Istanbul... One of the magnificient cities of the world. Istanbul is an open museum with its 8000 years history. One can continously find different historical sites from different periods at each footstep. Let's discover this magnificient city with us!

The BOSPHORUS (The ancient name of "Bosphorus" means "Cow Passage".)

In the 2,500 year history of Istanbul, the Bosphorus, its extension the Golden Horn and the historical peninsula have always been coveted places, and they witnessed numerous military campaigns and mass migrations. The earliest mention of the Bosphorus in mythology is in the story of the Argonauts who sail through the strait to the Black Sea. It is known that in 6th century BC the Persian armies tied their boats together for easier passage.

The fabled channel linking the Black Sea and Sea of Marmara measures 30 kms in lenght. As little as 700 meters wide at its narrowest point, it flows between Asia and Europe. Today two modern suspension bridges span this waterway which was, according to Herodotus, first crossed in 512 BC by King Darius when he marched his army from Asia into Europe over a pontoon bridge of ships. After the 18th century, it became a fashionable venue for the Ottoman sultans and members of their courts who had elegant palaces and mansions of stone and wood erected along it.

At Sariyer on the European side stand two wooden mansions built in the 19th century that today house the Lady Sadberk Musuem. This was the first privately-owned museum in Turkey and has fine collections of Anatolian antiques and ethnographic works. The oldest wooden structure still standing on the Bosphorus today is the Yali of Amcazade Huseyin Pasha. Located in Kanlica on the Asian side, it was built in 1699. Not far way on the Asian side is the modest fortress called Anadoluhisari. Standing at the mouth of a creek, it was built in the 14th century by Bayezid I. Its more imposing counterpart on the European side, known as Rumelihisari, was built by Mehmed II. Erected in only three months' time just before the fall of Constantinople. Today Rumelihisari is a museum and in summer it is frequently used in the evenings for outdoor concerts and theatrical performances. Further down the Bosphorus on the Asian side is Beylerbeyi Palace, an elegant palace built in 1865 by Abdulaziz. Opposite it on the European side is Ortakoy, whose cafes, restaurants, abrs, art galleries, and flea-market/bazaar have become popular calling-places for Istanbul intelligentsia in recent years. The elegant mosque standing by the waterside in the lively and entertaining district of Istanbul was built in 1854 by Sultan Abdulmecit. Proceeding on we come to Besiktas where there is a seaside Musuem of Naval History with a fine collection of imperial caiques, maps, and other items documenting the 700-year history of the Turkish navy. Close by is the Musuem of Fine Arts, in which are exhibited outstanding examples of late 19th and 20th century Turkish painting and sculpture. This museum stands almost next to the magnificent Palace of Dolmabahce, the first great Ottoman palace to be erected on the shores of the Bosphorus in 1848.

Museums you shouldn't miss during your Istanbul trip. Have you seen the worldfamous Hagia Sophia or Basilica Cistern?
If not, let's witness the traces of a history that consists of different colors and stories from different cultures.


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The palaces from Ottoman period. The buildings where sultans spent their lives. On every step you'll feel the history that dates back to centuries ago.

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The religious places for Moslems: Mosques... Most of them decorated with Iznik tiles, each of them is a masterpiece...

» You should take a look...