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The Grand Bazaar consists of over 50 streets and 4000 shops all covered over in a sub city within the city. High above the bustle, graceful arches soar, many adorned with an intricate tile mosaic. It is said that every niche and alley holds a story and lengthy history.
Sprawling outward from the covered market, the Grand Bazaar is a shopping experience without parallel; Persian rugs, leather goods, jewellery, fashion spice and antiquities of myriad variety – each street named for the goods that are sold there.
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The Grand Bazaar started during Mehmet the Conqueror's reign towards the end of the 15th century. It is the largest covered shopping 'mall' in the world.
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Blue Mosque -- This 17th century mosque, near Haghia Sophia, is famous for the beautiful blue tile work ornamenting its walls. Its surrounding six slim minarets distinguish it from other mosques which normally have two or four minarets.
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It has the name Blue Mosque because the 21,043 tiles inside give off a bluish haze.
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Park outside the mosques and churches...which are all close to each other.
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The Dikilitas (Egyptian Obelisk) was originally erected in the 16th century B.C. by the Pharaoh Thutmosis III in honor of the God of Sun Amon Ra in the city of Teb, Egypt, in front of the temple of Luxor. It was brought to Istanbul by emperor Theodosius I in 390 A.D. for the decoration of the ancient Hippodrome.
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Aya Sofya (Haghia Sophia) Museum -- The ancient Byzantine church, built between 532-537 AD after the Nika Riot, was later converted to a mosque with the addition of minarets in mid-15th century. The remarkable structure with its 56m high immense dome is a museum today in which you can see both Christian and Islamic art. There are good examples of the Byzantine mosaics as well. For about 1000 years this was the largest church in the world, and glory of the Byzantine Empire. It is currently the 3rd largest church.
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Susan and the Sultans |
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The Egyptian Bazaar (Misir Carsisi in Turkish) is also known as Spice Market. It's located just behind the Yeni Mosque at Eminonu district, at the entrance of the Golden Horn. The Bazaar was originally made of wood in mid-17th century by the architect Kazim Aga, and got its final restorations during mid-forties.
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St. ChoraAncient Byzantine (Eastern Roman Empire) church was built in the 4th century. The current building was finished in the 11th century. It later converted into a mosque in the 15th century AD. It is now a museum of Byzantine mosaics and frescoes.
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Suleymaniye (the Magnificent) -- The Mosque of Suleyman the Magnificent This outstanding piece of architecture was built in the 16th century by the famous Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan for Sultan Süleyman the Magnificient.
The tombs of the Sultan, his wife Hürrem and Mimar Sinan are found within its compounds. |
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Cemetary near mosques |
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Cemetary near mosques |
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| Lots of wild cats and dogs all over Turkey |
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Our tour walking back to the bus. The bent over man is a shoe shine vendor. |
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Topkapi was the first Ottoman palace to be built (1466-1478) in the newly conquered capital of the Empire by Mehmet II. Located on the spot where the foundations of the city were first laid in ancient times by Megarian Chief Byzas in the 7th century BC, the palace boasts one of the most beautiful views of Istanbul, incorporating the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn, the two shores and the sea of Marmara. |
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Our group, minus the photographer.
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