Extensive Tours in
Istanbul and Antalya
"Prepare yourself for a great experience!"
Walking in Istanbul!
Just in a few hours we are visiting 11 famous historical and touristic places on foot!
1- Sultan Ahmet Mosque
2- Hagia Sophia
3- Basilica Cistern
4- Gülhane Park
5- The İstanbul Museum of the History
of Science and Technology in İslam
6- Sirkeci Railway Station
7- New Mosque
8- Galata Bridge
9- İstiklal Street
10- Tunnel
11- Taksim Square
12- Galata Tower
SultanAhmed Mosque
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Camii) is a historic mosque located in Istanbul, Turkey. A popular tourist site, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque continues to function as a mosque today; men still kneel in prayer on the mosque's lush red carpet after the call to prayer. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque was started to be constructing in 1609 and was finished in 1616, during the rule of Ahmed I, by the aim of reassert Ottoman power. It would be the first imperial mosque for more than forty years. Its Külliye contains Ahmed's tomb, a madrasah, a hospice and so on. Hand-painted blue tiles adorn the mosque’s interior walls, and at night the mosque is bathed in blue as lights frame the mosque’s five main domes, six minarets and eight secondary domes. It is next to the Hagia Sophia, which is another popular tourist site.
The main dome is 43 meters-high and the diameter of it is 23,5 meters. These sizes shows the ability of Mehmet Ağa as an architect. Through the 260 windows inside the mosque, it has a spacious environment. By virtue of the positioning of the Windows the huge dome seems like poised. It is named by europeans as “Blue Mosque” because of its tiles and hand-carved embroideries dominated by blue colour. It was decorated by 21043 tiles in more than 50 different designed kinds.
The Hagia Sophia, one of the historical architectural wonders that still remains standing today, has an important place in the art world with its architecture, grandness, size and functionality. The Hagia Sophia, the biggest church constructed by the East Roman Empire in Istanbul, has been constructed three times in the same location by diferente emperors of Byzantine in time. The current structure was constructed by Isidoros (Milet) and Anthemios (Tralles), who were renowned architects of their time, by the Emperor Justinianos’s (527-565) orders. The columns and marbles used in the structure have been taken from ancient cities in and around Anatolia and Syria, such as, Aspendus, Ephessus, Baalbek and Tarsa. Istanbul was occupied by Latins between 1204 and 1261, during the Holy Crusades, when both the city and the church were damaged. The Hagia Sophia was known to be in bad condition in 1261, when Eastern Rome took over the city again.
Following Fatih Sultan Mehmed’s (1451-1481) conquer in 1453, Hagia Sophia was renovated into a mosque. The structure was fortified and was well protected after this period, and remained as a mosque. Additional supporting pillars were installed during the East Roman and Ottoman periods as a result of the damage that the structure experienced due to earthquakes in the region. The minarets designed and implemented by Mimar Sinan have also served to this purpose. A madrasah was built towards the North or Hagia Sophia during Fatih Sultan Mehmed’s reign. This construction was abolished in the 17. Century. During Sultan Abdülmecid’s (1839-1861) reign, renovations were conducted by Fossati and a madrasah was rebuilt in the same place. The remains have been discovered during the excavations in 1982. During the 16th and 17th century Ottoman period, mihrabs, minbar, maksoorahs, a preachment stand and a muezzin mahfili (a special raised platform in a mosque, opposite the minbar where a muezzin kneels and chants in response to the imam’s prayers) were added to the structure.
HAGIA SOPHIA
This subterranean structure was commissioned by Emperor Justinian and built in 532. The largest surviving Byzantine cistern in İstanbul, it was constructed using 336 columns, many of which were salvaged from ruined temples and feature fine carved capitals. Its symmetry and sheer grandeur of conception are quite breathtaking, and its cavernous depths make a great retreat on summer days. Like most sites in İstanbul, the cistern has an unusual history. It was originally known as the Basilica Cistern because it lay underneath the Stoa Basilica, one of the great squares on the first hill. Designed to service the Great Palace and surrounding buildings, it was able to store up to 80,000 cubic metres of water delivered via 20km of aqueducts from a reservoir near the Black Sea, but was closed when the Byzantine emperors relocated from the Great Palace. Forgotten by the city authorities some time before the Conquest, it wasn't rediscovered until 1545, when scholar Petrus Gyllius was researching Byzantine antiquities in the city and was told by local residents that they were able to obtain water by lowering buckets into a dark space below their basement floors. Some were even catching fish this way. Intrigued, Gyllius explored the neighbourhood and finally accessed the cistern through one of the basements. Even after his discovery, the Ottomans (who referred to the cistern as Yerebatan Saray) didn't treat the so-called Underground Palace with the respect it deserved – it became a dumping ground for all sorts of junk, as well as corpses.
The cistern was cleaned and renovated in 1985 by the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality and opened to the public in 1987. It's now one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city. Walking along its raised wooden platforms, you'll feel water dripping from the vaulted ceiling and see schools of ghostly carp patrolling the water – it certainly has bucketloads of atmosphere.
BASILICA CISTERN
GÜLHANE PARK
The namesake of the park, the Gülhane ("Rosehouse") present on the grounds, was the place where the 1839 Edict of Gülhane (Tanzimât Fermanı / Gülhane Hatt-ı Şerif-î) was proclaimed. Gülhane Park was once part of the outer garden of Topkapı Palace and mainly consisted of a grove. A section of the outer garden was planned as a park by the municipality and opened to the public in 1912. The park previously contained recreation areas, coffee houses, playgrounds etc. Later, a small zoo was opened within the park. These days crowds of locals come here to picnic under the many trees, promenade past the formally planted flowerbeds, and enjoy wonderful views of the Bosphorus, Sea of Marmara and Princes' Islands from the Set Üstü Çay Bahçesi on the park's northeastern edge. The park is especially lovely during the Istanbul Tulip Festival, when tulips are arranged to resemble 'evil eye' (nazar boncuk) charms. Across the street and 100 meters downhill from the park's main gate is an outrageously curvaceous rococo gate leading into the precincts of what was once the grand vizierate, or Ottoman prime ministry, known in the West as the Sublime Porte (Bâb-ı Âlî) thanks to this flamboyant entrance. Today the buildings beyond the gate hold various offices of the İstanbul provincial government. In the future, the old barracks (Kışla) within the area of Gülhane is expected to be converted to a cultural center in due course; the center will host a library and exhibition hall together with a workshop on kilim (rugs) and handicrafts.
The Istanbul Museum of History of Science and Technology in Islam
The Museum, which was opened in May 2008, is located in the Gülhane Park (Rose Garden), in one of the most beautiful areas of Istanbul. It extends over 3500 square meters along the old palace wall, on the former Sultan`s Stables (Has Ahırlar). In front of the entrance, the visitor encounters a large globe, which is a reconstruction of one of the most important achievements of the Islamic scientific tradition. The map on the globe was constructed by order of Caliph al-Ma'mun (who reigned from 198-218 H./813-833 CE.). Using a globular projection, the map displays, with surprising accuracy the geography of the part of the world which was known at that time. The discovery, historical reconstruction and presentation of the Ma'mun globe, as well as the other artefacts displayed in the museum, are the work of Professor Fuat Sezgin, who founded the Institute for the History of Arabic-Islamic Science at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt/ Main in 1982.
Decades of intensive research in the history of Arabic-Islamic manuscripts were necessary as a preparation for the creation of the wealth of objects in the museum. Visitors to the museum can obtain a unique insight in the Islamic scientific tradition by looking at the details of the exact replicas of the scientific and technical achievements from the ninth through the seventeenth centuries. The Istanbul museum is unique in the world, because it enables the visitor to see with his own eyes the evolution of the different scientific branches in Islamic civilization.
SIRKECI
RAILWAY STATION
The terminal is located on the tip of Istanbul's historic peninsula next to the Golden Horn (Haliç) and northwest of Gülhane Park and the Topkapı Palace. Sirkeci Terminal, along with Haydarpaşa Terminal on the other side of the Bosphorus, are Istanbul's two intercity and commuter railway terminals. Built in 1890 by the Oriental Railway as the eastern terminus of the world-famous Orient Express, Sirkeci Terminal has become a symbol of the city. As of 19 March 2013 service to the station had been indefinitely suspended due to the rehabilitation of the existing line between Kazlıçeşme and Halkalı for the new Marmaray commuter rail line. On 29 October 2013, a new underground station opened to the public and is currently serviced by Marmaray trains travelling across the Bosphorus. Sirkeci Terminal has a total of 4 platforms (3 above, 1 underground) with 7 tracks (5 above, 2 underground). Formerly, commuter trains to Halkalı would depart from tracks 2, 3 and 4 while regional trains to Kapıkule, Edirne and Uzunköprü along with international trains to Bucharest, Sofia and Belgrade would depart from tracks 1 and 5. Members of the Mevlevi Dervish order regularly conduct ceremonies at Sirkeci Terminal, which tourists and other members of the public can observe for an admission fee.
The terminal constitutes the main connection node of the Turkish railway network with the rest of Europe. The two main lines of connection are provided by the line running between Istanbul and Thessaloniki, Greece, and the Bosphorus Express serving daily between Sirkeci and Gara de Nord in Bucharest, Romania. Connections to Sofia and Belgrade are established with wagons attached to the Bosphorus Express train.
NEW MOSQUE
This is one of Istanbul’s most prominent mosques, situated at the opening to the Golden Horn, close to the Galata Bridge and the Spice Bazaar. The name Yeni Camii (New Mosque) is rather misleading though, as the mosque actually dates back to the 1663. It is an imposing structure with a large open space in front, where birdseed sellers have created a healthy pigeon population (who enjoy a starring role in many New Mosque photos). It has a typically ornate interior, and was built as part of a complex that also contained a hospital, hamam, fountains and a market. As for the reason of the “New” name, after 1603, the partially constructed structure gradually fell into ruins; and was severely damaged during the Great Fire of Istanbul (1660) which started on 24 July 1660 and, lasting for slightly more than two days, destroyed many neighbourhoods in the city. In the last months of 1660, the construction of the mosque was resumed was finally completed in 1663, and inaugurated in 1665. It was renamed the "New Valide Sultan Mosque" (Yeni Valide Sultan Camii). In time, this name was informally shortened as the "New Mosque" (Yeni Cami) among the public.
GALATA BRIDGE
In 1453, during the Fall of Constantinople, the Turks assembled a mobile bridge by placing their ships side by side across the water, so that their troops could move from one side of the Golden Horn to the other. In the years 1502–1503, there were plans to construct the first bridge at the current location. Sultan Bayezid II solicited a design and Leonardo da Vinci, utilizing three well-known geometrical principles, the pressed-bow, parabolic curve and keystone arch, created an unprecedented single span 240 m (790 ft) long and 24 m (79 ft) wide bridge for the Golden Horn, which would have become the longest bridge in the world of that time, had it been constructed. However, the ambitious design was not approved by the Sultan. Another Italian artist, Michelangelo, was also invited to design a bridge for Istanbul. Michelangelo rejected the proposal, and the idea of building a bridge across the Golden Horn was shelved until the 19th century.
Until 21st century it was renovated four times in total. Thus, the current bridge is 5th bridge which is done instead of old ones. The current status of the bridge was completed in 1994. It is a bascule bridge, which is 490 m (1,610 ft) long with a main span of 80 m (260 ft). The deck of the bridge is 42 m (138 ft) wide and has three vehicular lanes and one walkway in each direction. Tram tracks were recently re-added to it, allowing the Istanbul Tram to run from Zeytinburnu, near Atatürk International Airport, to Kabataş, a few blocks before Dolmabahçe Palace. The rest of the bridge, including the market area on the first floor, opened to common use in 2003.
ISTIKLAL STREET
İstiklal Street is one of the most famous avenues in Istanbul, visited by nearly 3 million people in a single day over the course of weekends. Located in the historic Beyoğlu (Pera) district, it is an elegant pedestrian street, 1.4 km long, which has houses, boutiques, music stores, bookstores, art galleries, cinemas, theatres, libraries, cafes, pubs, night clubs, historical patisseries,chocolateries and restaurants.
During the Ottoman period, the avenue was called Cadde-i Kebir (Grand Avenue) in Turkish or Grande Rue de Péra. It was a popular spot for Ottoman intellectuals, European and the local Italian and French Levantines. When 19th-century travelers referred to Constantinople (today, Istanbul) as the Paris of the East, they were mentioning the Grande Rue de Péra (İstiklal Caddesi) and its half-European, half-Asian culture. With the declaration of the Republic on 29 October 1923, the avenue's name was changed to İstiklal (Independence) for commemorating the triumph at the Turkish War of Independence.
Taksim Square (Taksim Meydanı), situated in Beyoğlu in the European part of Istanbul, is a major tourist and leisure district famed for its restaurants, shops, and hotels. It is considered the heart of modern Istanbul, with the central station of the Istanbul Metro network. Taksim Square is also the location of the Cumhuriyet Anıtı (Republic Monument) which was crafted by Pietro Canonica and inaugurated in 1928. The monument commemorates the 5th anniversary of the foundation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, following the Turkish War of Independence.
The word Taksim means "division" or "distribution". The Taksim square was originally the point where the main water lines from the north of Istanbul were collected and branched off to other parts of the city (hence the name.) This use for the area was established by Sultan Mahmud I. The square takes its name from the Ottoman era stone reservoir which is located in this area. Additionally, the word "Taksim" can refer to a special improvisational musical form in Turkish classical music that is guided by the Makam system. Another significant building that once stood on the square was the 19th century Taksim Artillery Barracks (Taksim Kışlası, which later became the Taksim Stadium), but it was demolished in 1940 during the construction works of the Taksim Gezi Park.
Taksim is a main transportation hub and a popular destination for both tourists and the native population of Istanbul. İstiklal Caddesi (Independence Avenue), a long pedestrian shopping street, ends at this square, and a nostalgic tram runs from the square along the avenue, ending near the Tünel (1875) which is the world's second-oldest subway line after London's Underground (1863). Surrounding Taksim Square are numerous travel agencies, hotels, restaurants, pubs, and international fast food chains such as Pizza Hut, McDonald's, Subway, and Burger King. It is also home to some of Istanbul's grandest hotels including the InterContinental, the Ritz-Carlton, and The Marmara Hotel. Taksim is also a favourite location for public events such as parades, New Year celebrations, or other social gatherings. Atatürk Cultural Center (Atatürk Kültür Merkezi), a multi-purpose cultural center and opera house, is also located at Taksim Square. NTV television had its morning news studio on Taksim Square for a number of broadcasting seasons, before moving to its new studio in 2011.
TAKSIM SQUARE
GALATA TOWER
The Romanesque style tower was built as Christea Turris (Tower of Christ) in 1348 during an expansion of the Genoese colony in Constantinople (Istanbul). Galata Tower was the tallest building in Istanbul at 219.5 ft (66.9 m) when it was built in 1348. It was built to replace the old Tower of Galata, an original Byzantine tower named “Megalos Pyrgos (Great Tower)” which controlled the northern end of the massive sea chain that closed the entrance to the Golden Horn. That tower was on a different site and was largely destroyed in 1203, during the Fourth Crusade of 1202–1204. The upper section of the tower with the conical cap was slightly modified in several restorations during the Ottoman period when it was used as an observation tower for spotting fires.
According to the Seyahatname of Ottoman historian and traveller Evliyâ Çelebi, in circa 1630-1632, Hezarfen Ahmet Çelebi flew as an early intercontinental aviator using artificial wings for gliding from this tower over the Bosphorus to the slopes of Üsküdar on the Anatolian side, nearly six kilometres away. Evliyâ Çelebi also tells of Hezarfen's brother, Lagari Hasan Çelebi, performing the first flight with a rocket in a conical cage filled with gunpowder in 1633.
Starting from 1717, the Ottomans began to use the tower for spotting fires in the city. In 1794, during the reign of Sultan Selim III, the roof of the tower was made of lead and wood, and the stairs were severely damaged by a fire. Another fire damaged the building in 1831, upon which a new restoration work took place. In 1875, during a storm, the conical roof on the top of the building was destroyed. The tower remained without this conical roof for the rest of the Ottoman period.
Many years later, during the restoration works between 1965 and 1967, the conical roof was reconstructed. During this final restoration in the 1960s, the wooden interior of the tower was replaced by a concrete structure and it was commercialized and opened to the public. And today there is a restaurant and café on its upper floors which have views of Istanbul and the Bosphorus. Also located on the upper floors is a nightclub which hosts a Turkish show. There are two operating elevators that carry visitors from the lower level to the upper levels.
