Istanbul - The City on Seven Hills, pt.II

1.Hagia Sophia

For more than 900 years Hagia Sophia was the church of Holy Wisdom. As a symbol of the conquest of Constantinople by the Turks the church was converted into a mosque and served as such for more than four centuries. In 1935 Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, officially made it a museum. Ever since Hagia Sophia is the most visited museum in Turkey.

The first to plan building a church on the site was Constantine The Great after he decided to pronounce Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire. Unfortunately, his time was up so the first church was actually built in 360 AD by his son - Emperor ConstantiusII.

Soon after the riot Justinian I ordered a new church to be built. He decorated it with the finest marbles from Greece, Egypt, Africa and Asia. According to some sources more than 10 000 slaves were used to build Hagia Sophia in record time – 5 years and 10 months.

2.Galata Tower

The Galata Tower (Galata Kulesi) was also called Christea Turris ( The Tower of Christ) by the Genoese. The tower is one of the most distinctive landmarks of the city. The Christea Turris was built in 1348 during the expansion of the Genoese colony. It was the apex of the fortifications surrounding the Genoese citadel of Galata. It's a must-see.

3.Suleiman Mosque

The Suleiman Mosque (Süleymaniye Camii) was built in the 16^th century by Suleiman The Magnificent. The mosque was constructed by the Ottoman architect Sinan and it was finished 7 years after Suleiman's order. The mosque resembles a Byzantine basilica.

4.Kariye Camii

Kariye Museum in Istanbul is rated among the top 30 must-see museums in the world alongside internationally celebrated art museums as The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Bilbao, Spain; The Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia; Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam; and The Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

The Kariye museum is also known as the Church of the Holy Savior in Chora. It began as a chapel built around the 15^th century and afterwards it was converted into a mosque. It's the most important Byzantine monument in Istanbul after Hagia Sophia. 

5.Anadolu Kavagi and Yoros Castle

Anadolu Kavagi is a small fishing village n the Asian side of the Bosphorus. Its colorful, picturesque and a place where you can enjoy inexpensive seafood and beautiful sights.

Yoros Castle was settled by the Phoenicians and Greeks prior to the Byzantine period for the purpose of trading. The Greeks called the area Hieron (Sacred Place). There are many remains of temples, including Dios, Altar of the Twelve Gods, and Zeus Ourios (Zeus, granter of fair winds) discovered in the area

Already excited about seeing all this former glory of the Near East? If you are already planning a vacation don't trust online bookings but call Turkey to confirm your reservation. Enjoy!