Istanbul, an amazing city householding different cultures. Istanbul is located where Europe and Asia continents connected. Here are all the things you want to know about Istanbul, as known as Yedi Tepe (Seven Hills).

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Tourist Attractions and Touristic Places

Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya in Turkish) is a former Greek Orthodox Christian patriarchal basilica, later an imperial mosque, and now a museum in İstanbul, Turkey. From the date of its construction in 537 until 1453, it served as an Orthodox cathedral and seat of the Patriarch of Constantinople, except between 1204 and 1261, when it was converted to a Roman Catholic cathedral under the Latin Empire. The building was a mosque from 29 May 1453 until 1931. It was then secularized and opened as a museum on 1 February 1935.

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Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii) is a historic mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. It was built by Ahmed I.'s order in 17th century. It contains a Külliye, a bazaar, a Turkish bath, a fountain, and rooms for rent. Sultanahmet is the only mosque with six Minares. The mosque is popularly known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior.

Entrance to the garden of Sultan Ahmed:

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Topkapı Palace (Topkapı Sarayı) is a large palace in İstanbul. That was one of the major residences of the Ottoman sultans for almost 400 years (1465-1856) of their 624-year reign. As well as a royal residence, the palace was a setting for state occasions and royal entertainments. It is now a museum and as such a major tourist attraction. It also contains important holy relics of the Muslim world, including Muhammed's cloak and sword.

The front door of Topkapı Palace:

The small fountain in the garden of Topkapı Palace:

Ottoman Writings:

Glazed Tiles:

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Galata Tower (Galata Kulesi) is a medieval stone tower in the Galata / Karaköy quarter of Istanbul, Turkey, just to the north of the Golden Horn's junction with the Bosphorus. One of the city's most striking landmarks, it is a high, cone-capped cylinder that dominates the skyline and offers a panoramic vista of Istanbul's historic peninsula and its environs. The nine-story tower is 66.90 meters tall (62.59 m without the ornament on top, 51.65 m at the observation deck), and was the city's tallest structure when it was built.

Silhouette of Galata Tower (at left):

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Dolmabahche Palace (Dolmabahçe Sarayı) located in the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul, Turkey, on the European coastline of the Bosphorus strait, served as the main administrative center of the Ottoman Empire from 1856 to 1922, apart from a 22-year interval (1887–1909) in which Yıldız Palace was used. Dolmabahçe Palace was ordered by the Empire's 31st Sultan, Abdülmecit I, and built between the years 1843 and 1856. Previously, the Sultan and his family had lived at the Topkapı Palace, but as the medieval Topkapı was lacking in contemporary style, luxury, and comfort, as compared to the palaces of the European monarchs, Abdülmecid decided to build a new modern palace near the site of the former Beşiktaş Palace, which was demolished.

Gates of Dolmabahche Palace:

Garden of Dolmabahche Palace:

Gates of Dolmabahche Palace:

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How to Get There

It is easy to travel in İstanbul by using public transport. There are a lot of means of transport such as tram, underground, metrobus, minibus, taxi and cityline ferry.

You can easily access to the above mentioned places by using either the underground or metrobus, taxi.

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Public Transportation Facilities in İstanbul

This is a photo of the historic tram in Taksim Square. It is still part of the underground system, but used for a nostalgic and pleasure ride.

These are the underground lines around İstanbul which enables you to travel easily.

 

If you want to travel to the other side of the city, across Bosphorus; or have a Bosphorus trip, you can use the cityline ferry.

 

Central metrobus stops around İstanbul.

 

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A Natural Landmark: Bosphorus

The Bosphorus is a natural strait and internationally-significant waterway located in northwestern Turkey. It is also a natural boundary between Europe and Asia, seperating Asian Turkey from European Turkey. It connects the Black Sea, the Marmara Sea and the Aegean Sea.

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Sunset in İstanbul

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A Legend About the Maiden Tower (also known as Leander's Tower)

This is a tower located at the southern entrance of the Bosphorus, lying on a small islet since the medieval Byzantine period.

According to the most popular Turkish legend related to the construction, an emperor had a beloved daughter, and one day an oracle prophesied that she would be killed by a venomous snake on her 18th birthday. In order to save his daughter, the emperor placed her away from the land. So that she could keep away from the snakes. He had the tower built in the middle of the Bosphorus and placed the princess in here, and frequently visited her. On her 18th birthday, the emperor brought her an exotic basket of fruits as a birthday present, and he was very happy to prevent the prophecy. When the princess reached out for the basket, a hidden venomous snake bit her, and she died in her father's arms - just as the oracle predicted. Hence the name Maiden's Tower.

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A Song About İstanbul: Autumn in İstanbul

Teoman is a famous rock artist in Turkey.

Teoman "İstanbul'da Sonbahar" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xys1XBKUDck 

Here are the lyrics translated into English: