Mimar Sinan, the most famous
architect in Turkish history, between the years 1550–1557, ordered by Sultan
Süleyman I (Suleyman The Magnificent). Prior to his career as an architect,
Mimar Sinan served in the army and was in charge of bui..
The Basilica Cistern MuseumThe Basilica Cistern in Sultanahmet was built in 542 by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian to meet the water needs of the then Great Byzantine Palace on the other side of the Hippodrome.The Turks did not realize that the cistern had existed for about a century after their con..
THE GRAND BAZAAR
The Grand Bazaar is one of the largest and oldest grand bazaars in the
world, located in the center of Istanbul, in the middle of Beyazit,
Nuruosmaniye and Mercan districts. The Grand Bazaar was founded in 1461, when
Fatih Sultan Mehmet started its construction. The ..
THE HIPPODROME SQUARE
The magnificent Hippodrome was the sporting and social center of
6th-century Constantinople, where chariot races were the most popular spectator
sport.
Even after the Roman Empire began to decline in significance, a monumental
racetrack, the Hippodr..
THE QURAN
The Qur’an means “the recitation.” It is the Muslim holy book and the
message of Islam. The Qur’an is the most recited book in the world. Millions of
Muslims read it as an act of worship. Muslims also memorize it, sometimes in
its entirety. Memorizing a few short ..
TOPKAPI PALACE
Topkapi Palace used to be the residence
of the Ottoman sultans and the administrative and educational center of the
state. It was built by the Sultan II Mehmed, The Conqueror of Istanbul, between
1460 and 1478. A number of additions were made over time. The Ottoman sultans
and ..
Valide-i Atik Camii / MosqueThis complex
was built by Nurbanu Valide Sultan, mother of Murad III in Üsküdar to Sinan the
architect between 1570-1579. According to narration, Nurbanu Valide Sultan
wants to fund a complex to make charity. But it is uncertain where to build
this complex. In her dre..
Valide-i
Cedid Camii / MosqueThe Valide-i
Cedid mosque was built in Usküdar by Emetullah Rabia Gulnush Sultan, wife of
Sultan Mehmed IV and mother of Sultan Ahmed III in 1708-1711. Its Architect is
Mehmed Agha From Kayseri. It has
a square plan. Its flattened ..
YILDIZ MOSQUE As many royal mosques, this
mosque is also named after its founder, Abdulhamid II as ‘Hamidiye Mosque’
however in time, that name was overthrown by the name ‘Yıldız’ that means
‘star’. Mosque owes this second name to Yıldız Palace it is a part of and to the
interior’s starry t..
This park located
between Beşiktaş and Ortaköy coast-line has been an important green area in
Istanbul since the 1600s. It was bought by Murad IV when it was previously a
private property belonging to a wealthy family. During the famous Tulip Era it
was used as the backyard of Çırağan Palace and..