The largest city in Turkey is replete with landmarks and sights. As Napoleon Bonaparte once said,
If the Earth were a single state, Istanbul would be its capital.
Indeed, Istanbul has all the rights to be called one of the main tourist destinations in the world. Long ago, between 1517 and 1924, Istanbul was the center of the Islamic Caliphate in Turkey. Nowadays, 90% of the population professes Islam. No wonder there are many mosques and old buildings, where history lies, to this day.
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Hagia Sophia Mosque
This mosque, completed in 537, is a unique representative of its kind. First, it was constructed for 177 years. Second, Hagia Sophia was initially not a mosque at all. It used to be the biggest Christian church in the Roman Empire and the Eastern Orthodox Church for more than 60 years. In 1261, Hagia Sophia Mosque was turned into a Roman Catholic Cathedral, then into a museum (in 1935), and only in 2020, Hagia Sophia Mosque became what it is today.
Some facts
The columns from the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus were used in the process of building the mosque. This was one of the ancient world’s seven wonders.
Hagia Sophia Mosque used to have a large central dome (160 ft high and 131 ft in diameter). In 558, the dome was destroyed by an earthquake, and was replaced by the new one four years later.
Learn more about Hagia Sophia Mosque from our professional guide, who will give you all the nuances of the religious transformations of this iconic building and its history.
The Blue Mosque
Also known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, it was opened in 1616 (construction ended within 7 years). Apart from the religious services, it also has a hospice, madrasah (Islamic educational center), and the tomb of Sultan Ahmed I. The building is divided into 13 domes (5 of which are main, and the rest are secondary), and six minarets. The Blue Mosque has been a part of UNESCO World Heritage Sites for almost 40 years, and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Istanbul.
Some facts
Pope Benedict XVI (2006), Barack Obama (2009), and Pope Francis (2014) have all visited the Blue Mosque.
The architecture of the Blue Mosque unites Byzantine and Ottoman styles.
Learn more about Hagia Sophia Mosque from our professional guide, who will give you all the nuances of the religious transformations of this iconic building and its history.
Suleymaniye Mosque
The Suleymaniye Mosque, founded in 1550, is an Ottoman mosque with an unusual location. This Mosque was created by Suleyman the Magnificent as a memory of his son Shehzade.
The mosque stands on the top of the Third Hill of Istanbul, which is a city of seven hills. It was the largest mosque in the city until 2019. The four corners of Suleymaniye Mosque have four minarets, each forming a square. One of the rooms serves as a dorm for Sultan Suleiman and Hurrem Sultan, and most of the structures serve as religious or cultural spots.
Some facts
The Suleymaniye Mosque is the second-largest mosque in Istanbul.
Its rooms also include a hammam, a hospital, and a religious school
This and other places, that you could have seen in the famous Magnificent Century, are available to visit on our Magnificent Century Private Walking Tour. You will see all the featured locations from the show, including not only the Suleymaniye Mosque, but also the Grand Bazaar, the Ibrahim Pasha Palace, and et cetera.
