Fun things to do in Istanbul

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This exquisite jewel box is far below the tourist radar, located northwest of the Spice Market, in a busy commercial district of Eminonu in a setting of narrow streets lined by small stores. On our visit, we were alone with a few men at prayer, able to appreciate the amazing beauty of this masterpiece by Sinan, the royal architect of Suleyman the Magnificent. It was built between 1561-3 commissioned by Grand Vizier Rustem Pasha, Suleyman's son-in-law, or by his wife Princess Mihrimah after his death.

The mosque is relatively small ( a grand vizier could not build a more impressive mosque than a sultan ) and set on an octagonal base over a group of stores. There is a single dome and only one minaret. The exterior is simple, except at the entrance where the wall is covered by Iznik tiles and the exquisite doors ( partly covered in image 1 ) are carved with inlays.

There are no lines and no crowds at Rustem Pasha Mosque - just walk up, put your shoes in the untended box at the entrance, and walk into an almost empty prayer room. This mosque is everything that the Blue Mosque is not, and is an absolute must-see.

RUSTEM PASHA - (1500-1561) - was the Bosnian son in law of Suleyman most famous for conspiring with Roxelana, the sultan's wife, to paint Prince Mustafa as the leader of a revolt and have him removed as heir apparent. Mustafa was beheaded, and Roxelana's son Selim became the new prince and first in line for the sultancy. The beginning of the decline of the Ottoman Empire has been dated to Selim, whose major interests were alcohol consumption and visits to the harem. No library building for this guy. History has named him Selim the Sot. Enough said.

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Istanbul has a new era despide the famous museums,bosphorus,restaurants,churches and mesdgits the modern side of istanbul has a new venture .We have a new speed truck ( the best of the world) FORMULA ONE is organized in Istanbul Parc as it was last year
Dont miss this activity in may .In 2008 the prices of the hotel rooms raised to 400 usd per night please be in a hurry to book your place and your ticket

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A walk, through the main sights in the old city. An excellent way to orientate yourself! Enjoy an authentic oriental atmosphere, the ambience of the mosques, bazaars and less known areas of old Istanbul.

Sultanahmet Square: the great square in front of the Blue Mosque is the site of ancient Hippodrome, the former center of sportive and civil activities of Constantinople. Today, with its surrounding area, resembles an open-air museum.

Divan Yolu, the Road of Divan and Yeniceriler Caddesi, the Avenue of Janissaries, the ancient thoroughfare between Saint Sophia and Beyazit Square continued to be one of the principal arteries of the town in Ottoman times, for it was the main road from Topkapi Palace to the center of Istanbul. For that reason it is lined with monuments of the the imperial Ottoman centuries, as well as some ruined remnants of imperial Byzantium.

Beyazit Square: the Beyazidiye, the mosque and associated pious foundations of Sultan Beyazit. The mosque marks the beginning of the great classical period, which continued for more than two hundred years.

Suleymaniye: the imperial mosque complex of Suleyman the Magnificent, a masterwork of the greatest of the Ottoman architects, the incomparable Sinan. An exquisite and as yet unspoiled district with traditional old wooden houses.

Through the Markets and Bazaars: The region between Beyazit Square and Galata Bridge is the principal market district of the city. This is one of the oldest and most picturesque quarters of Istanbul. . Covered Bazaar, a labyrinth of streets and passages that houses more than 4.000 shops. Valide Hani, the grandest and most interesting of all merchants' lodgings in the city. Spice Bazaar, where the enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme, and every other conceivable herb and spice fills the air.

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Oldest Festival of Istanbul.First organized in 1973.After this festival the other festival started to organized.FOr example Jazz and Film and Theatre Festival were togehter.It was Istanbul FESTIVAL.But later it s devided the several pieces.

Organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts, the first International Istanbul Music Festival, the flagship of the International Istanbul Festivals, took place between June 15-July 15, 1973 originally under the title Istanbul Festival. From its inception it has included in its programmes the finest examples of artistic creativity in the fields of classic music, classical ballet and contemporary dance, opera, folklore, jazz/pop, cinema, drama and visual arts from both Turkey and abroad, as well as seminars, conferences and lectures.

After the separation, in 1986, of the Film and then the Theater, Jazz festivals and the Biennial as distinct events, the name of the International Istanbul Festival was changed to International Istanbul Music Festival in 1994.

Since then the Festival particularly emphasises “sharing artistic inspiration” and creates programmes in which international orchestras and conductors perform with Turkish soloists or vice versa.

Venues are very different and nice.For example One year you can watch "Die Entführung aus dem Serail" in the real place of Opera :) In the Topkapi palace.

Or you can listen London Philarmony in St. Irene church.

Ottoman summer palace, called Beylerbeyi, is designed by Balyan Brothers in French neo-baroque style with a traditional Ottoman plan by the order of Sultan Abdülaziz (1861-1876) . It has a rectangular plan with the long side facing the water and consists of six halls and twenty-four rooms on two floors raised on a service basement. The six halls, three on each floor, are lined up along the longitudinal axis from southwest to northeast. State functions are held in the state apartments (or mabeyn) entered from the southwest, whereas the two halls to the northeast with their surrounding rooms constitute the living quarters or harem, entered from the opposite end of the palace. Both sections are preceded by shady gardens with pine, red-leaf beech, and magnolia trees planted around large oval pools. Although a uniform and symmetrical look has been maintained for the waterfront, a tall wall is used to separate the two gardens behind the palace.

Empress Eugénie of France (1853-1870), during her visit to Istanbul in 1869, stayed at the Beylerbeyi harem; Emperor Joseph of Austro-Hungary, Shah Nasireddin of Iran, Prince Nicholas of Montenegro and Crown Prince Oscar of Sweden were also hosted at this palace.

In the garden there are marble-lion n bronze-deer statues signed by P Roulliard n dated 1864

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Ortaköy, located on the European side of Istanbul, just south of the Bosphorus Bridge, is a popular area of the city known for it's location along the water. as well as it's trendy atmosphere. In the 1800's, Ortaköy, which translated means "Middle Village", was a summer resort area, it's name derived from it's then central location along the European shore. It is now a place of boutique shopping, seaside cafes, open-air markets and shops, and a thriving art scene. Most afternoons, especially Sundays, many locals crowd the area to socialize and enjoy the scenery and pleasant breezes coming in off the Bosphorus. There is also the well known Ortaköy Mosque here, famous for being designed by the same architect as Dolmabahçe Palace. We were here a couple of times, and I really enjoyed sitting at the cafes located here, being able to look at the ships and boats pass by as we had lunch.

On December 21, 2006, I visited Turkish National Opera performance and saw Manon Lescaut by Puccini. I should say I liked it very much and it was produced in real high level (to be true I didn't expect that). The tickets are from 5 to 20 YTL (EUR 2.5-10). The performances are available in Taksim Kultur Merkezi (on Taksim Square).

Located in between Besiktas and Ortaköy , in the Yildiz Park, the Yildiz Palace is a complex which extends 500,000 square meters and consists of several pavilions (kösk), palace buildings (kasr), and other service and management buildings. The name of this complex comes from the pavilion built by Sultan Mahmud II (1808-1839) in the large gardens that make up the Yýldýz Park. The yellow salon in the Yildiz pavilion is beautifully decorated with landscapes painted on the ceiling. Sultan Abdülmecid(1839-61) furnished this pavilion, and his mother Bezmialem had the Dilkusa Palace built in 1842.
During the reign of Sultan Abdülaziz (1861-76) the Malta, Cadir and Cit Pavilions were constructed, further enlarging this complex, but this complex saw most of its growth during Sultan Abdülhamid II reign (1876-1909). Abdülhamid made the Yýldýz palace his main residence, despite the other Sultans' preference of the newly constructed Dolmabahçe Palace. Abdülhamid, who reigned as one of the most controversial Ottoman Sultans, preferred the secluded solitude of the Yildiz Palace over the exposed location of the Dolmabahçe Palace. Abdulhamid, like all Ottoman Sultans, busied himself with a trade, his being cabinet-making and porcelain production on the palace grounds, and the production of porcelain continues there to this day in the Yildiz Porcelain Factory.
After the fall of the Ottoman Empire this palace complex, which had once housed almost 10,000 people, was abandoned. The Yildiz Park is now open to the public and many of the pavilions have been restored by the Turkish Touring and Automobile club under the direction of Celik Gulersoy.
Some of the buildings are used now for housing various non-profit organisations. The Arsenal is now an art gallery and shows are held in the restored theater. The Malta Pavilion, which was restored by Çelik Gülersoy, is open to the public as a tourist attraction. Abdülhamid's former cabinet-making workshop now houses both the Ýstanbul City Museum and an art gallery.