All About Turkey

UNIVERSITIES

It's a city of universities and the first university was founded in the 15th century with the order of Sultan Mehmed "the Conquerer": The University of Istanbul. In today, there are about 16 private and public universities in the city.

Istanbul lies upon two different continents: Europe and Asia. The continents are connected to each other with two bridges: Bosphorus Bridge and Fatih Sultan Mehmed Bridge.

 

Istanbul is a city of mosques, palaces, museums, universities, monuments, art, culture and entertainment.

MOSQUES

There are over 8.000 small and big mosques which were constructed over the centuries and still being constructed.  The famuos mosques are Blue mosque, Süleymaniye Mosque and Ortakoy Mosque.

PALACES

Topkapı Palace: When the construction for Topkapı Palace started is still unknown. According to some resources, the foundation dates back to 1460.
Topkapı Palace was not constructed based on a definite plan, was expanded in time and underwent several changes. Topkapı Palace was abandoned in the middle of 19th century and lost its significance as the state center. Most recently in 1924 Topkapı Palace was turned into a museum and opened for exhibition.

 

Sultan Ahmet (Blue)  Mosque             Süleymaniye Mosque                        Ortaköy Mosque

MUSEUMS

Aya Sofya (Hagia Sophia) was built in the 6th century.  Emperor Justinian commissioned Hagia Sophia Church.   The architects of the building are Anthemios of Tralles and Isidoros of Miletos.  Sultan Fatih Mehmet converted this building into a mosque shortly after he conquered the city of Constantinople.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

             Hagia Sophia

 

 

 

 

The Grand Bazaar 

It is one of the best known bazaars of its kind. It was established by Mehmet the Conqueror in the 15th century, expanded during the reign of Suleyman the Magnificent (1520-1566) and reestablished according to the current plan in 1701.  It is a vast complex including 4000 shops and a large number of ateliers, restaurants, coffeehouses and mosques.

Dream City: Istanbul

Dolmabahçe Palace: Dolmabahçe Palace, whose construction began in 1846 in the province of Beşiktaş was completed in 1856.  The palace was commissioned by Sultan Abdülmecid.

 

Beylerbeyi Palace: It is located in the Anatolian side of the Boshporus.  It was commissioned by Sultan Abdülaziz to architect brothers Sarkis and Agop Balyan in 1864.

 

 

Yıldız Palace: Yıldız Palace is located in the Europen side of the Boshporus.  It was commissioned by Sultan Mahmud the 2nd.

Miniaturk  is expected to contribute to the rehabilitation of the historic neighborhood in which it sprawls across an area of 60 thousand square meters, larger than any other miniature city in the world.  It is Located along the nostalgic Golden Horn. 

You find a miniature version of the historic sites of İstanbul, Anatolia and former Ottoman provinces.

 

 

Hagia Sophia

The Rahmi M Koç Museum is the first major museum in Turkey dedicated to the history of Transport, Industry and Communications (1994). Housed in magnificent buildings - themselves prime examples of industrial archaeology - on the shore of the historic Golden Horn, the collection contains thousands of items from gramophone needles to full size ships and aircraft.