Topkapi palace. The most...
by eladr
Topkapi palace. The most famous palace in istanbul. 'Must see' attraction.
Overlooks the Istanbul Bosphorus and the Marmara Sea. It is a maze of buildings that was once the great palace of the ottoman sultan from the 15th to the 19th centuries. The first courtyard is a magnificent wooden garden. To the right of the second court, shaded by cypress and plane trees is the palace kitchen, now housing an exquiste collection of crystal, silver and Chinese procelain, while on the left is the Harem, the secluded quarters of wives and concubines of the sultan. the third court contains the Audience Hall of the sultan, the Library of Sultan Ahmet III, an exhibition of robes worn by sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury and finally, an exhibition of miniatures. In the center of the third court is the Pavilion of the Holy Mantle, enshrining relics of the Prophet Mohammed. Topkapi Palace where Ottoman Sultans lived and governed until the 19th Century; and Suleymaniye Mosque built on the order of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent. The site of the Topkapi Palace was originally the acropolis of the Byzantium. The earlier palace was called the New Place, Saray-i-Cedit. Later with several additions along the shores of Bosphorus, it became to be known as the Topkapi Palace. The complex cover s an area of 700,000 square meters. Different parts of the palace have been altered several times, alterations were made almost by every sultan. This complex was city in its own walls. Kitchens were built by the famous architect Sinan in the sixteenth century to feed 5,000 persons per day, 10,000 on holidays.
Drink TEA all day long!
by Lion_Beat
At first I thought that people drink coffee here, because of the famous Turkish Coffee, but I was wrong. Instead it's TEA!
It's a trdition of drinking tea in Turkey I would say. Like in England or China, the tea drinking became part of the Turkish culture.
People drink tea here all day long, in the winter and in the summer, morning or evening! And the tea is really tasty, generally served in special small tea glass.
It is served at home, in any restaurant, at working places, and even in the street, at bus stations, and many many other places - ANYWERE!
I must tell you I have tasted so nice tea here!
BESIKTAS !
by Lunamagica
If time allows, PLEASE go see a football (soccer) match in Istanbul....an experience NOT to be missed!!!! ..... and I'm going to be totally biased here by recommending that you go to see a BESIKTAS match at Inonu Stadium, a BEAUTIFUL stadium in its own right! Besides..... if you get a ticket (very cheap, by the way) for the upper right-hand side curve, you'll get to enjoy breathtaking views of Dolmabahce Palace and the Bosphorus.... YOUR ENTHUSIASM
Listen to a concert in Aya Irini
by ozalp
I listened to Rufus Wainwright in Aya Irini at 8 of July, 2008. There were many tourists in this concert. And I realized it was a great experience to join a concert in such a special place.
It is an ordinary thing to listen to a concert in Prague, why not in Istanbul?
Aya Irini could be the oldest church of Istanbul. It is also a must see itself. It is located in the garden of Topkapi Palace, near Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia). It has a marvelous acoustic, so every year we have several concerts here. I, personally, participated concerts of Nigel Kennedy, Rufus Wainwright, a blues band from Russia and my brothers’ school’s end of the year ceremonies.
The place itself has a magic, so if the concert was just ordinary Aya Irini transfers it to an upper level. If the concert is good, then it will be an unforgettable memory of your life.
Every year during the music and jazz festivals, we search for concerts in Aya Irini. If you see the place, you’ll agree with me.
(The website I gave is for the tickets. Usually, there isn't many concerts in Aya Irini. I wish you luck.)
DONT take home a chick!
by Mariajoy about Street market
You will see lots of unusual things for sale in the markets in Istanbul - and my host decided that her children needed to have a couple of pet chicks that would grow into useful and productive egg-layers in her backyard. Sadly, away from the warmth of their chicky friends, even living in a straw lined box on top of her boiler, they didn't make it through the night. Maybe this should be a warning rather than a shopping tip. We were all very sad at their demise. Don't buy livestock. A couple of lira at that time,
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Buyukada shores
Streets of Istanbul
Daytime .. all 6 minarets!
Inside the Grand Bazaar
