"If a man were granted the chance to take a single glance at the world, it should be Istanbul he looks at." Thus, nearly two centuries ago, the French poet Alphonse de Lamartine captured the spirit of the Turkish city in a single phrase. And to this day, one cannot say things have changed. If you're wondering what to do in Istanbul, well, know that your trip will be full of surprises and suspended between past and future.
Istanbul is indeed one of the most important cities in the world, a cradle of arts, a crossroads of peoples, cultures, and religions, with a remarkable past behind it. It was once known as Constantinople first and then as Byzantium . It was the capital of three empires: the Roman, the Byzantine, and the Ottoman, shaping the history of humanity from its palaces.
Today, Istanbul is increasingly transforming into one of the most populous megalopolises in the world, once again playing a key role in global politics. Yet, despite this, it has never lost its true soul made of traditions and exchanges.
Partly Europe, partly Asia, Istanbul is a city where you can find traces of home while at the same time be carried away by new stimuli, new atmospheres, and impressions. So let's begin our journey into the city of the world's desires to discover its wonders!
Hagia Sophia Basilica
Our journey through things to see in Istanbul, Turkey, begins in the Sultanahmet district, the historic center and beating heart of old Constantinople. The peninsula, nestled between the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus , and the Golden Horn, is the city's founding core, rich with monuments of extraordinary artistic and human interest. Sultanahmet can also be explored on foot with proper planning, or discovered using public transport and the nostalgic red trams.
The Hagia Sophia Basilica, or Aya Sofya, is one of the most majestic religious buildings ever constructed. Strongly commissioned by Justinian, the construction of the Christian basilica began in 532. Less than a century later, the structure was converted into a mosque with the Ottoman Empire's conquest of Constantinople. Since 1935, however, Hagia Sophia has ceased to be a place of worship and has become a truly fascinating museum.
Though massive, the basilica's exterior may seem overly austere, almost military, with its bricks and perfectly geometric shapes. The interior, however, takes your breath away. Visitors are greeted by a triumph of multicolored marbles and precious materials. The immense dome, 31 meters in diameter, gives great spaciousness to the entire complex and will leave you gazing upward for quite some time!
Inside the basilica, you can even admire columns from Egyptian temples, along with the sparkling mosaics characteristic of the Byzantine era, Ottoman calligraphic art, and splendid imperial tombs.
Blue Mosque
Just a few steps from Hagia Sophia Basilica, you'll find Istanbul's second most important religious building, the Blue Mosque or Sultanahmet Camii. Construction of this mosque began around 1609 by order of Sultan Ahmet I who tasked architect Mehmet Aÿa with creating a work more majestic and stunning than Hagia Sophia.
The idea was to give the people something so beautiful that it would make them forget the political and military difficulties the empire was facing. To achieve this, the sultan drew heavily from public funds and truly went all out, commissioning six minarets, like those admired in Mecca.
The result is nothing short of impressive. The entire building is extremely harmonious, even on the outside. The interior of the Blue Mosque is a play of graceful forms, with the large dome dominating the center of the structure, surrounded by four semi-domes. But the real attraction is the twenty thousand Iznik ceramic tiles where blue, green, and turquoise create evocative light plays with the 260 windows open on the dome, unique and ever-changing spectacles throughout the day.
Topkapi Palace
We continue our tour of the Sultanahmet district, moving from centers of religious power to political ones. A visit to Topkapi Palace is almost mandatory on any trip to Istanbul.
The complex was the seat of the Ottoman Empire, from which the sultans ruled for over four centuries, gradually modifying the building's structure itself. Today, from Chora Churchto the Suleymaniye Mosque, a masterpiece by architect Mimar Sinan, passing through Taksim Square.
The desire to set off and immerse yourself in the atmospheres of this city, to get lost among its streets, neighborhoods, and typical restaurants, is strong. If you'd like to travel halfway between Europe and Asia in the company of new friends, discover the trip that Meeters has organized for you in Istanbul.