Istanbul Theme Events and Tours
Half Day City Tour of Istanbul
Morning tour to include visits of Blue Mosque, St Sophie, Topkapi
Palace and Hippodrome.
The Hippodrome the square in front of the Blue Mosque is located
on the site of the ancient Hippodrome. It was the center of the
civil activities in Constantinopolis. The Hippodrome was an immense
structure begun in 203 by the Emperor Septimius Severus; later
extended and remodeled by Constantine the Great. About one hundred
thousand spectators attended the chariot races that were held there.
The Egyptian Obelisk (See picture), the Serpent Column, the Column
of Constantine and the German Fountain are the monuments situated in
the central line of the Hippodrome and still outstanding.
Blue Mosque is one of the principal adornments on the skyline of
the city (See picture). It was founded by Sultan Ahmet I and
constructed by the architect Mehmet Aga between 1609 and 1616.
Therefore local people call it the Sultan Ahmet Mosque whereas
tourists call it the Blue Mosque, because of its blue interior. What
is original and very beautiful in the decoration of the interior
(See picture) is the revetment of tiles especially in the galleries.
The magnificent floral designs display the traditional lily,
carnation, tulip and rose motifs. The Blue Mosque which is the only
one in the world with six minarets, is visited by many foreigners
and is still in service for the local Moslims.
Topkapi Palace, the great palace of the Ottoman sultans, is the
most extensive and fascinating monument of Ottoman civil
architecture in existence. In addition to its architectural and
historical interest, it contains as a museum, superb and unrivaled
collections of porcelains, armor, fabrics, jewellery, illuminated
manuscripts, calligraphy, and many objects of art formerly belonging
to the Sultans.
St Sophie, the Church of the Divine Wisdom, was dedicated by
Justinian in 537 A.D. For nearly a thousand years thereafter St
Sophia served as the cathedral of Constantinople and was the center
of the religious life of the Byzantine Empire. For almost five
centuries after the Turkish conquest it ranked first among the
imperial mosques of Istanbul. It continued to serve as a mosque
during the early years of the Turkish Republic, until it was finally
converted into a museum in 1935. Now emptied of the congregations,
which once worshipped there, Christians and Moslems in turn, it may
seem just a cold and barren shell, devoid of life and spirit. But
for those who are aware of its long and distinguished history and
are familiar with its architectural principals, St Sophia remains
one of the truly great buildings in the world.
Notes:
St. Sophia is closed on Mondays
The Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays
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