Tourist Attractions & Monuments Turkey

It is one of the city's most famous and visible monuments, located on Galata Hill in the heart of Beyoğlu. The enemy of the time was Venice, to such an extent that John VI Cantacuzene accepted the Genoese request to build a tower in 1348. Designed as the main tower of the Galata fortifications and 68 m high, it offers an exceptional panoramic view of the historic city. Beheaded from its top two floors after the conquest of the city in 1453, the tower was used as a prison under Mehmed II the Conqueror. Shaken by the 1509 earthquake, the fortifications and tower were restored by the architect Hayrettin. It is found in the roles of observatory and fire tower. Ravaged by a fire in 1794, it was once again taken in hand and was given a new floor and a new headdress. It is from the top of this tower, it is said, that Hazerfan Ahmet Çelebi set off in the 18th century, equipped with two large wings that he had made, succeeding in landing, not on the other side of the Bosporus as the legend says, but probably on the other side of the Golden Horn. For a time impressed by this feat, the sultan, under religious pressure who did not see it with a very positive eye, exiled Çelebi to the borders of the Empire. Refurbished between 1965 and 1967, the tower has become one of the city's main tourist attractions. At its top is the panoramic restaurant of the Beltur chain. The view is simply exceptional!

During the Byzantine period, it was a market where Venetians and Genoese came to sell rare spices, hence its other name spice market. Built on an L-shaped plan, it has four main entrances and more than 100 shops where a thousand and one spices, honeys, cheeses, from all the Turkish provinces, flowers, aphrodisiac mixtures, dried meats and even domestic animals are traded. Restored in 1943, this market is strongly imbued with the oriental atmosphere with its colours and smells, much more exotic than that of the Grand Bazaar, which has become the centre of jewellers and carpet merchants. That being said, jewellers are gaining a little more ground each year.

Be sure to visit the adjacent streets outside the bazaar. Pass on the left the flower and bird market to get lost in the alleys at the back. The many itinerant merchants present a very picturesque world where electronic devices, tools, perfumes are sold in a jumble... If you want to buy Turkish coffee, you can go to the Kuru Kahveci Mehmet Efendi. No need for an address, the shop is in front of the market, on the right wing: just follow the smell. If there's a problem, ask, the whole neighborhood knows it. Coffee is sold by weight: you go to the counter from the outside and choose one of the packages that are ready for sale.

Built between 1543 and 1548, the most important buildings in this complex are the mosque, considered Sinan's first masterpiece and the Prince's mausoleum. Sinan himself calls it a "learning work" when his reputation is well established. It is dedicated to Mehmed and his brother, Cihangir, who died in 1549. This work will allow Ottoman architecture to adopt a new conception of the placement of the central space, which will later become a school. Dominating all the other buildings in the complex in height and mass, the Prince's Mosque is built around a central square space. Sinan used new elements in the mosque's exterior architecture: a cascade of domes collapses into perfect symmetry and balance. A feeling of weightlessness emerges from the whole. The central dome, combined with the half-domes, reinforces this impression. This mosque earned Sinan his title of Master Architect. With this construction, he laid the foundations of Ottoman religious architecture.

The courtyard, located to the north, and whose surface area corresponds exactly to the space of the prayer room. It is covered by 16 domes. A fountain of ablutions, surmounted by a dome, was erected in its middle during the time of Murad IV. The Prince's mausoleum, with its architecture, ceramic tiles, stucco windows covered with stained glass, is an imposing building. This tomb was built of limestone, marble, green and pink porphyry. The ceramic tiles that cover the entire mausoleum, from the ground to the top of the dome, are sparkling in colour. The wooden cage, surrounding Prince Mehmed's catafalque, is supported by four ivory-inlaid pillars with geometric motifs.

The mausoleum of Rüstem Paşa, was built in 1561 by Sinan. The ceramic tiles consist of calligraphy in thuluth script reproducing verses from the Koran. The mausoleums of Ibrahim Paşa of Bosnia, Prince Mahmud, Sultans Hatice and Fatma, Destari Mustafa Paşa, as well as other tombstones are located in the outer courtyard. The medersa consists of bedrooms and a classroom arranged around a courtyard. The hospice is topped by a dome. The caravanserai stands on the road leading to the current Vefa High School. The elementary school is a space with a single dome, arranged on the side of the caravanserai.

History. The Istanbul Modern project began in 1987 with the first international exhibition of contemporary art, now known as the Istanbul International Biennale. In 2003, the 4th warehouse on the Galata pier, near the Mimar Sinan Academy of Fine Arts, hosted the 8th Istanbul Biennale and attracted attention. After Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the then Prime Minister, had given his approval for the reassignment of the site, the dry goods warehouse belonging to the Turkish Maritime Organisation was transformed into a temple of modern art.

Visit. While waiting for the end of the construction of the new Karaköy building, the museum is temporarily located at Beyoğlu The central staircase from the ground floor, with a video room and a photo exhibition, provides access to the first floor painting collections. The latter, most of which are private, include paintings by Turkish artists inspired by the Western style. The collections are changing to achieve a resolutely modern style. Upstairs, visitors are invited to have a drink in a café with a superb view of the Bosphorus. It is also possible to eat there, as the evening menu is much more elaborate and therefore more expensive. In the museum area you will find many welcoming terraces to drink tea after your visit. A museum not to be missed!

This museum is located in the heart of the historic city, a few steps from the old covered market. What makes it unique is that it was built in such a way as to directly integrate the mosaic pavements discovered in the courtyard of the former Byzantine Grand Palais. This complex would be one of the most important preserved today. The quality of these remains, dated from 450 to 550, is remarkable. The subjects covered concern daily life, nature or mythology.

It is one of the most famous panoramas of Istanbul and yet, one never tires of admiring and photographing it: the mosque in the foreground, the Bosphorus and the suspension bridge in the background... The building is located on the tip of the Defterdar, on the European side of the Bosphorus, in the Ortaköy district. Commissioned by Abdülmecid, it was completed in 1853 by the architect Garabed Balian. We usually call it by the name of the neighbourhood, its real name being Mecidiye Camii.

Located in the garden of the Topkapı Palace, this museum is highly recommended for archaeology lovers. Several renovations have been made to enhance some of the museum's pieces. When we learn that the museum was awarded a prize by the Council of Europe in 1991 for the centenary of its foundation, we are not surprised. The neoclassical style of the museum was built by the architect Alexandre Vallauri, the son of a French pastry chef, in 1881 at the request of Osman Hamdi Bey, the father of Turkish museology. It opened its doors under the name "Müze-i Hümayun" (Imperial Museum) in 1891. It is said that the architect was inspired by the sarcophagi of Alexander the Great and the Weeping Women to give the façade the silhouette we know today. Expanded several times, it contains a large collection of pieces amassed from the four corners of the empire, more than a million objects representing almost all eras and civilizations.

Main building. It rises on two levels. Impressive, the first level is that of the sarcophagi and statues. The first pieces on display come from the royal necropolis of Sidon (Lebanon): sarcophagi of the family of King Tabnit, sarcophagus of the Mourners, sarcophagus of Lycian, sarcophagus of the Satrape, considered a masterpiece of Ionian art... the major piece is the so-called Alexander sarcophagus, dating back to the 4th century BCC. Representing scenes of battle between the Macedonians and the Persians, one had believed to find (finally) the tomb of Alexander the Great (Alexander III of Macedonia). It turned out that it was in fact that of Abdalonymos, friend and king of Sidon enthroned by Alexander, but the name remained. The sarcophagus of Meleager is equally impressive. There follow sections with busts, including those of Hermes, Emperors Constantine I the Great and Marcus Aurelius, statues and statuettes including those of Emperors Hadrian and Augustus, Alexander the Great, Zeus, Poseidon, Artemis and Apollo, and bas-reliefs. Among the beautiful sculptures, one can admire the one of the ephebe of Tabnit, king of Sidon. On the first floor are exhibited works in carved or sculpted stone giving an idea of the daily life in Antiquity: Anatolian gourds and jugs from the ancient Bronze Age, clay statuettes from ancient Ionia, red-figured vases from the^5th and 6th centuries, coins, seals, medals... There is also a library containing more than 70,000 books.

Secondary building. Here, the four levels are reserved for thematic exhibitions. We start with Istanbul through the ages, including a section on Thrace and Bithynia. This is followed by Anatolia and Troy, Cyprus and the Middle East (Syria-Palestine).

Museum of Ancient Oriental Works (Eski Şark Eserleri Müzesi). It is in fact a wing of the museum to which it belongs. Located just to the left, the building was built in 1883, also on the initiative of Osman Hamdi Bey to become the School of Fine Arts (Sanayi-ı Nefise). It was later turned into a museum and was completely renovated in 1974. Works from Anatolia, Mesopotamia, Egypt and Arabia are displayed on the first floor. There are also objects from Sumerian and Akkadian cultures. The tablets of the Treaty of Kadesh (1269 B.C.), the oldest historical document relating to the sealing of an agreement between Hittites and Egyptians, the colossal statue of a Neohittite king discovered at the site of Zincirli, and the stele of the Akkadian king Naram-Sin are among the unique works of art in the museum. Also worth seeing are the glazed brick reliefs depicting bulls and snake-headed dragons from the Ishtar Gate in Babylon, from which the famous processional route decorated with lions started. This is one of the eight gates of the city, representing various real or imaginary animals. The museum also has important archives, including more than 75,000 cuneiform tablets.

Earthenware Kiosk (Çinili Köşk). Built in 1472 under Mehmed II the Conqueror, much older than the other two buildings in the museum, it was originally designed as a pavilion for the sultan's relaxation in the Topkapı Palace compound. It is one of the earliest examples of Ottoman civil architecture in Istanbul. Mehmed II had three kiosks built in the palace gardens in three different styles - Persian, Greek and Turkish - symbolizing the three worlds of which he was now the master. The Tiled Kiosk, built in the Persian style, is the only one that remains today. Its decoration was entrusted to master ceramists from Khorasan, who used monochrome techniques in the Timurid tradition. It was from this pavilion that the Sultan watched his pages play djirit, the ancestor of polo. The Earthenware Kiosk was refurbished and attached to the Istanbul Archaeological Museum in 1981, and now displays an outstanding collection of Iznik and Kanakkale ceramics, as well as Seljuk works. The museum has over 2,000 pieces. The façade of the pavilion, with its marble portico supported by 14 columns and its gallery covered with ceramic tiles, is worth a visit. But the building itself is interesting.

Holy places generally have a well-dosed mixture of mysticism and supernaturalism. While Sultan Mehmed II, the Conqueror (Fatih), savours the fall of Constantinople, his tutor sees in his dreams the location of a tomb where Abu Ayub al-Ansari, one of the Prophet Mohammed's faithful companions and standard bearers, would be buried. He died during the first siege of Constantinople in 670 and was buried by his army not far from the land walls, in a place that was gradually falling into oblivion. As a result, the Eyüp Mosque is one of the most important holy places in Islam. The Conqueror is therefore doubly rewarded: a mythical city with his record of achievements and a divine sign that solidifies the foundations of his reign! The complex has undergone transformations over the years. It consists of a mosque, a mausoleum, a medersa, a refectory hospice and a double hammam. The current mosque was built between 1798 and 1800, at the time of Selim III. The rectangular mihrab(niche), which projects outwards, is covered with a half dome. The courtyard of the mosque is bordered by a peristyle overhung by thirteen domes. This courtyard, with its plane trees where storks come to make their nests and the hundreds of pigeons that fly around, is one of the backdrops of the city's typical scenography. The chambers of the medersa are located on the side parts of the courtyard. The refectory building is arranged around two spaces also covered with domes. The mausoleum of Eyüp Sultan is an octagonal stone monument, surmounted by a dome and a brass gate allows pilgrims to see the gold inlaid shrine that contains one of Islam's relics: a footprint of the prophet Mohammed's foot found in the seraglio's treasure of Topkapı The blue and white ceramic tiles and stained glass windows in the mausoleum are from the 16th century. A calligraphic frieze circles the inner drum of the monument. In its centre, there is a large chandelier and a blue carpet. Other tombstones or sarcophagi of historical value are located in the cemetery. At the same time, great viziers and ordinary citizens of the Ottoman Empire wished to be buried alongside the saint, giving birth to the great cemetery of Eyüp. The first mosque built after the Ottoman conquest of the city, it is a popular and revered place of pilgrimage.

You can go there early in the morning, before the arrival of the tourist buses and the sun, or in the afternoon, when the setting sun decorates the white rocks with multicolored reflections. Be careful, remove your shoes before walking on the wet surface. Note that it is also forbidden to bathe in the basins, as well as to wet your feet in the canals. The remains are scattered, so plan on 3 hours if you want to see everything.

Thermal baths. Open every day from 9am to 12:30pm and from 1:30pm to 6pm. Entrance fee. The impressive complex of the thermal baths proves the importance that the Romans gave to the ritual of hygiene which concerned as much the ordinary citizen as the athletes. Originally, the large vaulted rooms were covered with marble. Today they house an archaeological museum with some interesting statues.

Street with porticoes. This street, approximately 13 m wide, crossed the city with, at each end, a monumental door. The part lined with columns is located in the old commercial district of Hierapolis. It leads to the Domitian Gate, built in 82 AD, in honor of the emperor.

Theater. This well-preserved Roman theater, which could seat 25,000 spectators, is the venue for the Pamukkale Festival of Art every summer. The stage is decorated with beautiful bas-reliefs representing Artemis, Apollo and Dionysus.

Plutonium. After passing the ruins of a temple of Apollo of the ^IInd century, as well as the nymphaeum, a monumental fountain, we arrive at Plutonium. This famous cave dedicated to Pluto, the ruler of the dead, gives off a toxic gas capable of killing the common man, but not the eunuch priests. It is strongly advised not to try the experience.

Martyrion of Saint-Philippe. Octagonal building built to commemorate the martyrdom of the apostle Philip (80 AD). It is not certain that it houses the tomb of the saint. However, it was here that the great processions took place on the anniversary of his death.

Necropolis. Certainly the most interesting part of the visit, at least for those who will not be disturbed by the impressive number of tombs suggesting apocalyptic pictures. Many of the sick who came here in the hope of being cured by the miraculous thermal waters never saw their homeland again. At least their relatives had the consolation of thinking that buried in this place, communicating directly through its gaseous crevices with the afterlife, they would not have too painful a journey..

The archaeological site has two entrances, a main one, near the Tusan Motel (parking fee) and another one at the other end, towards the house of the Virgin. In front of the main entrance, you will find souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants with prohibitive prices.

History. Ephesus is one of the most important Ionian cities in Asia Minor. According to the legend, during the prehistoric period, it was inhabited by the Amazons who introduced the cult of Artemis. The Carians and Pelasgians are considered the first inhabitants of the city. The tradition wants that towards the ^XVIIth century before J.-C., Androclès, son of Kodros king of Athens, had disembarked there with Ionian colonists and that after having overcome the Carians, it was installed in Ephesus. The city, democratic city around 800 BC, knows a tyrannical regime two centuries and half later, around 650. One of the tyrants, Pythagoras, was so cruel that he refused access to the sanctuary of Artemis to all those who came to ask for asylum, condemning them to commit suicide or to die of hunger. Later, the city is conquered by Croesus, king of Lydia. The latter was defeated by the Persians who occupied Ephesus until 470 BC. At this date, the liberation of the Ionian cities allows the development of democratic institutions. During the wars opposing Athens to Sparta, Ephesus takes side sometimes for the first one and sometimes for the second. Alexander the Great visited the city and offered a sacrifice to Artemis. After his death, the city was conquered by Antigone, then by Lysimachus who moved the inhabitants near a new port and built several important public buildings. He called this new city Arsinoia, after the name of his wife Arsinoe. But in 284 BC, after the death of his successor Agathocles, the people of Ephesus rose up and gave back its original name to the city where they demolished several monuments erected by Lysimachus. From then on, the city was coveted by the Seleucids and the Ptolemies of Egypt. However, Ephesus will know a golden age under the Roman domination and will be named capital of the province of Asia. In the ^2nd century B.C., with a population of 225,000, it was considered the most populous city in the East after Alexandria. In 29 AD, an earthquake destroyed many of its monuments and houses. During the Christian era, Ephesus regained a prominent role with the arrival of the apostle Paul who founded a Christian community there. According to tradition, the Virgin Mary spent the last years of her life here. The decadence of Ephesus began in the ^3rd century, when the Goths invaded Asia Minor. Later, other conquerors, the Mongols and the Tatars will destroy it several times. The Byzantines will give him the Christian name of Aghios Theologos (holy Theologian), undoubtedly at the origin of the name of the current Turkish village, Ayasoluk. The excavations of the site begin in 1864, they are then directed by the English archaeologist Wood.

The impressive remains that you can see today date from the Roman and chrono-Hellenistic periods. Visit the site taking care not to miss the Arcadian Way, the library of Celsius, the street of the Curetes with the latrines and the temple of Hadrian and the terraced houses.

Gymnasium of Vedius. On the left, before reaching the entrance of the site, the gymnasium of Vedius, built in the ^2nd century AD by a rich citizen. Here, the ruins of the baths. The stadium, close to the baths, was built by Nero.

Church of the Councils. Follow the sign "Meryem Ana Kilisesi" which leads to a Roman covered market, transformed in the ^4th century into a basilica dedicated to the Virgin. Its historical importance is due to the two councils that were held here. The first, in 431, led to the condemnation of Nestorianism, a heresy that affirmed the dual nature of Christ, human and divine. The second, in 449, concluded that Christ had only one divine nature, a theory that is at the origin of the monophysism professed today by the Jacobite Church of Syria, the Armenian Church and the Coptic Church of Egypt. Among the ruins, the baptistery is surprisingly well preserved.

Arcadian Way. At the entrance to the site, a majestic road lined with pine trees, which was restored in the^5th century by the Byzantine emperor Acadius. Connecting the theater to the sea, which today has retreated 10 km, it was lined with columns of Corinthian rhythm that delimited deep galleries. Those, with the ground covered with mosaics, sheltered stores. The night, they were illuminated by torches. To the north of the Arcadian way, you can see the ruins of the gymnasium and the baths.

Theater. At the foot of Mount Pion is the great theater of the city. It could hold 24,000 spectators. It is perhaps here that Saint Paul addressed the people of Ephesus. The theater hosted, in summer, events of the festival of Ephesus (concerts, shows) it is no longer the case today because it is weakened.

Street of marble. This street, which starts from the theater, has large well-preserved marble slabs, dating from the^5th century A.D. Notice the footprint and the female head clearly visible on the marble, which were said to indicate the direction of a brothel.

Lower Agora. After the triumphal arch. It consisted of a large square, lined with galleries which sheltered rooms, warehouses and stores. A large hydraulic or solar clock occupied the center of the agora. The whole place was decorated with magnificent statues. To the south of the agora, stood an imposing temple dedicated to the cult of Serapis.

Library of Celsius. This spectacular building was built by the son of the senator Celsius, Aquila, completed in 130 AD and restored by the archaeological school of Vienna. The statues adorning the two-story façade (the four intellectual virtues) are copies of the marble originals that you can admire in Vienna. Outside the library was a large lecture hall; the Byzantines added a fountain adjacent to the façade. On the east side, there was an octagonal building whose roof formed a pyramid decorated with a huge marble ball. The manuscripts were preserved from humidity thanks to a clever system of double walls with a corridor allowing air circulation. The Goths destroyed the library's treasures when they invaded Ephesus in 262 A.D., but they did not desecrate the tomb of its founder, which was located under the west wing of the building.

Rue des Curètes. The second main street of the site, named after a category of priests of Artemis, leads to the very well preserved latrines. Behind, the ruins of the baths of Scholastica of the ^first century, restored. Right next to the latrines stands the elegant Corinthian temple, built in honor of Hadrian in 118 AD who visited Ephesus several times. The four columns of the facade carry a pediment with the bust of Tyke, the goddess of the city, in the center. On the tympanum above the door, a bust of a young girl representing Medusa. The bas-reliefs that adorn it were added later (originals in the Selçuk Museum). Opposite the temple of Hadrian, turn left for the terraced houses of the rich inhabitants of Ephesus. The walls of the rooms around the patios are decorated with mosaics. These houses were provided with running water, even in the floors. Returning to the street of Curetes, admire the fountain of Trajan (^2nd century) and decorated with imposing statues. The most important ones are in the Selçuk Museum. Further up, the Gate of Hercules (early^5th century) divides the street which, on one side, leads to the temple of Domitian and the Museum of Inscriptions and on the other, to the upper agora.

In front of the agora stood the prytaneum where the sacred flame of the city burned continuously and where the prytanes of Ephesus met. The odeon could accomodate 1 400 senators. After the baths of Varius, we arrive at the second exit of the site. Further on, on the left, the gate of Magnesia indicates us what were the real limits of the ancient city.

The museum is in fact a valley of about thirty churches with magnificent frescos (^10th and ^11th centuries) and monasteries. The churches bear the names that people gave them in the region.

The Church of the Loop (Tokalı Kilise). It is the largest and most beautiful rock church in the region. It is divided into two parts, the old and the new. The frescoes of the old church (^10th century) represent scenes from the life of Christ in a primitive style. The murals of the new church, on a beautiful blue background (late ^10th and early ^11th century), are of great artistic value. Their long figures are among the masterpieces of Byzantine art.

The Apple Church (Elmalı Kilise). Its name is said to come from a beautifully preserved fresco of the Archangel Gabriel holding an apple. It has four columns. One can distinguish the Crucifixion, the Resurrection of Lazarus and the Deisis. On the central dome, Christ.

Saint Barbara (Azize Barbara kilese). Carved into the rock, it has a cross-shaped plan and two columns. Here, the painters favored red and ochre for the figures and motifs in a naïve style, such as the rooster symbolizing the denial of St. Peter, strange insects, sometimes interpreted as the devil, and stylized cypress trees. There is also a representation of Saint Barbara, the horsemen George and Theodore, and Mary.

The Church of the Serpent (Yılanlı Kilise). The church owes its name to the fresco depicting St. George and St. Theodore slaying the dragon. Note the painting of St. Basil and St. Thomas next to St. Onophrios provided with female breasts and a beard. Next to it is a refectory with a double apse. The seat dug into the wall was reserved for the superior of the convent. Also the kitchen and the cellar are adjacent.

The Dark Church (Karanlık Kilise). Its only window does not allow light to illuminate it, which is probably the reason for the excellent state of preservation of its frescoes. On the dome, Christ Pantocrator, on the narthex, a magnificent Ascension. The paintings represent the birth of Christ and his crucifixion.

At the bottom of the rock , another church, unnamed, decorated with a cross pattern of five circles, unique in the region.

The Sandal Church (Çarıklı Kilise). According to popular belief, it was a sandal track marking the passage of Christ, opposite the entrance, that inspired this strange name.

The ramparts, which surrounded the centre of the city, were 3.5 km long. The path, opposite the museum, leads to the theatre (1st century BC) built by Julus Zoilos, a freed slave of Emperor Octavian. The north wall, 5 m high, bears Greek inscriptions from the 2nd and 3rd centuries.

Behind the theatre is the Tetrastoon, a large square bounded by four (tetra) porticoes (stoai) and connected to the Imperial Hall of the Baths. Next to it is a cloakroom, a bathroom and a sweat room. Then, on the right, the Sebastêion, sanctuary of the deified emperor Augustus, supposed to be a descendant of Aphrodite.

Composed of two parallel rows of half-columns superimposed on three floors, it was decorated with decorative panels depicting mythological scenes. A series of bas-reliefs show the peoples conquered by Augustus. To the left of the Sebasteion, some columns among the poplars indicate the location of the agora, which consisted of two Ionic porticoes. The southern portico, Tiberius' portico, was decorated with impressive friezes, with heads of historical and mythological figures linked by garlands. To the west of the Tiberius portico, the ruins of Hadrian's baths stand. Continuing, on the right, a peristyle indicates the Episcopal palace, residence of a notable, converted into the residence of the bishop of Aphrodisias.

Overall plan. Near the temple of Aphrodite, a path leads to the well-preserved stadium, which could hold 30,000 people. 262 m long and 59 m wide, it was used for athletic games. To the north of the temple are the remains of six private houses. One of them housed a school of philosophy. Aphrodisias was home to a large Jewish community. A series of inscriptions indicate the existence of a synagogue, and an engraved pillar bears the names and professions of a number of Jews.

Next to it is a well-preserved odeon. Originally, it was used for artistic events and meetings of the city council. The mosaic that covered the floor of the orchestra is in the museum.

Next door, the most important monument of the city, the temple of Aphrodite, is easily identified by its fourteen columns, but its structure was largely modified when the Byzantines transformed it into a basilica.

To the east of the temple stands the tetrapylon, a decorative door consisting of four rows of four columns topped by richly decorated pediments. Magnificent!