What is Turkey for Russian tourists? Unlimited all-inclusive food, beach from morning to evening, clubs and discos from evening to morning, excursions to Pamukkale and the “Lights of Anatolia” show , short shopping tours to the nearest town for a leather jacket or bed linen and refrigerator magnets to remember the trip.
But there is another Turkey — and now is the time to meet her. Legendary Istanbul — A unique city, spread over two continents at once, incorporating the cultural traditions of Europe and Asia, washed by the waters of two seas, the Black and Marmara, welcomes its guests with traditional oriental hospitality. Although the capital of Turkey is Ankara, it is Istanbul, which has been the capital of 4 empires, that can rightfully be called its heart.
COVID -19 has made its own, not very pleasant, adjustments to our travels, and upon arrival in Istanbul, tourists undergo a non-contact temperature measurement procedure and, if desired, take a PCR test.
In public places and on the streets, tourists and local residents are required to observe safety measures – maintain social distance and wear a mask, the fine for the absence of which is quite high and amounts to 150 euros.
The city's nightlife also experienced the effects of COVID -19. Many bars and restaurants in Istanbul have closed their doors, or at least introduced restrictions on the number of visitors, so it will not be possible to sit in them with a large, cheerful group. Even hotels that have passed safety certification take precautions and only occupancy of 50-60% of their rooms.
But, as they say, every cloud has a silver lining. This year has given travelers a unique opportunity to see Istanbul and its attractions without the endless queues. The famous mosques, Grand Bazaar, Basilica Cistern, Galata Tower and other iconic places of Istanbul can be visited calmly, without the crowds that usually fill them.
Don't waste time – don't miss this chance.
What to see in Istanbul.
Throughout its centuries-old history, the city was the capital of the Roman, Byzantine, Latin and Ottoman empires, and each period endowed Istanbul with real pearls of architecture, turning it practically into an open-air museum.
1. Saint Sophia.
The famous Hagia Sophia, which during its nine-century history was an Orthodox church, a mosque, and a museum, again regained its status as a mosque several months ago, in July 2020. Despite this, Hagia Sophia is open to tourists, free of charge, subject to simple rules . The unique building amazes with the beauty of its architecture and the splendor of its interior decoration. The frescoes with the faces of Orthodox saints were not painted over; they are hidden during the prayers of Muslim believers using a system of curtains.
2. Blue Mosque
The Blue Mosque, also known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, is perhaps the most beautiful and majestic of the mosques built during the Ottoman Empire. In order to understand why the gray-silver building received such a name, you need to get inside – the interior of the mosque is lined with ceramic tiles with deep blue patterns. The Blue Mosque has 6 minarets, which was a departure from the traditions of the Muslim world – no mosque can have more minarets than the most important mosque in the Muslim world — The sacred mosque in Mecca, which at that time had only 5 of them. In order not to have to demolish what had already been built, 2 more minarets were added to the mosque in Mecca.
Visitors to Istanbul usually have to wait in a long line to get into the mosque, so 2020 could be a great chance to do without this tedious need.
3. Suleymaniye Mosque.
The largest mosque in Istanbul was built on the orders of Suleiman the Magnificent, the most famous sultan of the Ottoman Empire thanks to the series “The Magnificent Century”. This is not a separate temple, but a whole complex of buildings, the area of which is not inferior to an entire city block, including a madrasah, baths, a large library, a shelter, a hospital, a kitchen and dining room, and a caravanserai. The architect Sinan, who brought this architectural miracle to life, foresaw the seismic activity of the region and the mosque, which he himself predicted that “It will stand forever,” survived about a hundred earthquakes, including magnitude 7, with virtually no damage. The luxurious decoration of the mosque is illuminated by many windows, streams of light penetrate through 136 windows located around the perimeter of the building, and through 32 windows built into the dome itself.
4. Topkapi Palace
From the time of the Turkish conquest of Constantinople until the 19th century, Topkapi Palace was the residence of the Turkish sultans. The cannon gate – this is how the name of the palace is translated – was named so because every time the Sultan left his residence or returned to it, a cannon fired.
Initially, the palace was, so to speak, a “working office”; the harem was moved to Topkapi only under Suleiman the Magnificent, at the insistence of his wife, the famous Roksolana.
On the territory of the palace there are such attractions as the Janissary Court, the Church of St. Irene – the oldest Orthodox church in Constantinople, the Tower of Justice, the Beshir Agha Mosque and Hammam, the Throne Room of the Palace, the Sultan's Chambers, the Treasury, the Tulip Garden, the Stone Tower and many others. < br /> Now Topkapi Palace is one of the largest museums in the world. The most important Muslim shrines are kept here – a sword, a cloak and the footprint of the Prophet Muhammad. About 65 thousand exhibits are available to the public for inspection. The oldest exhibit dates back to the 7th century.
5. Dolmabahce Palace
Built in the Baroque style, the palace replaced the medieval opulence of Topkapi and was built in 1853 as the residence of Sultan Abdulmecid I. More than 14 tons of gold were used to decorate the interiors, and the entire construction cost exceeded the incredible sum of five million gold pounds. The palace is decorated with paintings by Ivan Aivazovsky, commissioned by the Sultan, and a Bohemian glass chandelier donated by Queen Victoria, weighing almost five tons — the largest and heaviest chandelier in the world. The palace rivals famous European palaces such as Versailles in beauty and elegance.
One of the most interesting buildings is the glass pavilion, which looks like an exquisite jewel, from which stunning views of the local nature open up.
6. Yildiz Palace
The Star Palace served as the residence of Sultan Abdul Hamid II, who reigned from 1876 to 1909. Previously the Sultan's estate, the palace was rebuilt by the Italian architect Raimondo d'Aronco, a prominent representative of the Art Nouveau style. The palace is surrounded by a beautiful park full of exotic flowers and trees.
Yildiz Palace — the “youngest” palace from the Ottoman dynasty. Under Abdul Hamid II, the building housed the chambers of Empire officials, workshops, a theater box, and a large library.
After the fall of the Ottoman dynasty, heads of foreign states and high-ranking diplomats who came to Istanbul stayed for some time in the palace. Now the palace has been finally converted into a museum.
7. Basilica Cistern
One of the most impressive architectural monuments of Istanbul, which is often featured in films – for example, in one of the parts of the James Bond epic and in the film “Inferno”, based on the work of the same name by Dan Brown.
The cistern was built during Byzantine times, and its vaults are supported by columns taken by Christians from destroyed pagan temples, which gives the underground structure the appearance of either a mysterious crypt or the Parthenon, by some quirk of nature sank underground and partially submerged by dark waters.
8. Grand Bazaar
One of the largest markets in the world is the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul. But don't be fooled by the name – it's not worth shopping here, as the prices are very high. But you can look at local souvenirs, gold and carpets, bargain heartily, drink a cup of real Turkish coffee – in a word, have a great time.
The Grand Bazaar has 60 streets, 4,400 shops and shops, 2,000 studios, mosques, cafes, a school, a bathhouse and its own police station. The bazaar is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, except Sundays and religious holidays. It is a true city within a city, a tourist attraction, a museum and a temple of Turkish trade.
9. Bosphorus Bridge
For the first time, the issue of crossing the Bosphorus Strait had to be resolved by the Persian king Darius I. To cross his troops, the first pontoon bridge was built. Sultan Abdul Hamid II built a crossing of boats connected by ropes across the strait, and the existing Bosphorus suspension bridge, also known as the 15th of July Martyrs' Bridge, connecting not only the two parts of Istanbul, but also two continents, was put into operation in 1973. The length of this miracle of technical and engineering thought is more than one and a half kilometers, the height of the supports is 165 meters. In 1973, it became the fourth longest in the world. Only once a year, on the day of the Istanbul Marathon, the bridge becomes accessible for pedestrian walks. This is due to the fact that before the ban, the bridge was very popular among suicides. The best way to admire the bridge is from a ship sailing across the bay. From there, the Bosphorus Bridge seems like a thin thread of lights, a weightless web that forever connected Asia and Europe.
Of course, the list of things to do in Istanbul is not limited to these attractions. Visit Istanbul — and not walking along Divan Yolu Street, not buying spices at the Egyptian Bazaar, not visiting the Istanbul Archaeological Museum, passing by the Galata Tower, not enjoying a holiday in Gulhane Park means simply not seeing Istanbul.
Enjoy the Eastern hospitality to the fullest, drink coffee, eat oriental sweets and the freshest seafood, bargain as if for the last time, admire with all your heart – and this city will welcome you as family!
With Golden Holidays you can book accommodation in the best hotels Turkey, go on an exciting sightseeing tour.
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