History of the Galata Tower Galata Tower Entrance Fee, Working Hours and History It was a huge surprise for everyone when Emperor Constantine decided to move the capital of Roman Empire to a small city, called as Byzantium. Constantine had two reasons to carry out this fundamental change: Moving away from Rome which was under…
Byzantine Churches in Istanbul
The first three churches of Constantinople, Hagia Eirene, Hagia Sophia and the Church of the Holy Apostles have not survived in their original form. Therefore, our knowledge of the early Byzantine Churches in Istanbul consists of what we know about the early Christian churches. The first churches of Christianity were inspired by the Basilica, an…
Basilica Cistern Entrance Fee and Hours
Basilica Cistern Museum Basilica Cistern Entrance Fee, Tickets, Short History, Hours There are hundreds of Byzantine cisterns under the Istanbul Historic Peninsula. If you look carefully, you will notice that there are cisterns with red brick ceilings visible even in Hagia Sophia Square or the second courtyard of Topkapi Palace. Istanbul, formerly known as Constantinople,…
Topkapi Palace Entrance Fee and Hours
Topkapi Palace Museum Topkapi Palace Entrance Fee, Tickets, Short History and Hours Topkapi Palace was built by Sultan Mehmed after the conquest of Istanbul by the Ottomans and remained the residence of the Sultans for nearly 400 years. When the Ottomans captured Constantinople, the historical peninsula of Istanbul, they realized that the Byzantine Empire, which…
Hagia Sophia Entrance Fee and Hours
Istanbul Hagia Sophia Hagia Sophia Entrance Fee, Tickets, Short History and Hours Hagia Sophia is considered one of the most important structures in human history. Until the construction of Hagia Sophia, there were two important temples that were widely known in the world: the first was the Solomon’s Temple, which was destroyed during the occupation…
Dolmabahce Palace Entry Fee and Hours
Dolmabahce Palace Dolmabahce Palace Entry Fee, Tickets, History and Hours Fatih Sultan Mehmet, the first Ottoman sultan who set foot in Istanbul, first built a palace in Beyazit (near the Grand Bazaar). He lived in this palace during the construction of Topkapi Palace in Sultanahmet. The Topkapi Palace was designed by the Sultan as a…
Emperors and Sultans of Istanbul
Emperors and Sultans Legendary Emperors and Sultans of Istanbul The history of Istanbul dates back to 638 B.C. Istanbul has been an important transit point between Asia and Europe for centuries and it has been home to various cultures. Istanbul served as the capital for old civilizations such as Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and the Ottomans….