Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul is a major city located in Turkey, which is a transcontinental country, straddled across Europe and Asia. It is the fourth most populous city in the world. It was formerly known by the names of Byzantium and Constantinople and has a great historical significance. It is a beautiful city with many tourist destinations and historical sites with amazing infrastructure and also houses a collection of art, music, and culture. It is the fifth most popular tourist destination in the world, so I hope you can imagine how wonderful the place and its attractions must be. Its historic center is the biggest attraction and is also partially listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Approaching towards being a global city, it is currently one of the fastest-growing metropolitan economies in the world.

Most Famous Tourist Destinations In Istanbul

Istanbul has a number of tourist attractions. Some of them are The Hagia Sophia Museum, The Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace Museum, Grand Bazaar, and the Galata Tower.

The Hagia Sophia Museum

The Hagia Sophia Museum of Istanbul is the most popular tourist destination in Istanbul. In fact, it can be said as a symbol of Istanbul. A visit to Istanbul is incomplete without a visit to the Hagia Sophia. Particularly famous for its massive dome, it is a former Greek Orthodox Christian patriarchal cathedral, which was later converted into an Ottoman imperial mosque, and is currently established as a museum in the city. Established in 1935, it has an architectural style of Byzantine architecture. It is also known for its collection of vast mosaics depicting Biblical scenes in the domes. The interesting fact is that for nearly 916 years, it was used as a church, and after that as a mosque, for 481 years. Currently, it is existing as a museum since 1935. However, in the present day, the Turkish president has suggested to again convert the Hagia Sophia into a mosque.

It is considered to be the epitome of Byzantine architecture and people say that it changed the history of architecture. And they are absolutely right because why not? Its architecture is so beautiful and unique, that no such monument as wonderful as the Hagia Sophia has ever existed. It is something worth to see and admire, and definitely unforgettable.

The Blue Mosque

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, popularly known as The Blue Mosque, is a historic mosque located in Istanbul. With a capacity to accommodate 10,000 people, it has an Islamic and Ottoman architectural style. Its construction began in 1609 and was finished in 1616 during the rule of Ahmed I. Because of its six minarets, it stands different from other mosques in Istanbul. Its interior is adorned with hand-painted blue tiles. Lights frame the mosque's five main domes, six minarets, and eight secondary domes, and at night, the mosque is bathed in blue from all sides and it is a wonderful sight to the eyes. It is located next to the famous Hagia Sophia, so you can visit both of the famous sites of Istanbul together without having any difficulty.