Between the European and Asian continents is one of the most beautiful countries on the planet: Turkey , a nation whose cultural, religious and social influences received throughout its history have provided it with attractions that make it unique in the world.
Due to its location between the Black Sea, the Mediterranean and the Aegean , this emerging country where more than 90% of the population is Muslim was once the refuge of several great civilizations and the place where many battles took place throughout throughout history.
Galata Tower
When you plan to visit ancient Constantinople , you should know that you are going to enter a country full of history and art in every corner. But beyond that, you must know that you will return home with many new friends due to the enormous hospitality that its inhabitants offer you to the minimum they can without asking you for anything in return.
Istanbul is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and also one of the most interesting. Among its many attractions, it should be noted that its mosques are among the most beautiful in the world .
Blue Mosque
The importance of Istanbul, the only one in the world located on two continents at the same time -with part in Europe and part in Asia- and the strategic enclave it has had throughout the centuries mean that its streets exude history and heritage from a multitude of cultures.
Topkapi Palace
Our first stop was Topkapi Palace, located between the Golden Horn and the Marmara Sea, and from which you have a splendid view of the Bosphorus. This majestic museum of the imperial era, also known as the Palace of the Gate of the Cannons as it is located near a gate of that name, was the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire from 1465 to 1853, the year in which Sultan Abdulmecid decided move their residence there.
Topkapi Palace
Its construction was ordered by Sultan Mehmed II in 1459 following the norms of secular Turkish architecture. It is a complex network of buildings, linked by courtyards or gardens and surrounded by a Byzantine wall.
Topkapi Palace
Blue Mosque
After leaving the incredible Topkapi Palace in awe, the Blue Mosque awaited us very close, specifically in Sultanahmet Square, the nerve center of the city. Both the square and the mosque are named after Ahmet I, the sultan who ordered it to be built to appease Allah by bringing with him the best craftsmen of Islam.
Blue Mosque
Despite the fact that many people believe otherwise, the nickname of this mosque -which is the only one in Istanbul that has 6 minarets- does not come from the stone of its exterior, but from the tiles of its interior brought from Iznik, where were the best factories of the time.
Blue Mosque
The visual impact that one experiences when entering this mosque is brutal, since although its exterior is already an example of beauty and harmony, it probably does not prelude the dazzling magnificence of its interior, the spaciousness of the gigantic prayer room, the luminosity and the delicacy of its decoration.
Hagia Sophia
Right in front of the Blue Mosque is Hagia Sophia, converted into a museum after being built as a church by Justinian nearly 1,500 years ago and spending centuries as a mosque.
Saint Sofía
This ancient Orthodox patriarchal basilica, which contains a large collection of relics of saints, stands out for its enormous dome, thanks to which a grandiose open space is created that is impressive, as well as the luxurious decoration that still endures through the centuries: mosaics of incredible beauty, marbles brought from Africa, etc. It is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture and is said to have changed the history of architecture.
Suleyman Mosque and the architect Sinan
The Suleyman Mosque is an Ottoman imperial building located on the third hill of Istanbul. It is the largest mosque in the city and with one of the best views of it.
Suleyman Mosque
This work of art was built between 1520 and 1566 by Mimar Sinan, the most important Ottoman architect in history, at the request of Sultan Suleyman I “The Magnificent”, one of the richest and most powerful Ottoman sultans in history and, on the other hand, one of the most terrible enemies of Christianity.
This mosque also caught our attention due to its size, its simplicity, its exceptional Iznik tiles that decorate the mihrab, its beautiful stained glass windows that project immense light through its 138 windows and its imposing columns. It has four minarets, two of them with three balconies and the other two with two. He ordered them to be built like this Suleyman to remember that he was the fourth sultan since the conquest of Istanbul and the tenth since the creation of the Ottoman empire.
Suleyman Mosque
More than a mosque, it could be said that it was a complex in which, in addition to the building dedicated to worship, it had other parts: a hospital, a Koranic school, a dining room for the poor converted today into a restaurant for the not so poor, etc. .
On the other hand, Sinan, who reached the incredible number of 477 buildings built throughout his life, was the great architect of Istanbul and Ottoman Turkey and possibly became the most prolific architect in history.
Statue of the architect Mimar Sinan in Istanbul
Grand Bazaar and cruise on the Bosphorus
Istanbul’s famous Grand Bazaar is one of the largest bazaars in the world. Located in the center of the old city, it has almost 60 streets and 4,000 shops. Among its various business areas we can find jewelry stores, goldsmiths, spice stores and carpet stores. These businesses are grouped by type of activity, in guild plan.
Grand Bazaar
Through one of its 22 doors you can access the Grand Bazaar, which usually sells more than 12,500 different items and more than 20,000 people work in this closed area. Among its numerous services, the tourist can find a nursing center, a post office, a security service and several bank offices.
Cruise on the Bosphorus
Once on the boat, we sail through the Bosphorus to the Black Sea, appreciating the spectacular views of Istanbul at night, passing under the suspension bridges, to later delight ourselves with the enviable views of the palaces used by the Ottomans in summer.
