Two day excursion in Istanbul (by car)

Dear guests,

First day of the visit:

(walking tour)

1.The Temple of Hagia Sophia

2 Topkapi Palace

3.Basilica Tank

4.The Blue Mosque

5.Roman Hippodrome

Second day of the visit:

(car tour)

1. Chamlija Hill (Observation deck)

2. The Maiden Tower

3. Chalcedon (Kadikei)

4. Sultan Suleiman Mosque and the Shrine of Roxalana + Suleiman

5. Walk on the Bosphorus on the boat (1.5 hours)

6. Egyptian Bazaar

1. Hagia Sophia – This masterpiece of ancient Byzantine architecture was built in the VI century by order of Emperor Justinian. Emperor Justinian opened it on Christmas Day, raising his hands to the sky and saying, “I have surpassed you, Solomon!” The cost of building the temple was huge and amounted to three annual revenues of the Byzantine state, approximately 130 tons of gold. It is a symbol of the golden age of Byzantium. When it was built, the Eastern churches were separated from the Western churches. It is the oldest Orthodox church in the world and is 1,479 years old. It remained the largest Christian temple in the world for 916 years (until the building of St. Peter in the Vatican in the seventeenth century). At the beginning of the XIII century, it was looted by the Crusaders, and in the XV century, the Osmans who captured the city turned it into a mosque. After the founding of the Republic of Turkey (1923) in 1935, it was turned into a museum by decree of the state. Now it became the most popular object of the Byzantine period. The temple amazes with its scale and beautiful interior.

2. Topkapi Palace (Ottoman Empire Palace) – It is built in the oriental style and is a medieval symbol of Ottoman statehood. The main parts of the palace were erected during the reign of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror in the XV century. For 400 years, 25 Ottoman sultans lived in this palace. In the harem of the palace lived the famous Sultan Roxalan, wife of Sultan Suleiman. Today, the palace is a museum with a harem, courtyards, palace kitchen, pavilions, gardens, spiritual treasures, precious stones and objects, and a courtyard with a beautiful view of the Bosphorus. From here, the Ottomans ruled the empire for 400 years, spread across Europe and Asia, East and West.

3. Basilica Cistern (Underground Reservoir) – In the VI century, during the fall of the Byzantine emperor Justinian, a huge reservoir was built in the acropolis of the old city. It is located in the historical center near the temple of Hagia Sophia. The cistern kept a large supply of drinking water in case of drought or siege of the city. About 100,000 tons of water are placed here. At the base of the two columns are the inverted heads of Medusa Gorgon - one looking down and the other to the side. Historians still can't figure out where these Medusa heads came from. Even today it is the largest Roman underground reservoir in Europe.

4. The Blue Mosque was built in the XVII century directly opposite the Sophia temple by order of Sultan Ahmed I. The name “Blue Mosque” was derived from 21,043 blue, green and white ceramic tiles used in the interior decorations. Flowers of tulips, hyacinths, pomegranate, roses, grapes and cypress decorate the tiles. The mosque has more than 50 different completed compositions and patterns. In addition, thanks to 260 stained glass windows, the spaciousness and grandeur of the mosque is felt. Due to the unique location of the windows, it seems as if the dome is suspended in the air. It is the only mosque with 6 minarets in Turkey. The Blue Mosque is one of the symbols of the city.

5.Roman Hippodrome – After the city became part of the Roman Empire, Emperor Septimius Severus built a large Hippodrome in the third century to entertain the people, where chariot races, gladiatorial fights and circuses were held, as in the Colosseum in Rome. The capacity of the racetrack was about 100,000 people. It has been the heart of Constantinople’s political and sporting life for 500 years. Here you can see the oldest monument of Istanbul - the Egyptian Obelisk, which is 3,500 years old. It was brought in the IV century from Egypt, its weight is about 100 tons. Here are also the obelisk of Constantine VII and the Serpent Column. The Crusaders took away the precious monuments that were on the Hippodrome, and today only these three monuments remain there.

6. Chamlija Hill (Observation Platform) – This is the highest point of the Asian part of Istanbul. It has a cozy city park. The height of the hill is 263 meters. Mainly, Chamlydzha Hill is used as a viewing platform, which offers a beautiful view of the Bosphorus Strait, the Sea of Marmara, the Princes Islands, and, of course, Istanbul. Chamlyja Hill is maintained in a well-kept condition. It has many green lawns and flower beds, laid walking paths. There is a small Turkish coffee shop on the hill. Recently, there has been a tradition of visiting Chamlija Hill by Istanbul newlyweds. On weekends you can meet a lot of young couples.

7. The Maiden Tower is a symbol of Istanbul. Located on a small island in the Bosphorus, a small tower, more like a chapel, has been a source of inspiration for Istanbul and visiting artists, poets, musicians for many years. It was here that the world-famous artist Aivazovsky painted the painting “View of the Leander Tower in Constantinople”. It is Kyz Kulesi that is mentioned in dozens of songs by Turkish performers.

8. Chalcedon (Kadikei) is the oldest district of Istanbul, located in the Asian part of the city. The first traces of settlement on this site date back to 680 BC. e. The Dorians of Megara founded on the shores of the Bosphorus the ancient Greek city of Chalcedon, and today the modern district of Kadykei. In Kadykei streets of antiques, bookies, galleries, workshops, restaurants, bars and cafes. Paintings, handmade goods, costume jewelry, clothes of local designers, accessories and much more that are difficult to pass by. Many famous artists and sculptors have workshops here.
The Armenian church will amaze you with its sky-colored interior. St. Catherine’s Chapel will surprise you with its location, because it is located right under the restaurant. You can walk in Kadykei for a long time, discovering something new and unusual.

9. The Sultan Suleiman Mosque and the Shrine of Roxalana + Suleiman Mosque was built by the order of Sultan Suleiman the Legislator by the architect Sinan in 1550-1557. The dome has a height of 53 m and a diameter of 26.5 m. The floor of the mosque is paved with carpets, the inside of the mosque is well lit - light falls from 136 windows. The mosque has four minarets. With buildings of baths, madrasahs (educational institutions), kitchens, libraries and an observatory, the mosque forms a complex comparable in size to a city quarter.

In the courtyard of the mosque is a cemetery, here in two neighboring mausoleums rests Suleiman himself and his beloved wife Roksolana. There are versions that the mosque is slowly slipping into the Golden Horn Bay.

10. Walk on the Bosphorus on the boat (1.5 hours)

The mosque was built on the orders of Sultan Suleiman the Legislator by the architect Sinan in 1550-1557. The dome has a height of 53 m and a diameter of 26.5 m. The floor of the mosque is paved with carpets, the inside of the mosque is well lit - light falls from 136 windows. The mosque has four minarets. With buildings of baths, madrasahs (educational institutions), kitchens, libraries and an observatory, the mosque forms a complex comparable in size to a city quarter.

In the courtyard of the mosque is a cemetery, here in two neighboring mausoleums rests Suleiman himself and his beloved wife Roksolana. There are versions that the mosque is slowly slipping into the Golden Horn Bay.

The Bosphorus Strait connects the Black Sea with the Marmara Sea. On both sides of the strait is the largest Turkish city of Istanbul. The strait is about 30 km long. The maximum width of the strait is 3700 m in the north, the minimum width is 700 meters. The depth is 33 to 90 m. We will see with you on the Bosphorus the most expensive mansions that have remained since the Ottoman Empire, as well as new villas and fish restaurants and how local people feed seagulls with bagels.

11. The Egyptian Bazaar is the second largest market in Istanbul. Located in the old part of Istanbul, in the Eminönü district. It was built in the 17th century. The bazaar got its name due to the fact that the bulk of spices and spices (at that time) were supplied from Egypt. At the moment, in addition to caviar and saffron, most products are Turkish. You can buy the most delicious sweets (rahat lokum) fruit teas, pistachios, nuts and of course Turkish coffee.