By On a finger of land at the confluence of the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara stands the Topkapi Palace, that maze of buildings that was the focal point of the Ottoman Empire between the 15th and 19th centuries. In these opulent surroundings the sultans and their court lived and governed.
Halic – The Golden Horn
This horn-shaped estuary divides European Istanbul. One of the best natural harbors in the world, the Byzantine and Ottoman navies and commercial shipping interests were centered here.
Rivers in Istanbul
İstanbul’s only real river is the Bayrampaşa Creek, which used to be known as Lykos but acquired its other name during the Turkish period.
Bosphorus Tour
A stay in Istanbul is not complete without a traditional unforgettable boat excursion up the Bosphorus, that winding strait that separates Europe and Asia. Its shores offer a delightful mixture of past and present, grand splendor and simple beauty.
Historical Sites And Monuments in Istanbul
The ancient Hippodrome, the scene of chariot races and the center of Byzantine civic life, stood in the area that is now in front of the Blue Mosque. The area is now named for the mosque, Sultanahmet. Of the monuments which once decorated it only three remain: the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column …
Dolmabahce Palace
The façade of the Dolmabahce Palace, built in the mid-19th century by Sultan Abdulmecit I, stretches for 600 meters along the European shore of the Bosphorus.
The Bridges Over the Golden Horn
There were no bridges over the Golden Horn in Byzantine times. People traveled from one side to the other in boats. The site of the bridge said to have been built by Justinian in the 6th century is not known with certainty. In fact it is almost certain that this bridge was not over the …
Beylerbeyi Palace
In the 19th century, Sultan Abdulaziz built the Beylerbeyi Palace, a fantasy in white marble set amid magnolia-filled gardens, on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus. Used as the Sultan’s summer residence, it was offered to the most distinguished foreign dignitaries for their visits. Empress Eugenie of France was among its residents. (Open every day …
The Istanbul Strait
The İstanbul Strait links the Black Sea, referred to in ancient times as Pontius Euxinus, with the Sea of Marmara, known as Propontis. The İstanbul Strait was formerly known as Bosporos and there is a legend to enrich this name.
Ishak Pasha Palace
Ishak Pasha Palace on the Silk Route near the Iranian frontier is situated on a high and vast platform of strategic importance on an area of 7600 metre square.