Istanbul sightseeing information and travel tips

If you are planning a city vacation, you should find out in advance which sights are available in the respective city. But if you look for it, you are often overwhelmed with information and you do not know your way around. Therefore, the following text presents the best travel tips for Istanbul, which is located in Turkey.

Information about Istanbul

Basically, it can be said that most of the sights in the city are religious. Starting with mosques and palaces up to tombs, you can experience a lot in the Turkish city. Nevertheless, as with almost all trips, it is important that you inform yourself in advance. But now to the sights and travel tips:

Hagia Sophia

The most famous sight is called the Hagia Sophia by some people. It was built from 532 to 537 AD and was originally a Byzantine church. Later that church was converted into a mosque and today it is used exclusively as a museum. Before this structure was built, there were already two churches on the ground, but they were burned down. Architecturally speaking, it is very peculiar, since there is no comparable building that has been modeled. Even today, the large dome is the largest, which was only built on four support points. This could only be achieved through design perfection.

Sultan Ahmed Mosque

The main mosque in the city, located in Turkey, is called the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. It was built from 1609 to 1616 on the orders of Sultan Ahmed I .. When one speaks of Ottoman architecture, this building is often seen as the epitome of that. Since a lot of blue and white tiles adorn the walls and roofs of the mosque, it is also called the Blue Mosque in Europe. However, these were not originally available and were subsequently added. The interior was also painted pink, which was also not originally the case. Since there are six minarets, it is one of the mosques with the most minarets.

Topkapi Palace

The sultans lived in Topkapi Palace for centuries. The seat of government and the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire was also in the complex. As soon as Constantinople was conquered, Sultan Mehmet II started to build the palace. However, the palace was not intended to stand where it is today. The Topkapi Palace has been constantly expanded, changed and later renovated over the centuries. In the 15th century the main features of the palace could already be seen. The splendid interiors testify to the former glory and the honor and wealth of the sultans, some of which have been elaborately decorated with tiles.

Grand Bazaar

When you hear the keyword Istanbul or Turkey in general, you often immediately think of the Turkish bazaars. The most famous in the city is the Grand Bazaar, which is approximately 31,000 square meters. Around 4000 shops can be found in the area and it was built in the 15th century on the order of Sultan Mehmet Fatih. The center houses the expensive goods and in the past it was even locked tightly. A bank was once housed where the rich population kept some of their assets. Since the bazaar, which was originally made of wood, burned a few times, it was rebuilt from stone in the future.

Galata Tower

The last travel tip is the Galata Tower. This originally served as a pure sighting tower for enemies until it was destroyed. A new tower was then built on the highest elevation of Galata, which also served as a fortress. The tower has already undergone many earthquakes, fires and damage, but it has never been seriously damaged. Today, due to its perfect location, it is one of the most beautiful vantage points over Istanbul and is very dominant on the north bank of the Golden Horn. It is open to tourists and there is even a restaurant. There are even lifts. Some sources say that because of its location, the Galata Tower also served as a lighthouse.

conclusion

In conclusion, it can be said that there are actually many more travel tips for Istanbul. However, these were the most important and everyone has different tastes. So if you like to visit museums, for example, the city has something to offer. If you have now decided to go there, it is definitely worth planning your trip. This is the only way to optimally divide up and use the time. But there is also the possibility to travel with a tour group, but this is another story and you have to stick to the respective requirements.