Sign in with Facebook"Spanning Asia & Europe!" Istanbul by Durfun
Istanbul Travel Guide: 7,638 reviews and 19,502 photos
This museum is very interesting... a former church in the times of the Eastern Roman Empire, later converted into a mosque after the fall of Constantinopole, and now a museum showing features from both periods!
After the Muslim invasion, the frescoes were painted over instead of destroyed, and so, after careful restoration, we can see the wall & ceiling frescoes from Byzantine times.
Now you'll notice 4 minarets, though the church originally only had one (the current brick one). The other 3 were added after the Islamic period following the standard form of a mosque.
One needs to see this place to appreciate how the Sultans lived.
Many of the courts & chambers have amazing ceilings, intricate colours, and engravings.
Check out the harem & guards quarters. Did you know the Black Guards were mainly Ethiopians?
How about a boat ride starting from Europe, and ending up in Asia in under 15 minutes??
Start your trip from Eminonu (the busy port/bus station beside Galata bridge). There are luxurious boats plus local ferries departing regularly.
Glide across the Bosphorus to Ortakoy, on the Asian side. Dine at a fish restaurant, then sit at the funky 'cafes' by the sea. Finally walk along the promenade to Harem, to board a ferry back to Eminonu.
- Pros:Wonderful sights, intriguing history, great transport
- Cons:Very hot summers, lack of back-street signs
- In a nutshell:Mystical east, or west?? How about east/west!
Reviews (27)
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I know of a hotel in a very good location in the historic quarter of Sultanahmet, 5 minutes walk from the Blue... more travel advice
A tea set!
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Lots of shops sell small items of cultural interest. These can be found dotted around the city, with a high density... more travel advice
Turkish delight!
Shopping
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I must confess that I left this to the last minute. Then, whilst waiting at Taksim for my bus to the airport (SG), I... more travel advice
Old Ottoman-style Palace (Part V)
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Here you can see the open spaces in the courtyards, green spaces between the various wings of the harem, plus... more travel advice
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Comments (9)
I visited a lot of mosques but I think I missed this one...LOL
The most popular brand for Lokum is known as Ali Muhiddin Hacı Bekir.. There is one shop at İstiklal Street (Taksim)and some other parts of İstanbul ..if u wanna see the history behind here is the link www.hacıbekir.com.tr
Nice tips and good photos on my city :) i liked your style. all the best. Bora
very interesting.. will make sure to find it when in Istunbul.
Great page on istanbul. ;)
Ha! And I thought Plymouth's Pannier Market was as good as it gets! Nice page on a place that's on my to-do list, especially useful transport stuff.
Nice page on Istanbul. Looks as though you had fantastic weather. I'm going there next week for a brief visit, nothing but RAIN is in the forecast! Cheers!!
Bedestan/Bedesten: covered marked for the sale of valuable goods, drapery market. Have a happy New Year
Hi Durshan, What's a bedestan? Not that I normally enjoy shopping I think I would like going through this place. Happy New Year! Mike