ISTANBUL
Travel Booklet
Travel Booklet
Istanbul is the largest city in
Turkey, and was the capital cityof the old Ottoman Empire until 1923.
The city has been known
since ancient times by the older names
Byzantium and Constantinople. Being a seaport, Istanbul is the main trade
center of Turkey.
Istanbul faces the Golden Horn and the
Bosporus strait. The Bosphorus connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara,
and separates Europe and Asia. The city is actually in both Europe and Asia.
Its population is between 11 and 15 million people, making it one of the
largest cities in Europe.
Yıldız Palace- In Beşiktaş, behind Çırağan Palace, there is another palace on the hill: Yıldız Palace. Selim III built for the palace for his mother Sultan Mihrişah, but it was first used as a pavillion. Later, in the periods of Mahmud III, Sultan Abdülmecid and Sultan Abdülaziz, it was expanded by additional pavillions and summer palaces.
In Sultan Abdülhamid period, with the other additional buildings, it took its name, Yıldız Palace. The palace took its place in history after the Old Palace, Topkapı Palace and Dolmabahçe Palace, as a centre where the Ottoman Empire was governed.
Yıldız Palace- In Beşiktaş, behind Çırağan Palace, there is another palace on the hill: Yıldız Palace. Selim III built for the palace for his mother Sultan Mihrişah, but it was first used as a pavillion. Later, in the periods of Mahmud III, Sultan Abdülmecid and Sultan Abdülaziz, it was expanded by additional pavillions and summer palaces.
In Sultan Abdülhamid period, with the other additional buildings, it took its name, Yıldız Palace. The palace took its place in history after the Old Palace, Topkapı Palace and Dolmabahçe Palace, as a centre where the Ottoman Empire was governed.
One
of the most important structures of Yıldız Palace is Şale Pavillion. It
consists of three main structures in the garden, built at different times but
attached to each other.
The
first building was known to be built in 1880 by the
architect Sarkis Balyan, as Merasim Villa the second one was
built in 1889 by the architect D'Arancoand the third one was
built in 1898. While you are touring at the three storied pavillion made
up of wood and stone, its design and ornaments will fascinate you. There are in
total 60 rooms and four halls where you will recognize the traces
ofBaroque and Islamic influences.
The
ceiling of the “Yellow Saloon” was decorated with landscape paintings; the
Saloon with mother-of-pearl with its inlaid mother-of-pearl decorations, and
the ceremony hall with a huge Hereke carpet and a ceiling decorated
with golden gilded panels, all of which appeals to the visitors.
Yıldız
Sarayı can be cisited from 09.30 to 16.00. Entrance fee
is 7.5 Ykr for students, for domestic visitors, 2 YTL and
for foreign visitors, it is 4 YTL
The
Harem: The “Harem” is the name given to the section of the palaces that
was occupied by the Sultan’s mother, the Valide Sultan, the sultan’s
siblings, the concubines who serviced them, and the black eunuchs, the
administrators of the harem. Topkapı Palace’s Harem contains
four hundred rooms, connected by long, narrow corridors.
Above
all, the harem was entirely closed to the outside world, and formed one of the
most mysterious aspects of Ottoman life. The stories and legends that have
surrounded the harem for hundreds of years are still fascinating today.
The
ultimate ruler of the harem was the most powerful woman in the Ottoman Empire,
the Valide Sultan, or mother of the Sultan. Therefore, those concubines who
achieved the honour of being the sultan’s wife struggled against one another in
their efforts to promote their own sons (the princes) to the thrown.
A
tour of the Topkapı’s harem begins with the forty rooms that were allotted to
the sultan’s mother. Following this, one comes to the domed Harem baths,
which have inspired paintings, photographs, and films for hundreds of years.
Finally, one enters the sultan’s salon, which is decorated with beautiful
examples of 16th century Turkish tiles, and contains
both a fountain and a pool. The Council Room and Weapons Collection: The
council room, also known as the Divan-ı Hümayun, was the location for the
cabinet meetings of the Grand Vizier and his advisors. Although
the Sultan was not allowed to participate in these meetings, he was able to
listen to the proceedings from behind a large window looking in on the room.
Ambassadors were often entertained in the Divan-ı
Hümayun Sadrazam with opulent feasts. An extensive collection of
weaponry from a number of different periods is also housed in this section.
These weapons, which were used by the army and officials of the palace, were
often received as gifts from other nations.
The
Third Courtyard: One enters the personal court of the sultan, which was
forbidden to everyone except those with special permission, through a door
known as the Bab-üs Saade (The door of happiness). The sultan met
with statesmen whom he agreed to keep as his envoys in this section. For
security reasons, only deaf and mute individuals were chosen to provide service
to the sultan on the throne.
Costumes:
The unique costumes of the Ottoman dynasty, which were hand-made in special
workshops, are also on display in the palace. They have been stored in chests
since the 15th century.
The
Treasury: Extraordinary examples of Turkish jewelry craft from
different time periods and jewelry brought to the Ottoman court from
the Far East, India, and Europe are preserved in the palace’s
treasury. Official medals, candlesticks cast from sterling gold, ceremonial
lanterns, ornamental jewelry, daggers—including the Topkapı dagger, an
important symbol of the palace—and theSpoonmaker’s Diamond (Kaşıkçı
Diamond) one of the world’s largest and most valuable diamonds, are all on
display in the treasury. One must pay an extra fee to view the collection
housed in the treasury.
The
Sacred Relics: Following the conquering of Egypt in the 16th century,
a variety of holy relics of extreme importance to Muslims that were found
there, were brought to Istanbul. Among the most interesting of the relics
housed inTopkapı Palace is a cardigan that belonged to the Prophet
Muhammed, stored in a precious box.
The
Fourth Court: The Baghdad Pavilion and the Revan Pavilion, both
of which were constructed in the 17th century, and
the Mecidiye Pavilion are all found in the fourth court. A strikingly
beautiful view of Istanbul can be seen from the terrace just in front of
the Baghdad Pavilion.
The
Topkapı Palace Museum is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
every day of the week except for Tuesday. The Harem Tour, which is
available for a separate fee, takes place
from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The tour is conducted in
a group.
The
Harem: The “Harem” is the name given to the section of the palaces that
was occupied by the Sultan’s mother, the Valide Sultan, the sultan’s
siblings, the concubines who serviced them, and the black eunuchs, the
administrators of the harem. Topkapı Palace’s Harem contains
four hundred rooms, connected by long, narrow corridors.
Above
all, the harem was entirely closed to the outside world, and formed one of the
most mysterious aspects of Ottoman life. The stories and legends that have
surrounded the harem for hundreds of years are still fascinating today.
The
ultimate ruler of the harem was the most powerful woman in the Ottoman Empire,
the Valide Sultan, or mother of the Sultan. Therefore, those concubines who
achieved the honour of being the sultan’s wife struggled against one another in
their efforts to promote their own sons (the princes) to the thrown.
A
tour of the Topkapı’s harem begins with the forty rooms that were allotted to
the sultan’s mother. Following this, one comes to the domed Harem baths,
which have inspired paintings, photographs, and films for hundreds of years.
Finally, one enters the sultan’s salon, which is decorated with beautiful
examples of 16th century Turkish tiles, and contains
both a fountain and a pool.
The Council Room and Weapons Collection: The council room, also known as the Divan-ı Hümayun, was the location for the cabinet meetings of the Grand Vizier and his advisors. Although the Sultan was not allowed to participate in these meetings, he was able to listen to the proceedings from behind a large window looking in on the room. Ambassadors were often entertained in the Divan-ı Hümayun Sadrazam with opulent feasts. An extensive collection of weaponry from a number of different periods is also housed in this section. These weapons, which were used by the army and officials of the palace, were often received as gifts from other nations.
The Council Room and Weapons Collection: The council room, also known as the Divan-ı Hümayun, was the location for the cabinet meetings of the Grand Vizier and his advisors. Although the Sultan was not allowed to participate in these meetings, he was able to listen to the proceedings from behind a large window looking in on the room. Ambassadors were often entertained in the Divan-ı Hümayun Sadrazam with opulent feasts. An extensive collection of weaponry from a number of different periods is also housed in this section. These weapons, which were used by the army and officials of the palace, were often received as gifts from other nations.
The
Third Courtyard: One enters the personal court of the sultan, which was
forbidden to everyone except those with special permission, through a door
known as the Bab-üs Saade (The door of happiness). The sultan met
with statesmen whom he agreed to keep as his envoys in this section. For
security reasons, only deaf and mute individuals were chosen to provide service
to the sultan on the throne.
Costumes:
The unique costumes of the Ottoman dynasty, which were hand-made in special
workshops, are also on display in the palace. They have been stored in chests
since the 15th century.
The
Treasury: Extraordinary examples of Turkish jewelry craft from
different time periods and jewelry brought to the Ottoman court from
the Far East, India, and Europe are preserved in the palace’s
treasury. Official medals, candlesticks cast from sterling gold, ceremonial
lanterns, ornamental jewelry, daggers—including the Topkapı dagger, an
important symbol of the palace—and theSpoonmaker’s Diamond (Kaşıkçı
Diamond) one of the world’s largest and most valuable diamonds, are all on
display in the treasury. One must pay an extra fee to view the collection
housed in the treasury.
The
Sacred Relics: Following the conquering of Egypt in the 16th century,
a variety of holy relics of extreme importance to Muslims that were found
there, were brought to Istanbul. Among the most interesting of the relics
housed inTopkapı Palace is a cardigan that belonged to the Prophet
Muhammed, stored in a precious box.
The
Fourth Court: The Baghdad Pavilion and the Revan Pavilion, both
of which were constructed in the 17th century, and
the Mecidiye Pavilion are all found in the fourth court. A strikingly
beautiful view of Istanbul can be seen from the terrace just in front of
the Baghdad Pavilion.
The
Topkapı Palace Museum is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
every day of the week except for Tuesday. The Harem Tour, which is
available for a separate fee, takes place
from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The tour is conducted in
a group.
Because it was initially built of wood, the Grand
Bazaar suffered extensive damage from disastrous fires and earthquakes
during its early existence. It underwent a variety of renovations and achieved
its current appearance two hundred and fifty years ago.
Twenty five thousand people work in the Grand Bazaar today.
Over three thousand shops are housed within the market, and two hundred and
fifty thousand people visit it every day. This number increases to four hundred
thousand during the months of heavy tourist traffic in the summer.
Today, it is almost as though there is no one who comes to Istanbul
without visiting the Grand Bazaar. As a place, it is identified closely
with the city. In the bazaar, you will find a vast number of stores selling
leather clothes and accessories, rugs and carpets, and gifts of every variety.
Nonetheless, the most impressive aspect of the Grand Bazaar is its
status as the world’s largest jewelry bazaar. Of course, it is also the centre
of Turkey’s gold market.
Several major consumer brands have recently opened outlets in
the Grand Bazaar as well as a variety of boutique restaurants and
cafes. In addition to the attraction it holds for visitors to Istanbul, the Grand
Bazaar also continues to be a regular destination for residents of
Istanbul themselves.
In more than seventy shops of Arasta Bazaar, handmade carpets and
rugs coming from all over the country are sold. Some of those carpets, which
the natives and the foreigners are highly interested in, are antiques and some
of them are reproductions knit by sticking to the original models.
There are not only carpets and rugs in
this bazaar. You can also find various souvenirs made of leather, golden
or silver along with natural stones such as meerschaum.
Arasta Bazaar is also significant because it is the last standing
example of the historical open bazaars in Istanbul.
We highly recommend you to visit the Arasta, which is a historical
bazaar with a long history of more then 300 years. We have no doubt that
you would like to give yourself or your beloved ones a gift of handmade carpet
or rug.
Selimiye Mosque - Its minarets destroyed from a strong gale were rebuilt in 1823. It
underwent a restoration work in 1964.
The interior of the mosque is rich in marble and wood engravings. The
mihrab and mimbar is made of porphyry marble. The latest congregational area is
sheltered by 5 domes over 6 marble columns.
There are two minarets with single balcony with two storey sultan
offices. It also treasures the graves of Zibifer Kadın, wife of Sultan
Selim the 3rd and Minister of Finance Mehmed Hasip Pasha.
The
castle which has five gates is situated on an area of 30.000 m2.
The first thing that you will encounter on this journey
through the world of toys is a toy shop itself.
Here, in the museum gift shop, you will have the opportunity to buy an
Eyüp toy, a symbol of traditional Turkish toy-making.
Don’t miss out on the surprises!
Unlike the serious surroundings that you might have
experienced in other museums, the atmosphere of the Toy Museum is cute and
playful. For instance, when you enter the section containing outer space toys,
stars will twinkle above your head. The train toys are displayed in an actual
train car. And in the museum’s basement, a pleasant surprise awaits those who
are curious about the inside of a submarine.
The oldest…
The oldest toy in the museum’s collection is a violin, made
in France in 1817. Other antique toys
include a baby made in America in 1820, marbles produced in America in the
1860s, and hundred-year-old tin toys and porcelain babies produced in Germany.
Address: İmrahor Street, around Borsa stop, Sütlüce 34445,
Beyoğlu-istanbul
AKM has a big hall with a human capacity of 1300 seats.
In addition, there are concert halls, little theaters, exhibition halls and
cinema salons in the building where numerous national and international
activities and receptions take place.
Bosphorus Cruise The best way to see the
Bosphorus in all its beauty is to take a boat trip. As the boat zigzags between
Asia and Europe, you can admire the old Ottoman wooden houses, 6 Ottoman
palaces, 2 suspended bridges, and 2 medieval castles.
Postcards, gifts, and books are sold in
another section of the cafe. Furthermore, behind the cafe, there is a separate
complex of other cafes, restaurants, and hotels designed in the style of old
Istanbul houses.
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