Travel Turkey: istanbul destinations

Showing posts with label istanbul destinations. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia "Holy Wisdom" in Latin Sancta Sophia or Sancta Sapientia, is a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, and now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey. From the date of its dedication in 360 until 1453, it served as the Greek Patriarchal cathedral of Constantinople, except between 1204 and 1261, when it was converted to a Roman Catholic cathedral under the Latin Patriarch of Constantinople of the Western Crusader established Latin Empire. The building was a mosque from 29 May 1453 until 1931, when it was secularized. It was opened as a museum on 1 February 1935.

Also, St. Sophia Museum in Old CIty and you can include in your turkey itinerary, with istanbul city tour or old city tour in istanbul. The Hagia Sophia Museum will close on monday.

Hagia Sophia

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

St.Irene

St.Irene

Hagia Irene or Hagia Eirene often erroneously rendered in English as St Irene, is a former Eastern Orthodox church located in the outer courtyard of Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, Turkey. It is open as a museum every day except Monday but requires special permission for admission. Turned over to the mosque after the conquest of Istanbul in 1453 for the church there has not been a significant change in structure.

You can visit the St.Irene museum in old city tour at Istanbul

St.Irene

Friday, December 14, 2012

Istanbul

Istanbul Tour

Istanbul is the biggest city in

Turkey

and it is the economic, cultural, and historical heart of the country. Istanbul is one of the largest urban agglomerations in Europe with a population of 13.5 million. Istanbul is a transcontinental city, straddling the Bosphorus one of the world's busiest waterways in northwestern

Turkey

, between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. Its commercial and historical center live in Europe, while a third of its population lives in Asia. Istanbul is placed in northwestern Turkey within the Marmara Region on a total area of 5,343 square kilometers. The Bosphorus, which connects the Sea of Marmara to the Black Sea, divides the city into a European side, comprising the historic and economic centers, and an Asian, Anatolian side. Golden Horn also divedes the city, it’s a natural harbor bounding the peninsula where the former Byzantium and Constantinople were founded. In the late 19th century, a wharf was constructed in Galata at the mouth of the Golden Horn, replacing a sandy beach that once formed part of the inlets coastline.

On 29 May 1453, after an eight-week siege Sultan Mehmed II captured Constantinople and declared it the new capital of the Ottoman Empire. Hours later, the sultan rode to the Hagia Sophia and summoned an imam to proclaim the Islamic creed, converting the grand cathedral into an imperial mosque. After capturing Constantinople, Mehmed II immediately starts revitalizing the city. He urged the return of those who had fled the city during the siege, and forcibly resettled Muslims, Jews, and Christians from other parts of Anatolia. The sultan invited people from all over Europe to his capital. It was for creating a cosmopolitan society presenting much of the Ottoman period. He also repaired the city's damaged infrastructure and began to build the Grand Bazaar, and constructed Topkapı Palace, the sultan's official residence. Travel to Turkey and Greece: Istanbul city half-day and full-day tours with private or small-group. Turkey Tours from Istanbul. Istanbul to Cappadocia tours, or Istanbul to Ephesus tours, or Istanbul to Pamukkale trips. Istanbul to Izmir tours, Istanbul to Pergamon trips. Istanbul to Antalya tours, or Istanbul to Ankara tours, Istanbul to Bursa trips, Istanbul to Edirne tours. Istanbul to Gallipoli tours, Istanbul to Troy trips. Istanbul to Fethiye holiday, Istanbul to Alanya holiday, or Istanbul to Cesme trips, Istanbul to Bodrum tours. Istanbul to Athens tours, or Istanbul to Santorini tours and Istanbul to Greece tours.