Ottoman Istanbul Tour

Served as the royal residence for Ottoman sultans for nearly 400 years, Topkapi Palace is actually a large complex consisting of four main courtyards and many smaller buildings including mosques, harem, a hospital, bakeries, and mansions. The palace houses the world famous 86 carat Spoonmaker's Diamond.

The Harem was not only an erotic hut, unlike many don't want to believe. It was forbidden for all males, except the black noblemen guarding the sites, the Sultan's private space and his sons. On the other hand, women had no difficulty entering. But there was no way out once you get in. Built in the late XVIth century, the Harem was a maze of about 300 beautifully tiled rooms, connected by courtyards and wells. More than 1.000 harem women, children and black eunuchs were at home in its height or gilded cage we say. After the admission of Harem, the girls were trained and converted into Islam and they received an adequate palace training: how to write, read, play an instrument, sing, dance, and make the Sultan happy. The Harem's leader was its “Valide Sultan”, the sultan's mother. Not only did she keep the Harem organised, she also decided on the woman's life and death and had an enormous impact on the selection of women and concubines of the sultan.

ancient hippodrome, Istanbul, Turkey and opposite Sultan Ahmed I's mausoleum. It was built to commemorate Wilhelm II's second birthday in 1898, when he came to Istanbul. Built in Germany, it was then transported in part and assembled at its present location in 1900. The octagonal dome in neo-byzantine style is eight marble columns with golden mosaics in the inside of the dome. In four of medallions, Abdülhamid II's tughra is written on green background, and in other four Wilhelm's symbol "W" is written on a Prussian blue background. Also, over "W" there is a crown and below it a "II" is written. The fountain was surrounded with a bronze fence, but unfortunately this has been lost. The outside of the dome is ornately patterned bronze; the dome's ceiling is decorated with golden mosaics and again with Abdülhamid II's tughra and Wilhelm II's symbol.

ivic life, stood in the open space in front of the Blue Mosque, an area now called Sultanahmet. Of the monuments which once decorated it only three remain: the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine. Remains from the curved-end section of the Hippodrome's wall can be seen on the southwest side of these three monuments. Today the square forms the centre of Istanbul's historical, cultural and touristic activities. You should take particular note of the surrounding wooden houses, particularly the 18th-century ones on Sogukcesme Street.

Sophia stands the supremely elegant, six-minaret, imperial Sultanahmet Mosque. Built between 1609 and 1616 by the architect Mehmet, the building is more familiarly known as the Blue Mosque because its interior gleams with a magnificent panelling, of blue and white Iznik tiles. During the summer months an evening light and sound show both entertain and inform. The Mosque of Sultan Ahmed is the first of the two mosques with six minarets in Turkey. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is one of Istanbul 's impressive monuments. The mosque is also one of the Ottoman mosques in Turkey dominating the skyline of Istanbul. You can easily spot the minarets in these panoramic photos of Istanbul. The majestic Blue Mosque is difficult to miss in the middle of Istanbul. It can hold up to 10,000 worshipers as one of the largest mosques in Turkey. Its acoustics are designed so precisely that you can almost hear the voice, even if the mosque is full, of anyone praying.

The Kapali Carsi, or Covered Bazaar, in the old city is the logical place to start. This labyrinth of streets and passages houses more than 4,000 shops. The names recall the days when each trade had its own quarter: the goldsmiths' street, the carpet sellers' street, the street of the skullcap makers. Still the commercial centre of the old city, the bazaar is the original shopping mall with something to suit every taste and pocket. Turkish crafts, the world-renowned carpets, brilliant hand-painted ceramics, copperware, brassware, and meerschaum pipes make charming souvenirs and gifts. The gold jewellery in brilliantly lit cases dazzles passers-by Leather and suede goods of excellent quality make a relatively inexpensive purchase. The Old Bedesten offers a curious assortment of antiques. It is worth poking through the clutter of decades in the hope of finding a treasure. Delve into the 554-year of shopping history with us!